Budget cuts were made in every Portland city department after the pandemic, that was no surprise to anyone. Mayor Wheeler proposed a further reduction to the police budget in 2021, which is the right choice to make in the present scenario. This budget cut is not solely because of the pandemic, there is a much more important meaning behind it.

After George Floyd’s death, the use of combative systems by police has been questioned and discouraged. There was a strong reliance on such methods for decades, and instead of addressing the root causes of violence, police only supported more violence.

Black people have been overwhelmingly victimized by state-sanctioned violence. The working class, immigrants, and gender non-conforming black population, in particular, are in particularly vulnerable positions. Portland police have a history of racial profiling and abuse in the community and have been investigated for these reasons in the past.

The funds need to be redirected to programs for the restoration and healing of the community. Hunger, homelessness, and injustice are the primary causes that lead to crimes and violence in the longer run. Along with these issues, the mental health problems of the black community need to be addressed in a meaningful way.

If the funds are used to address the root causes, there would be no need for increasing the budget of law and order agencies.