Austin Mayor Addresses Police Brutality & Says He Won't 'Defund The Police'

Late last night after the Austin City Council unanimously agreed to put in place a brand new system to end police brutality, Austin Mayor Adler took to Twitter to post a long thread about their decision and what it entails. The mayor revealed that the city will not be defunding their police, but will rather "re-imagine policing & invest in people & the community" instead.

At nearly 11 p.m. on June 11, 2020, Adler tweeted out an 8-part thread that talked about his and the rest of the ATX Council's decision to make changes to the local police force following recent protests.

Many Austin protests have been occurring within the past two weeks, with thousands of residents gathering to bring awareness to a variety of subjects such as ending police brutality, promoting Black Lives Matter, and demanding justice for George Floyd.

Adler shared that in the late-night meeting, they "set goals for 0 racial disparities in APD, new rules for use of force & tactics, & launched a path to reinvest APD dollars in community services & support."

The city council proposed a plan to the City Manager involving enough money to "realize a full structural revamp and invest in communities and people."

The mayor shared what his own political stances are on the subject and how it has affected him during these unpredictable times.

He shared: "This moment, this movement, to me, is not just about policing. Institutional racism and systemic inequities are in everything. Access to capital. Health care. Education. Housing. Jobs. Salary. Wealth accumulation. Covid-19 susceptibility."

His thread continued on to describe the inequalities, stating that "no one should be afraid when a police car pulls up behind them" and that white people shouldn't be rewarded with more success just because of their race.

Though he and the council have decided not to "abolish nor defund the police," so that they don't risk any loss of safety for their city, they will be investing more in the people in the community and reinventing policing systems.

He wrapped up his Twitter thread with a message to his audience that calls for action. "All of us… each of us… can change our part of the world."