Portland cuts $15 million from police budget

(JUNE 19, 2020) Thousands of protesters have held demonstrations in Portland every night for more than three weeks. The protesters are angry about racial injustice and police brutality. The demonstrations started after a black man in Minneapolis was killed by police.

Many protesters want to reduce or eliminate police departments. They say too many people have been hurt or killed in the country. They believe people need more community services, not armed police.

Portland leaders voted Wednesday to cut $15 million from its police budget. The action eliminates the gun reduction violence team, school resource officers, and transit officers. The money will go to social services instead.

TriMet manages the public transportation system in the Portland area. TriMet says it will keep the transit police. However, it wants a more community-based approach.

Demonstrators were demanding a cut of $50 million. According to The Oregonian newspaper, one city leader, Jo Ann Hardesty, said that amount was not based on good information. She believes the city did a good thing. She suggests people "celebrate this incredible moment that we're in."

The Portland Police Bureau budget for July 2020 through June 2021 is $229.3 million.