Portland Mayor Wants To Re-Fund Police After Spike In Homicides

Portland, Oregon mayor Ted Wheeler is aiming to re-fund the police, to the tune of $2 million, following a massive spike in homicides and other violent crimes.

The request is a clear about-face for Portland, one of the nation's true epicenters in the "Defund the police" movement of the past year. Multiple liberal groups have been behind the movement, aiming to divert public money away from traditional police departments and instead use it for mental health treatment and "community development."

Wheeler made the request Friday during his State of the City address. It also came just three days after a 42-year-old man was murdered in broad daylight in a city park.

As noted by The Associated Press, Portland city leaders voted to slash $16 million from the police budget in June. That included the total elimination of a gun-violence reduction unit.

Wheeler spoke to police Chief Chuck Lovell and other city officials about the potential of re-funding the department prior to his State of the City address.

The majority of Wheeler’s $2 million request would go toward hiring five more detectives and forming a uniformed patrol team with a focus on gun violence, KATU-TV of Portland reported.

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Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.