Congressman Fitzpatrick Introduces Bill To Stop Significant Defunding Of Police

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is one of four legislators to introduce the Defund Cities that Defund the Police Act.

Fitzpatrick, a second-term Republican from Middletown, introduced the bill recently along with Democratic Congressman Anthony Brindisi, of New York, Republican Congressman Will Hurt, of Texas, and Democratic Congressman Jared Golden, of Maine.

Below is how Fitzpatrick’s office explains the bill:

“Under the Defund Cities that Defund the Police Act, a defunding jurisdiction is defined as a State or political subdivision of a state that abolishes or disbands the police department with no intention of reconstituting the jurisdiction’s police department, or significantly reduces the police department’s budget without reallocating a portion of that money to any other community policing program, provided that the jurisdiction did not face a significant decrease in revenues in the previous fiscal year. Specifically, defunding jurisdictions would be prohibited from receiving grants under certain Economic Development Assistance Programs, focused on planning and administrative expenses, and grants for training, research, and technical assistance, and the Community Development Block Grant Programs.”

Fitzpatrick said the bill sends a message to make sure “police and law enforcement are well-funded, not defunded.”

In recent weeks, an effort to “defund the police” has taken hold across the country. The movement largely looks to reform police departments and reduce their budgets while investing in fixing inequalities and marginalized communities.

No Levittown-area municipalities have moved to defund their police departments in recent weeks. Policing almost always is the largest expense for area towns.

“Those calling for the defunding of the police as a serious policy prescription for improving police-community relations simply do not understand nor have placed themselves into the position of the on-duty police officer. Our communities need the police, they should be fully funded, and their service deserves our respect. Calls to defund the police are irresponsible, misguided, and dangerous. Without the police defending our communities, crime would drastically increase. And with more crime comes more victims,” Fitzpatrick, a former FBI special agent, said in a statement.

Bucks County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Bob Bray, a retired Falls Township police officer, issued the following comment on the bill: “In a civilized society, police are expected to protect its citizens against harm. Without the police, anarchy exists, and no one would be safe. ‘Defunding the Police’ welcomes criminals to prey on vulnerable members of society. Funding should be increased in the areas being addressed by law enforcement today; dealing with the mentally ill, training of police officers, and meeting with community leaders to have those ‘difficult’ conversations regarding race and equality. The Bucks County FOP stands with supporters of law and order, and the ability to live in peace and dignity.”

David Kennedy, president of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, said the ideas behind defunding the police are “creating a public safety crisis in towns and cities across America.”

Public outcry recently over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police and a nationwide social justice movement has called for reform.

In June, Fitzpatrick was one of a few Republicans to vote in favor of a police reform bill.

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