Republican State Representatives Denounce ‘Defund The Police’ Movement

A slate of Bucks County Republican incumbent state representatives gathered last week to say they support the police and recognize law enforcement should not be defunded.

The group that hosted the press at the Bucks County Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Wrightstown Township was made up of state representatives Frank Farry of Langhorne; Todd Polinchock of Chalfont; Wendi Thomas, of Northampton; Kathleen “K.C.” Tomlinson, of Bensalem; Meghan Schroeder, of Buckingham; and Craig Staats, of Richland. All of the officials are up for reelection this fall.

“We stand with law enforcement and not defunding the police,” Staats said.

District Attorney Matt Weintraub, a Republican, was at the event and briefly made remarks that law enforcement needs to receive funding to carry out their mission. He said Bucks County every one of the roughly 1,000 officers that work within its borders.

“We can’t even spare even one officer less,” he said.

Republicans locally and nationally have worked to focus their campaigns to promoting law and order as calls have increased to reallocate police funding to social programs and realign some public welfare tasks police often deal with to other professions.

The state lawmakers noted their support for bills that reformed law enforcement and pushed forward changes to the state’s criminal justice system. Bills pointed to expanded the access agencies have to past disciplinary records for officers during the hiring process and help those with criminal records.

Some of the lawmakers pointed to their opponents being endorsed by Better Prosecutors PAC, which calls for shaking up the criminal justice system and supporting “game-changing progressive district attorney and legislative candidates.One of the candidates endorsed by Better Prosecutors PAC is Farry’s Democratic opponent Lauren Lareau.

Farry said he believes law enforcement agencies should keep being funded, while also being held accountable and receiving training to keep everyone safe.

The veteran state lawmaker and volunteer fire chief explained that taking away funds from law enforcement could “compromise the ability” for departments to offer the training that is key for officers.

“Officers are putting their lives on the line to keep residents safe,” Farry said, citing recent unrest that tickled into Bucks County but was quickly stopped by police.

Lareau responded by saying Republicans talking about Democrats defunding the police is a “classic talking point and mischaracterizing the truth to scare people.”

Farry’s Democratic challenger, who unsuccessfully ran against him in 2018, said her grandfather was a Philadelphia police officer. She said she “understands the needs of police” and has had conversations in the community about the issue.

Lareau said government should fund more mental health and social services to take some of the burden off of police who have become “expected to be to social workers.”

“It’s a disservice to police to make them then clean up crew,” she said.

Editor’s Note: The story has been updated to reflect that Future Now is the umbrella organization for a seperate but connected group that calls for studying police agencies and if resources could be reallocated. Candidates who sign on to Future Now are not signing on to support that policy point.

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