• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
How the Democratic Nominating Battle Could End in a Messy ‘Brokered Convention’

Sanders Says He Does Not Support Abolishing Police Departments

June 9, 2020
FBI Probing ‘Targeted Terror Attack’ In Colorado

FBI Probing ‘Targeted Terror Attack’ In Colorado

June 1, 2025
VANESSA BATTAGLIA: Hegseth Is Right To Demand Afghanistan Withdrawal Accountability

VANESSA BATTAGLIA: Hegseth Is Right To Demand Afghanistan Withdrawal Accountability

June 1, 2025
LEIF LARSON: We Can’t Let Microsoft Unfairly Dominate The Tech Marketplace

LEIF LARSON: We Can’t Let Microsoft Unfairly Dominate The Tech Marketplace

June 1, 2025
STEVE MILLOY: Trump To Revive The Nuclear Power Industry

STEVE MILLOY: Trump To Revive The Nuclear Power Industry

June 1, 2025
Nonprofit Funded By Chinese Gov’t-Linked Entities Backs Blue State’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Climate Law

Nonprofit Funded By Chinese Gov’t-Linked Entities Backs Blue State’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Climate Law

May 31, 2025
Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet

Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet

May 31, 2025
MICHAEL LUCCI: US Multinationals Must Exit China

MICHAEL LUCCI: US Multinationals Must Exit China

May 31, 2025
CASEY RYAN: Loudoun County Is Back In The Election Year Headlines Again

CASEY RYAN: Loudoun County Is Back In The Election Year Headlines Again

May 31, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: Did Trump And Hochul Just Swap An Offshore Wind Farm For A Pipeline?

DAVID BLACKMON: Did Trump And Hochul Just Swap An Offshore Wind Farm For A Pipeline?

May 31, 2025
Father Of DJ Daniel Gives Heartbreaking Health Update About Son

Father Of DJ Daniel Gives Heartbreaking Health Update About Son

May 30, 2025
Appeals Court Blocks Trump’s Push For Mass Federal Firings

Appeals Court Blocks Trump’s Push For Mass Federal Firings

May 30, 2025
Musk Leaves DOGE With a Black Eye — Literally 

Musk Leaves DOGE With a Black Eye — Literally 

May 30, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Sunday, June 1, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home IJR

Sanders Says He Does Not Support Abolishing Police Departments

by Bradley Cortright
June 9, 2020 at 5:26 pm
in IJR
250 2
1
How the Democratic Nominating Battle Could End in a Messy ‘Brokered Convention’

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says he would like to see a “transformation” — not the abolition — of police departments.

As Democrats push back on the call for police departments to be defunded, Sanders was asked if he supports the push to disband the departments.

“Do I think we should not have police departments in America? No, I don’t,” Sanders said in an interview with the New Yorker Magazine.

He continued, “There’s no city in the world that does not have police departments. What you need are—I didn’t call for more money for police departments. I called for police departments that have well-educated, well-trained, well-paid professionals.”

Additionally, Sanders claimed that “you have police officers who take the job at very low payment, don’t have much education, don’t have much training.”

“I also called for the transformation of police departments into—understanding that many police departments and cops deal every day with issues of mental illness, deal with issues of addiction, and all kinds of issues which should be dealt with by mental-health professionals or others, and not just by police officers,” he added.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, lawmakers are calling for legislation to reform policing, and some Democrats have called for police departments to be defunded. 

Politicians have argued that the “Defund The Police” movement stands for cutting funds to police departments to distribute funds to other programs. Others have called for police departments to be disbanded.

The Minneapolis city council pledged that it would disband its police department, and other mayors of major U.S. cities have said they would cut police department budgets. 

But Sanders clarified his position, “I think we want to redefine what police departments do, give them the support they need to make their jobs better defined. So I do believe that we need well-trained, well-educated, and well-paid professionals in police departments.”

“Anyone who thinks that we should abolish all police departments in America, I don’t agree,” he added.

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s (D) presidential campaign also released a statement to clarify that he does not support defunding police departments.

Tags: Bernie SandersGeorge FloydLaw Enforcement
Share196Tweet123
Bradley Cortright

Bradley Cortright

IJR, Senior Writer He's written for Independent Journal Review since 2019.

IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR