NPA-IPR Endorses Florida Congressman Cory Mills for Re-Election to Congress

 

Indianapolis, July 21, 2026 --The National Police Association Institute for Policy Research (NPA-IPR), the political action arm of the National Police Association, proudly announces its endorsement of Congressman Cory Mills for re-election to the United States House of Representatives.

Congressman Mills has consistently demonstrated that he understands a fundamental truth: public safety begins with supporting the men and women who wear the badge. Throughout his service in Congress, he has stood with America's law enforcement officers by supporting legislation that strengthens policing, protects officers from politically motivated attacks, and helps ensure they have the tools necessary to keep our communities safe.

As a decorated Army combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, Congressman Mills understands service, sacrifice, and the importance of standing behind those who place themselves in harm's way to defend others. That commitment has carried over into his work in Congress, where he has repeatedly supported policies that enhance officer safety, defend constitutional policing, and oppose efforts to weaken law enforcement through anti-police legislation.

America cannot have safe communities without proactive policing. Congressman Cory Mills has consistently demonstrated that he understands the challenges facing today's law enforcement officers and has earned our endorsement through his actions, not merely his words. He recognizes that when politicians undermine police, criminals become emboldened and law-abiding citizens pay the price.

Congressman Mills has supported legislation advancing the interests of law enforcement officers, including measures to strengthen the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) and legislation benefiting federal law enforcement officers. His voting record reflects a commitment to providing officers with the legal protections, resources, and respect they deserve.

At a time when many elected officials have chosen to appease activists who seek to diminish policing, Congressman Mills has remained steadfast in his support for those who protect America's neighborhoods. His record reflects an understanding that reducing crime requires enforcing the law, holding violent offenders accountable, securing our borders, combating the flow of fentanyl, and ensuring that police officers can perform their duties without fear of politically motivated prosecution.

NPA-IPR carefully evaluates candidates based upon their demonstrated support for public safety, constitutional government, and the rule of law. Congressman Mills has distinguished himself as a principled advocate for these values.

The National Police Association Institute for Political Responsibility is proud to endorse Congressman Cory Mills and encourages voters in Florida's Seventh Congressional District to support his re-election.

About NPA-IPR

The National Police Association Institute for Policy Research (NPA-IPR) is the political action arm of the National Police Association. NPA-IPR endorses candidates who demonstrate a commitment to defending the rule of law, strengthening public safety, and preserving the constitutional rights of the American people.

The National Police Association Urges U.S. Supreme Court to Restore Common Sense to Police Use-of-Force Standard

 

INDIANAPOLIS, June 23, 2026 — The National Police Association (NPA) has filed an amicus curiae brief in the United States Supreme Court, urging it to review Moore & Kurtz v. Romero, a case that strikes at the heart of whether police officers can protect themselves and the public when confronted by an armed suspect.

The case arises from a Sixth Circuit decision denying qualified immunity to Officers Donovan Moore and Jeff Kurtz after they used deadly force against a suspect who reached for and gained control of a firearm during an arrest. The NPA argues that the ruling conflicts with decades of Supreme Court precedent and places officers across America in an impossible position: hesitate when a suspect obtains a gun and risk death, or act to stop the threat and risk financial ruin through years of litigation.

At issue is whether courts will continue to judge split-second life-and-death decisions from the safety of a courtroom years after the fact or honor the constitutional standard that evaluates force from the perspective of a reasonable officer facing an immediate threat.

The NPA’s brief warns that the Sixth Circuit’s decision reflects a growing tendency among some courts to substitute speculation for reality, imagining what a suspect may have intended rather than confronting what officers actually saw and recorded on bodycam: an armed individual gaining control of a weapon during a rapidly unfolding confrontation.

“The Constitution does not require police officers to gamble with their lives when a suspect obtains a gun,” said Eddie Hutchison, President of the National Police Association. “Our brief asks the Supreme Court to reaffirm that officers confronting an armed threat are entitled to rely on what actually happened, not on theories invented years later by judges from the comfort of their chambers.”

“Every officer answering a domestic disturbance call, making a felony arrest, or confronting an armed suspect deserves clear legal standards, not shifting judicial theories that prompt hesitation and punish lifesaving action,” Hutchison added.

The National Police Association is represented by James L. Buchal, of Murphy & Buchal LLP, in Portland, OR. The full brief is available on the Supreme Court docket under case number 25-1295 and can be read here.

The National Police Association (NPA) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit fighting for law enforcement through education, advocacy, and the courts. For more information, visit NationalPolice.org.

U. S. Supreme Court Acts in Accordance with the National Police Association’s Amicus Brief, Vacating Ninth Circuit Decision, and Delivering Relief to Law Enforcement

INDIANAPOLIS, April 21, 2026 – The National Police Association (NPA) applauds the decisive action by the Supreme Court of the United States, granting certiorari, vacating the judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and remanding the case for reconsideration in the matter of Kyle Smith, et al. v. Rochelle Scott, et al.

The outcome aligns directly with the National Police Association’s May 2025 amicus brief, filed in association with the Police Officers’ Defense Coalition, which urged the Court to prevent the expansion of officer liability based on vague, after-the-fact legal interpretations.

The Ninth Circuit attacked the use of bodyweight compression, a widely taught and carefully regulated law enforcement control technique used to restrain actively resisting or combative individuals. The NPA’s amicus brief made clear that bodyweight compression, when applied in accordance with training and departmental policy, is a non-deadly force option that plays a critical role in safely resolving volatile encounters.

“The Supreme Court has sent a necessary and unmistakable signal,” said Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.), spokesperson for the National Police Association. “Police officers must be judged based on clearly established law, not shifting theories that second-guess lawful, trained techniques like bodyweight compression.”

The Court’s directive to reconsider the case in light of Zorn v. Linton is especially significant. In that decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that officers are entitled to qualified immunity unless their conduct violates clearly established law defined with specificity. Broad or generalized precedent cannot be used to impose liability. This principle directly addresses the NPA’s concern that the Ninth Circuit’s now-vacated ruling risked treating bodyweight compression as inherently dangerous or constitutionally suspect without any clearly established legal basis.

The NPA’s amicus brief rejected such reasoning, emphasizing that bodyweight compression is designed to achieve rapid control, limit escalation, and reduce reliance on higher levels of force. When properly applied, it can shorten physical confrontations and decrease the likelihood that officers must resort to strikes, conducted energy weapons, or firearms. In that sense, the technique serves not only officer safety but also the safety of suspects and bystanders.

By vacating the Ninth Circuit’s decision, the Supreme Court has removed the immediate threat that its reasoning could become entrenched as binding precedent across a vast region of the country. Had it remained in place, the ruling could have deterred officers from using effective, policy-approved restraint techniques out of fear that those actions might later be recharacterized as unconstitutional in civil litigation.

“This ruling restores balance,” Sgt. Smith added. “Without tools like bodyweight compression, officers are left with fewer options, often more dangerous ones. The law must reflect the realities officers face, not hypothetical alternatives imagined after the fact.”

Today’s action by the Supreme Court reinforces that constitutional limits on policing must be clearly defined before liability can attach. It prevents lower courts from effectively creating new rules by analogy and ensures that officers are not punished for relying on established practices supported by training and experience.

The National Police Association will continue its work before the courts to defend lawful policing practices and to ensure that officers are protected from legal standards that are unclear, inconsistent, or detached from operational reality.

The National Police Association and the Police Officers’ Defense Coalition are represented by James L. Buchal, of Murphy & Buchal LLP, in Portland, OR. The full brief is available on the Supreme Court docket and can be read here.

The National Police Association (NPA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit fighting for law enforcement through education, advocacy, and the courts. For more information, visit NationalPolice.org.

The National Police Association Endorses the Halting Inappropriate Limits Targeting Officers Now (HILTON) Act

 INDIANAPOLIS, March 25, 2026 — Reports of federal immigration officers being refused service by restaurants, hotels, and gas stations have helped highlight the hostile landscape they must now navigate. Businesses that blatantly discriminate against law enforcement officers who are merely enforcing our nation’s laws shouldn’t be rewarded with federal contracts. It is why the National Police Association (NPA) is endorsing the Halting Inappropriate Limits Targeting Officers Now (HILTON) Act (H.R. 7551).

The HILTON Act is a congressional bill prohibiting federal agencies from contracting with businesses that refuse services to federal law enforcement officers because of their official duties. Introduced by Rep. Cory Mills (FL-07), this bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for deliberation. The text for the House bill is here.

Businesses subject to this provision under the HILTON Act include those that provide lodging facilities, food and beverage, healthcare services, property rental, and equipment storage. Brands operating under a parent corporation will be treated as a single entity.

“Law enforcement officers are being denied service simply for wearing a badge and upholding our nation’s laws. While these businesses may have a general right to refuse providing their services to officers, they also shouldn’t be awarded with federal contracts for demonstrating flagrant discrimination,” said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director, National Police Association. “The HILTON Act will ensure that our hard-earned tax dollars aren’t rewarding entities that wrongfully penalize the men and women of federal law enforcement who are dedicated to keeping our streets safe,” Fitzsimmons added.

The NPA is grateful to Rep. Mills for introducing the HILTON Act, a bill prohibiting federal agencies from doing business with entities that willfully discriminate against federal law enforcement officers. The bill promotes fairness, while making it clear that law enforcement officers deserve to be treated with respect, not disdain. Passing this bill will meaningfully demonstrate that the nation values our federal officers and stands with them. We ask Congress to pass it.

To support anti-crime, pro-police legislation, join the NPA’s Call to Action team. Receive email alerts on bills, including which lawmakers to contact.

About: The National Police Association (NPA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting law enforcement through advocacy, education, and the courts. For more information, visit NationalPolice.org.

Parent of child assaulted in Minnesota high school fight says ‘safety of all kids’ in jeopardy without SROs

A parent who says her child was assaulted during a fight last Friday at Mankato East High School is speaking out about the need for school resource officers (SROs).

“SROs not being in the schools is not helpful to keeping students safe,” Nashawn Williams said. “I think that removing the SROs from the schools was really a bad idea. I understand the situation that the new laws place the SROs in, and I think it was a really bad idea.”

Mankato East High School went into lockdown Friday morning for about 30 minutes as police responded to the incident. A video of the fight shows Williams’ son on the ground as he is punched and kicked by other students, she said. The school is one of dozens across the state without an SRO on campus this fall in response to a new state law, which restricts the types of restraints that can be used on students who are acting illegally.

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Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association endorses Jensen for Governor

 The MPPOA is the largest association representing public safety professionals in the state.

The announcement was made in front of the ruins of the Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct building which was set on fire in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020.

Brian Peters, MPPOA executive director, made the following statement:

“There is only one candidate for governor that police trust to have their backs, and that is Dr. Scott Jensen. Minnesota has experienced out of control lawlessness under Tim Walz, and quite frankly, we’ve had enough. Dr. Jensen has put forward sensible proposals to restore safety to our communities and that’s why we’re supporting him for Governor.”

Brian Peters, MPOA executive director

Dr. Jensen also released a statement on the endorsement:

“Tim Walz has failed every Minnesotan in fulfilling the most important job of an elected official: ensuring public safety. The men and women who protect our communities daily understand this, and that’s why they are supporting my candidacy. I’m honored to have the endorsement of police officers across our state and when we win on November 8th, we’ll immediately work together to bring safe streets back to our neighborhoods.‘

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Officer staffing shortage prompts service changes for Alexandria Police Officers

Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes shared new numbers on Friday about the staffing shortage his department is currently dealing with.

"We had at least five leave within the past week. One went to another agency. One retired. Two are getting out of the profession all together," the chief said. "A lot of of officers are leaving because they want to try something different."

Right now, APD's authorized force is 311 sworn officers. As of May 1, Hayes says they're down 20 officers. Plus, he says another 48 officers are currently on FMLA or restricted duty.

"So actually out of 311, we only have 243 officers available to put on the street and go to calls for service," he said.

The chief held a news conference on Friday morning to explain the service changes his department is now making as it copes with a reduction in manpower on the force.

"We are not reducing our calls for service," he said. "We are going to respond to every call for service, sometimes just differently. We are modifying the way we do that."

APD said some of those modifications include:

• Not responding to certain calls that may fall under another agency’s role unless the agency requests support
• Not responding to scenes that occurred earlier in which there is no danger to the public, no identifying suspects, or valuable investigative leads

"So what we did, we looked to identify non-emergency calls for service that other entities of the city can respond to. We've also worked to identify non-emergency calls that really don't require an in-person response," Hayes said.

A case of suspected credit card fraud, for instance, could now involve an officer taking a report by phone.

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Baltimore County Council will vote on police accountability board

TOWSON, Md. — A change in state law during last year's legislative session now means that each county in Maryland has to set up a board focused on improving relationships between police and the community.

There's a vote scheduled for Monday on what that board will look like in Baltimore County.

The board will be made up of nine residents from across the county who will work with law enforcement and local officials to make recommendations to improve policing here in Baltimore County.

Aside from forbidding police officers from serving on the board, specifics of membership, board powers and funding are left to the counties themselves. Each faces a July 1 deadline.

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Virginia legislature looks at requiring police in every school

 

Legislation that would require every public school in Virginia to have a full-time police officer on duty is expected to come before House and Senate committees this week.

Sen. Bill DeSteph and Del. Karen Greenhalgh, both Republicans from Virginia Beach, filed matching bills in the Senate and House of Delegates that would require each school district to set up contracts with their local law enforcement agency to staff every school with at least one school resource officer.

Both Greenhalgh and DeSteph said they expect their bills to be taken up in committee this week.

An SRO is “a certified law-enforcement officer hired by the local law-enforcement agency to provide law enforcement and security services to Virginia public elementary and secondary schools,” according to state code.

The bills state that any division that does not fully comply with the staffing requirement is ineligible for any grant or waiver from the state.

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St. Louis files court challenge of Legislature’s expansion of police officer rights

ST. LOUIS — City officials on Friday launched a court challenge of a new state law that spells out and expands the rights of police officers across Missouri when they face internal investigations.

The city’s lawsuit complains that the measure, passed by the Legislature in May, requires St. Louis to treat its police officers differently than all other civil service employees “without rational basis.”

The suit, which Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’ office said was filed in Cole County Circuit Court in Jefferson City, also attacks a provision that the suit says requires the city to defend officers for actions taken when moonlighting as security personnel for private companies.

That, the city alleges, violates a state constitutional provision barring the use of public funds for private purposes.

The suit also asks that a judge throw out the law because it assigns the city more duties and costs investigating and defending officers without providing state money to pay for it.

The law “is an unfunded mandate that subverts equal protection guaranteed under the law,” mayoral spokesman Nick Dunne said in a statement.

Moreover, the suit complains that the bill is unconstitutional because it also contains law changes on various subjects not related to its stated purpose of public safety.

Jeff Roorda, business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers Association — which backed the bill — said attorneys who reviewed it for supporters are “fully confident that the statute is legal.”

He called it the most important legislation affecting officers across Missouri passed in the past 10 years.

He said while the law adds some new protections for St. Louis officers, other provisions mirror practices already in place in the city through the association’s contract and police regulations.

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James Craig on running for Governor: 'I know I've been called for this role'

James Craig, retired Detroit police chief and candidate for governor in Michigan, explained how he knows he has been "called" to unseat Gretchen Whitmer in the 2022 election as he leads her several points in a recent poll. Craig made the remarks during an interview on "Fox & Friends" on Sunday emphasizing the need for leaders full of integrity and courage to deal with current issues. 

JAMES CRAIG: It's a powerful statement. I know Denzel. I know where he stands. I know I've been called for this role. This is prophetic. I know that being the next governor, the next governor of the great state of Michigan, is something that was placed on my heart. A friend of mine who was a very spiritual man who said 13 years ago, you're going to be the governor. Now, that was WILD for me because I wanted to only be the chief of police. Here I sit today, but in today's world, in our state and our country, we need strong, courageous leaders to deal with the issues. Look at our country. We're divided. Look at our state. People are so just that dissatisfied and sick of politics. They want leaders that will get it done and get it done with integrity. 

Watch the full interview here: https://video.foxnews.com/v/6274294967001

 

Protecting Nassau Police From Hate Crimes Sparks Controversy

 Police reform advocates are criticizing a Nassau County bill that would make police and other first responders a protected class under human rights laws. The bill, set for a vote on Monday, would allow police to bring civil lawsuits against anyone who harasses or menaces them as those terms are defined under New York penal law.

The bill was drafted by County Legislator Joshua Lafazan of Woodbury, who caucuses with Democrats, but is registered as unaffiliated with any political party. He described the intent of the bill as a way to protect police from a “widespread pattern of physical attacks and intimidation”.

“There is an urgent need to enhance the legal protections afforded to our law enforcement personnel,” Lafazan said during a committee meeting. “To make them whole in the face of injury suffered at the hands of rioters and other individuals bent on lawless behavior, and to deter and punish such destructive behavior in order to protect the human rights of all people.”

The bill ignited controversy as soon as it was brought up in a closed-door caucus meeting, and again on Nassau’s legislative floor. Legislator Siela Bynoe, a Democrat from Westbury, said she was concerned protesters angry at police misconduct could be sued.

“We're talking about a civil case,” Bynoe said. “They have to pay to have a defense attorney act in their interest. And that can be a significant burden.”

The bill has divided Democrats, but is now being championed by the Republican majority who pushed the bill to the full legislature for vote.

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Shelby County, IL sheriff announces resignation, cites police reform

 SHELBY COUNTY, Ill. - Shelby County's sheriff announced his resignation from office, citing police reform legislation as the reason. 

In a letter making the announcement, Sheriff Don Koonce said he will step down on June 25, 2021. 

"This decision was not an easy one for me to make, but (was) reaffirmed by the imminent change in police reform," Koonce said. "It is my hope that Illinois legislators dive deep into this reform and make sweeping changes. The safety of the public is at risk." 

This follows a massive criminal justice reform bill of over 700 pages in length signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker in February. The law eliminated cash bail in the state and mandated police body camera usage for all officers. It limited the use of force, among other changes. 

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'Squad' Dems may unravel police-reform deal in push to end qualified immunity

The demands -- which stop short of a threat to vote against any bill that doesn't roll back qualified immunity but come close to that line -- could doom legislation that Republicans and Democrats have been negotiating for weeks. 

The letter is signed by Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo.; Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.; Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J.; Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.; and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. 

Qualified immunity is a protection that shields government officials of all stripes from being personally sued for violating somebody's rights in the course of reasonably doing their jobs unless the breached rights are "clearly established in the law." In practice, this often means that police officers who go well beyond their authority in handling an incident cannot be held civilly liable for their actions. 

"We are concerned by recent discussions that the provision ending qualified immunity for local, state, and federal law enforcement may be removed in order to strike a bipartisan deal in the Senate," the letter said. "Given that police violence, as a weapon of structural racism, continues to have devastating and deadly consequences for Black and brown lives across our country, we strongly urge you to not only maintain but strengthen the provision eliminating qualified immunity as negotiations in the Senate continue."

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Sen. Shelley Moore Capito Backs Sen. Scott’s Police Reform Proposal

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) weighed in on the police reform debate on Capitol Hill. In an interview Sunday, Moore Capito said she supports Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.)’s efforts to bring forward a balanced bill.

Scott recently said lawmakers are focusing on a handful of issues, like ending qualified immunity, a federal ban on chokeholds, and no-knock warrants. Moore Capito said Scott has been across the aisle, and she believes “the time is now,” as there is a real desire to get legislation on the matter done and done right.

She added, qualified immunity is a hot-button issue right now.

“I think the way that Senator Scott has formulated some revisions to qualified immunity is on the table right now,” Moore Capito said. “I know he is in active negotiations on this piece.”

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New bill would end qualified immunity for police officers in Illinois

A bill that would put an end to qualified immunity for police officers is making its way through the Illinois House.

The Bad Apples in Law Enforcement Accountability Act of 2021 would allow for civil litigation against law enforcement officers if they ‘deprive any individual rights guaranteed under the Illinois Constitution.’

Officers who ‘fail to intervene’ could also be held accountable.

Governor Pritzker signed a police reform bill in February that included ending cash bail. The end to qualified immunity was included in an early version of Pritzker’s Illinois police reform bill but was left out.

Several local law enforcement agencies strongly opposed the measure and a petition urging Pritzker to veto the bill garnered more than 150,000 signatures.

Those who oppose the action say the bill prohibits peace officers from fulfilling their sworn oath and duty.

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House Passes New Bill To Abolish Qualified Immunity For Police

On a largely party-line vote, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 1280), a massive overhaul of American policing that would make it much easier to sue rogue officers. Among its many provisions, the bill would eliminate “qualified immunity” for all local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. Under qualified immunity, government officials escape any legal liability for civil rights violations unless the victim can show that their rights were “clearly established” at the time.

Thanks to this loophole, federal courts have upheld qualified immunity to Fresno officers accused of stealing more than $225,000 in cash and rare coins, an Idaho SWAT team that bombarded an innocent mom’s home with tear gas grenades, and a Georgia sheriff’s deputy who accidentally shot a 10-year-old boy while aiming for the family’s dog. 

“We as a country have a choice: We can either choose police accountability, or choose qualified immunity, but we cannot choose both,” one of the act’s original cosponsors, Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY), said on the House floor. “The purpose of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is not to second guess officers who act in good faith, the objective is to hold liable officers who repeatedly abuse their power and who rarely, if ever, face consequences for their repeat abuses.”

A nearly identical version of the bill passed the House last summer but never got a floor vote in the Senate. Though the Justice in Policing Act still faces an uphill battle this session, prospects are brighter. Ending qualified immunity is backed by around two-thirds of Americans, including many prominent celebrities like Tom Brady and the co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s.

Moreover, the bill has been endorsed by the Biden Administration, while some Senate Republicans have signaled they may be amenable to compromise. For instance, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) who last summer called eliminating qualified immunity a “poison pill,” on Tuesday said that he was “open to having conversations on civil qualified immunity as it relates to police departments, cities, and municipalities being held accountable for the actions of those they employ.”

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Maryland police reform would repeal officer due process protections

 Every Wednesday, for 395 weeks, Tawanda Jones has held a vigil to protest the death of her brother, Tyrone West, who died after a struggle with Baltimore police in 2013.

Jones’ protests used to take place on the streets of Baltimore, but since the pandemic, she has moved her activism online, where she recently waited late into the night to testify in support of an effort to create greater police accountability in Maryland.

Jones hopes the time has come to repeal the state’s Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights — police protections in state law she says have shielded authorities from responsibility, including the officers who she believes suffocated her brother.

“I call it a security blanket for them that allows them to brutalize us,” said Jones, a school teacher.

A package of police reforms in Maryland this year prompted by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota includes a proposed repeal of a law that has become common across the country. Critics say the laws have long stood as a barrier to officer discipline and accountability. Maryland first enacted it in 1974, and about 20 states have adopted similar laws setting due process procedure for investigating police misconduct, including California, Florida and Texas.

After protests in the aftermath of Floyd’s death, police reform advocates now hope the first state to enact the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights will be the first to repeal it, setting a model for other states to improve police accountability. Police union leaders, however, are concerned the changes could erode important law enforcement protections.

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Portland PD has 'lowest number of sworn employees' in 25-plus years

The Portland Police Bureau now has the "lowest number of sworn employees" in more than 25 years, prompting the department to reassign certain personnel as a way to decrease overtime costs, officials announced.

On Thursday, Portland police reassigned sergeants and officers from three precincts "in an effort to reduce overtime costs" –  just one day after an Oregonian/Oregon Live report detailing how Police Chief Chuck Lovell has asked city commissioners to decrease department budget cuts to just 1% so they can hire more personnel.

"Due to the fact that the bureau has its lowest number of sworn employees in over 25 years (824 sworn members), and because of enormous costs associated with events of 2020, the Bureau took this step to save money," the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said in a Thursday press release regarding the reorganization.

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Nearly A Dozen Police Have Left City Department Amid National Wave Of Quitting Cops

 About 10 police officers have departed from a Western Massachusetts city following "defund the police" budget cuts over the summer.

And another 11 officers have put in an application for employment in other departments.
The exodus marks a problem with morale at the Northampton Police Department in the wake of calls to “defund the police,” subsequent budget cuts, and protests against law enforcement, Chief Jody Kasper told MassLive.

Cuts were announced in June when city officials were hammering out the annual budget. The police department’s proposed $6.7 million budget was reduced by 10 percent.
Since that time 7 officers have resigned and three were laid off, Kasper said.

A wave of police resignations has hit the United States in the wake of George Floyd’s killing and a call for changes in law enforcement that includes less money for traditional police budgets. The policy has been referred to as “defund the policy” and the idea is that money taken from the police budget could be used to buffer social services and allow police to focus on major crimes.

Many communities have reduced police budgets and created new policing policies in an effort to reduce police brutality and racial imbalance in how laws are enforced. However, the second part of the defund the police campaign - the added support from social services - does not appear to have materialized as quickly.

Anecdotal evidence from police departments from Seattle to Atlanta to Minneapolis to Buffalo have reported scores of police officers resigning, according to CNN and various media outlets.
In a survey of the nation’s 50 largest cities, at least 23 have seen chiefs or line officers resign, retire or take disability this year, according to City Journal.

Replacing officers has not been easy as recruiting is down as well.

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