Congressional Black Caucus chair disagrees with Black Lives Matter’s #DefundThePolice demand

The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus said Wednesday that she would personally oppose Black Lives Matter’s #DefundThePolice effort in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death following a police arrest. 

“I am not familiar with that demand of Black Lives Matter,” Chairwoman Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) said Wednesday during a virtual news conference. "I work closely with them, and so I will consult them. But if you asked me my personal opinion, no, I don't believe that we should be defunding police departments."

Still, Bass believes it's time to ask fundamental questions. 

"What is policing in America?" she asked. "Why is it that we have two completely different standards? In my district, part of my district is very affluent and predominantly white, and in that part of my district, the police go to protect and serve. The other part of my district, which is the inner city, South Central Los Angeles, police come there with a warrior mentality."

Bass said that “many police officers” have told her that when rookie officers are getting ready to graduate from the academy “there's a number of them that say, ‘I want my first assignment to be South Central so I could go there and kick butt.’ If you view the people you are supposed to protect and serve as enemies and that you're in a war zone, then why would we be surprised when we have abuse?”

Bass argued that police officers “would never say that about Beverly Hills or Westwood or any affluent white community. They would never go in there, saying, ‘Let me go in and see how I can go in and kick butt.’ So I think it's a very important time to put about structural reforms.”

Black Lives Matter, a group that's been organizing protests in major cities, is urging its supporters to promote its #DefundThePolice initiative on social media in response to the death of Floyd.

Floyd was arrested May 25 by Minneapolis police, including one officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck until he lost consciousness. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

"We call for a national defunding of police," reads a post on the BLM national website. "We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive. If you’re with us, add your name to the petition right now and help us spread the word.”

Bass recommended Congress pass “comprehensive legislation” that would prohibit police departments from obtaining military-style weapons and equipment and amend laws as needed to make it easier for those arrested to hold police accountable for cases of abuse.

“We are putting the bills together now,” she said. “Members have been working on pieces of legislation for years.”

Bass told reporters that she sees the package being voted on in the House before July.