The Los Angeles Police Department is shutting down its sexual assault unit that investigates complicated sex crimes, like film producer Harvey Weinstein. It’s the latest specialized unit to be affected in LA by the $150 million dollar defunding decision passed by City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti in July. The decision came amid protests and calls to “defund the police” in wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore told NBC4 in LA, that he had to immediately find 350 positions to cut. More cuts are expected to meet the budget targets.
To help us understand why this is happening and what we can expect from police defunding policies, we’re joined by Heather Mac Donald, a Manhattan Institute fellow and author of New York Times best seller “The War on Cops.”
