Name: Grassley: After 'defund police' efforts, recent shootings show need for police funding
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Grassley: After 'defund police' efforts, recent shootings show need for police funding

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AdvertisementAdvertisementGrassley: After 'defund police' efforts, recent shootings show need for police fundingDuring Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, senators spoke about the issues of gun violence in America after the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people including a police officer. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley spoke at the beginning of the hearing citing issues during the summer 2020 protests. "We also had an unprecedented spike in murders along with periods of prolonged civil unrest," Grassley said. "Americans kill one another, destroy their neighbors businesses, attacked law enforcement officers, and burned city blocks to the ground."He went on to acknowledge Boulder Officer Eric Talley who was killed during the grocery store attack. The attack came a week after the Atlanta-area shootings which killed eight people. "However, I've taken a few lessons from these terrible events," Grassley said. "The first is that we can't reduce violence in our communities without a professional well trained, fully funded police force. This includes gun violence. The rallying cry during the riots last summer was 'defund the police.' Cities that followed that advice saw a rapid spike in violent crime. Many were forced to refund the police. This happened in Minneapolis and Portland, maybe other cities as well."Grassley gave unnamed statistics claiming the murder rate in 2020 increased in June, during the time of protests. The National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice released a report in February that does support this statistic. It also acknowledges the rise in domestic violence and a decrease in other crimes like various robberies and burglaries. "Evidence strongly suggests that June 2020 spike in homicides and other gun related crimes is related to less policing or de-policing," Grassley said. He alleges defunding the police may have translated to 1,268 deaths in 2020, but does not cite the source of this finding. "I hope that violent crime will be a top priority for our Attorney General (Merrick) Garland and for President (Joe) Biden," Grassley said. "But I've already heard about cuts in funding for the U.S. Attorney's Office. In the Senate, we have previously acted in a bipartisan way to add legal measures to curb gun violence."Grassley referenced the Fix NICS Act, which assisted in background checks, and the Stop School Violence Act, which was the result of the Parkland High School shooting. In February, Grassley re-introduced the EAGLES Act Mass Violence Prevention Bill. The bill provides research and training for authorities to assess threats and violence. It specifically works with schools to improve their training. He also mentioned the NICS Denial Notification Act which is to allow law enforcement to step in when an individual tries to acquire firearms when they're not authorized to. "Early intervention is the best way to stop tragic mass shootings," Grassley said. Grassley said he was planning to re-introduce the Protecting Communities and Preserve the Second Amendment Act. This would require users of the NICS system to upload background information in a timely manner and make adjustments to the current system. "Like many Americans, I cherish my right to bear arms," Grassley said. "In the dialogue about gun control, we rarely consider how many Americans are united in their advocacy and enjoyment of this right."During Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, senators spoke about the issues of gun violence in America after the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people including a police officer. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley spoke at the beginning of the hearing citing issues during the summer 2020 protests.Advertisement"We also had an unprecedented spike in murders along with periods of prolonged civil unrest," Grassley said. "Americans kill one another, destroy their neighbors businesses, attacked law enforcement officers, and burned city blocks to the ground."He went on to acknowledge Boulder Officer Eric Talley who was killed during the grocery store attack. The attack came a week after the Atlanta-area shootings which killed eight people. "However, I've taken a few lessons from these terrible events," Grassley said. "The first is that we can't reduce violence in our communities without a professional well trained, fully funded police force. This includes gun violence. The rallying cry during the riots last summer was 'defund the police.' Cities that followed that advice saw a rapid spike in violent crime. Many were forced to refund the police. This happened in Minneapolis and Portland, maybe other cities as well."Grassley gave unnamed statistics claiming the murder rate in 2020 increased in June, during the time of protests. The released a report in February that does support this statistic. It also acknowledges the rise in domestic violence and a decrease in other crimes like various robberies and burglaries."Evidence strongly suggests that June 2020 spike in homicides and other gun related crimes is related to less policing or de-policing," Grassley said.He alleges defunding the police may have translated to 1,268 deaths in 2020, but does not cite the source of this finding. "I hope that violent crime will be a top priority for our Attorney General (Merrick) Garland and for President (Joe) Biden," Grassley said. "But I've already heard about cuts in funding for the U.S. Attorney's Office. In the Senate, we have previously acted in a bipartisan way to add legal measures to curb gun violence."Grassley referenced the Fix NICS Act, which assisted in background checks, and the Stop School Violence Act, which was the result of the Parkland High School shooting. In February, Grassley re-introduced the The bill provides research and training for authorities to assess threats and violence. It specifically works with schools to improve their training. He also mentioned the which is to allow law enforcement to step in when an individual tries to acquire firearms when they're not authorized to. "Early intervention is the best way to stop tragic mass shootings," Grassley said. Grassley said he was planning to re-introduce the Protecting Communities and Preserve the Second Amendment Act. This would require users of the NICS system to upload background information in a timely manner and make adjustments to the current system. "Like many Americans, I cherish my right to bear arms," Grassley said. "In the dialogue about gun control, we rarely consider how many Americans are united in their advocacy and enjoyment of this right."This content is imported from Twitter.You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.WATCH: ’s opening statement during this morning’s Judiciary Committee hearing. “I hope we can have a constructive conversation today, one which focuses on the preservation of the Second Amendment right we all share, and the safety of all Americans.” — Senate Judiciary Republicans (@SenJudiciaryGOP)Loading more articles...

AdvertisementAdvertisementGrassley: After 'defund police' efforts, recent shootings show need for police fundingDuring Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, senators spoke about the issues of gun violence in America after the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people including a police officer. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley spoke at the beginning of the hearing citing issues during the summer 2020 protests. "We also had an unprecedented spike in murders along with periods of prolonged civil unrest," Grassley said. "Americans kill one another, destroy their neighbors...

Grassley: After 'defund police' efforts, recent shootings show need for police funding

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