Minnesota Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison is advocating for a "refund the community" approach in place of "defund the police" and questioning why every police officer carries a firearm.
Ellison said he doesn’t care if a city gets rid of the word "police" but there needs to be some sort of public safety system in place.
"Defund the Police" is one of the demands of the activist group Black Lives Matter, which has been leading protests in major cities since the death of George Floyd on May 25 in the custody of Minneapolis police.
The Minneapolis City Council voted in favor of a plan to eliminate their police department in June and create the Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention in its place.
Ellison was asked if he agrees with the city council's approach.
"I think instead of hearing 'defund the police,' I recommend people hear 'refund the community.' So if you look at the Minneapolis Police Department, their budget is about $193 million," he said during a discussion with Rep. Karen Bass, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, on "Racial Injustice Movement and Police Reforms."
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