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Morgan Freeman Rejects The Idea Of Defunding The Police

Morgan Freeman Rejects The Idea Of Defunding The Police

The Oscar-winner said most of the police are doing a good job.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Morgan Freeman has rejected the popularised notion of defunding the police.

Since the resurgence of the Black Lives Mater movement around the world following the death of George Floyd there have been calls for local police forces to be stripped of their funding and have that money channeled into other groups that can help the community.

While the idea has received support from loads of people, The Shawshank Redemption actor believes it won't do anyone any good.

Speaking to Black Enterprise's Selena Hill, Morgan Freeman said: "I'm not in the least bit for defunding the police.

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"Police work is, aside from all the negativity around it, it is very necessary for us to have them and most of them are guys that are doing their job.

"They're going about their day-to-day jobs. There are some police the never pulled their guns except in rage, that sort of thing. I don't know."

Earlier this year, the Oscar winner invested $1 million into creating a Center for Evidence-Based Policing and Reform within the University of Mississippi.

He explained that policing needs to get back to its core principles.

"Look at the past year in our country - that sums it up. It's time we are equipping police officers with training and ensuring 'law enforcement' is not defined only as a gun and a stick. Policing should be about that phrase 'To Serve' found on most law enforcement vehicles," he said.

The defund the police movement has been enacted in some parts of America.

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Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved the slashing of $8 million worth of funding from the police department in December last year.

Minneapolis was the city where George Floyd was killed and the city was forced to have a big conversation with how they wanted to protect their citizens.

The funds will now be redirected to mental health teams, violence prevention programs and other initiatives.

Mayor Jacob Frey said: "We all share a deep and abiding reverence for the role our local government plays in service of the people of our city. And today, there are good reasons to be optimistic about the future in Minneapolis."

The council had initially approved a proposal to cut the police department's staff to 750 from the current 888, but Frey threatened to veto the entire budget if the cap remained in place, calling the move 'irresponsible.'

Politicians in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles have also called for similar measures.

Featured Image Credit: Landmark Media

Topics: Black Lives Matter, Entertainment, Celebrity