United States President Joe Biden argued that providing tools and funding to support law enforcement officials was crucial in combating surging gun violence in the country.
The Democratic leader spoke at an event at the New York Police Department on Thursday where he argued that defunding the police was not the answer. He argued that the support would allow law enforcement personnel to become partners and protectors in the community.
Biden on Gun Violence
Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday. The officials got together at the NYPD headquarters to discuss ways on how federal, state, and local law enforcement officials can coordinate with each other to remove shooters from the streets and prevent rising gun violence.
Fox News reported that, in his remarks at the event, the U.S. president thanked the NYPD personnel for their service as well as their spouses. Biden said that, every time they carried their shield and walked out the door, they were worried that they would get that phone call about gun violence.
The situation comes as Democrats are struggling to address the issue as Republicans are using the defunding of the police narrative to lay blame on the left. Furthermore, gun violence is a topic that is shaping up to be a crucial part of the upcoming 2022 midterm elections.
Biden's trip to New York also comes amid the rise of high-profile shootings in several major cities. It was also less than two weeks after two NYPD officers were fatally shot while serving their department. Data also showed that homicides and shootings were rising, with 2020 having the largest year-to-year spikes on record on homicides.
Eric Adams' Support
The U.S. president noted that, since the beginning of the year, every day in the United States, 316 people are shot, 106 are killed, and six NYPD officers become victims of gun violence. Additionally, Biden said that 64 children have been injured by shootings, 26 of whom have been killed, CNN reported.
Biden said he agreed with Adams in his pledge not to abandon the streets of the United States in keeping the people safe. The event came after the U.S. president asked Congress to provide $300 million to fund local police departments and $200 million to support community-based violence intervention programs.
The Democrat said that the money, which is equal to half a billion dollars, will be used for proven strategies and could help reduce crime. Biden said that Congress needed to do its job and pass the budget to support law enforcement in the country.
Since taking his post as the mayor of New York in reversing the rising surge in violent crime, he has committed a plan that involves bringing back a controversial NYPD anti-gun unit. He also planned to roll back some of the city's bail and criminal justice reforms. The NYPD also released statistics that showed major crime in the city rose by 38.5% in January, which was Adams' first month in office, as per Politico.
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