Gov. Greg Abbott blasted the idea of defunding police and said Texas "will always be a law-and-order state," following a roundtable discussion with law enforcement leaders and public safety advocates on Friday.
"In Texas, we do not turn our backs on our law enforcement officers," Abbott said after the meeting at a press conference, according to Fox News affiliate FOX West Texas. "Texas is a law-and-order state, and we are going to ensure that we keep it that way."
He added that Texas "will always be a law-and-order state, and we must lead the way for the rest of the nation when it comes to supporting our police."
Abbott said, "The government's number one responsibility is to keep its citizens safe, and we will not allow cities to recklessly defund the police and put innocent lives in danger."
Although the Austin City Council voted last August to slash $150 million from the budget of the city’s police department, Abbott said on Friday that the state won’t allow that.
He continued, "Defunding the police is reckless. It endangers the lives of people in communities across the entire state. We cannot, and we will not, allow cities like Austin to defund the police.”
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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