Written by Michael Palomba
Defunding the police has become a hot topic around the country following the tragic murder of George Floyd. Because of the actions of one bad cop, thousands of radical leftists have managed to push their extremist ideology into the mainstream. It has gotten so bad that even big-name figures in business and politics have endorsed the idea.
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells has revealed his stance on the matter, and thankfully it’s the right one. He posted on Facebook, citing messages he has received asking about his thoughts. Wells did not hold back, calling the idea of defunding the police “completely and utterly wrong.”
“I think the idea of ‘de-funding’ the police is completely and utterly wrong. Racism, to me, is simply idiotic,” Wells explained. “To defund the police, you must come to the conclusion that the police are part of systemic racism. I just don’t believe that.”
He also briefly described his personal experience with the El Cajon Police Department, which has been widely praised for many years now. “The Department serves the people of El Cajon by performing in a professional manner; and it is to the people of this community that the Department is ultimately responsible,” the ECPD website reads. The Department is also “committed to a safe and secure community through service, mutual cooperation and respect.”
Wells echoes these exact sentiments in adding that his “personal experience with ECPD is that they are professional, caring, fair and driven by the pursuit of justice.”
Mayor Wells’ logic here is spot on. The overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers do their job the right way, every day. They put their lives and their safety on the line to protect ours, and that’s not something we should take for granted. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t reforms that can and should be considered, but that understanding the bravery and professionalism of law enforcement is as important as ever.
“I’m for improving race relations and making changes when that’s the appropriate thing to do, in seeking equal justice for all, but not at the expense of public safety for all,” Wells concluded.
