Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that he is reviewing legislation that would remove control of the Austin Police Department from the capital city, and place them under state authority.
Abbott’s tweet is the latest attempt by the GOP to protect police from defunding as Austin became the first Texas city to vote in favor of shifting financial resources, in the wake to the Blake Lives Matter protests which have erupted across the nation in response to police brutality against Black Americans.
“This proposal for the state to takeover the Austin Police Department is one strategy I’m looking at,” Abbott tweeted Thursday. “We can’t let Austin’s defunding & disrespect for law enforcement to endanger the public & invite chaos like in Portland and Seattle.”
It is starting. IMO Austin is one of the testing grounds to pull all local police departments under state control so there is only one STATE SPONSORED police dept. This is not ok.
I DO agree with 100% of the changes the Austin Mayor and The City of Austin are making regarding the APD.
The fact that they are throwing a hiss fit proves that the police are corrupt and drunk with power.
h/t HEB