AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
Portland is in big trouble. Gun violence is up 2 1/2 times over the same period last year and ever since the city council voted a 7% cut in the police budget, the city streets have exploded in violence.
The police unit dedicated to fighting gun violence — the Gun Violence Reduction Team — was disbanded because too many black people were being arrested, which means it was racist…or something. Regardless, getting rid of a unit that did nothing all day but combat gun violence had immediate consequences.
Former Salinas, Calif., Police Chief Kelly McMillin told the Portland police, “Not to be overly dramatic, but if you lose the unit which focuses on removing firearms from the hand of violent offenders, people will die. It’s really just that simple.”