2 Years Later, ‘Defund the Police’ Movement Continues to Haunt Police

Law enforcement officers say leaders let them down

Demonstrators jump on a secret service police car outside the White House during a protest over the death of George Floyd, on May 30, 2020. Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

More than two years after activists pressed for the defunding of police departments across the nation over accusations of murder, brutality, and other crimes allegedly committed by a few in law enforcement, officers say the wounds are still present and painful.

“If you want me to risk my life, it’s one thing to pay me, but it’s another to respect me,” Dave Smith, a veteran police officer, law enforcement trainer, and public speaker, told The Epoch Times.