Cutting the police budget isn't the answer in Houston, rather, a greater investment must be made in underserved communities, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said on Friday during an Axios virtual event.
What he's saying: "Houston has underfunded our police for years," Turner said. He recently signed an executive order that included a ban on police use of chokeholds or strangleholds. However, he stressed, "that's the first step. I don't want anyone to assume the executive order we put in place, which was significant, is the end of the line."
- "What I believe people are asking for is good policing. They are asking for a police system that is accountable. They're also going beyond that."
- "They want us to be investing in communities and neighborhoods that've been overlooked and underinvested in for decades."
- Turner also said they are preparing to implement additional reforms that will be citizen-driven.
