US

Oakland Unanimously Votes To Abolish School Police Department

(Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)

William Davis Contributor
Font Size:

The Oakland School Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to get rid of its school police department.

The debate on the “George Floyd Resolution” lasted two hours, before the board voted to ban the Oakland Unified School District Police Department from its schools. The resolution was drafted by the Black Organizing Project, according to a local CBS affiliate. (RELATED: Will Defunding The Police Work? Here’s What History Tells Us)

“We are overwhelmed with emotion and filled with gratitude for this historic win. We thank the Board for taking this monumental step, and the Black youth and parents, and community and administrative partners who fought with us to make this possible,” the organization reportedly said in a statement.

The move comes amid growing calls from left-wing activists and politicians to defund police departments following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.  After four Minneapolis police officers were charged in connection with Floyd’s death, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously voted to dismantle its police department. Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender said during a CNN interview earlier this month that the desire to call the police during an emergency “comes from a place of privilege.” (RELATED: Here Are The Politicians Refusing To Condemn Calls To Defund The Police)

Polls have shown that a majority of voters support police reform, but reject calls to defund the police department. Nearly 60% of voters believe police departments are in need of significant reform, but do not support calls to defund, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll published earlier in June.