Governor Says Defunding The Police Would Be “Absurd”

Governor Mike DeWine on Tuesday acknowledged a need for police reforms following the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police, however, he said calls to defund police departments are “absurd.”

Speaking from the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday, DeWine said he doesn’t understand why some groups want to cut funding, as law enforcement are the people charged with protecting us.

DeWine says Ohio Criminal Justice Services is developing minimum standards on how officers respond to mass protests.

The governor also announced that he’s creating a new Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment within Ohio Criminal Justice Services to help local agencies with the recruitment and retention of minorities and women in law enforcement.