Trayvon Martin's mother calls for more cops, says she disagrees with calls to 'defund' police: report
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The mother of Trayvon Martin said she's doesn't support efforts to reduce law enforcement resources as calls to divert funding from police departments toward social service and youth programs continue to gain traction with elected officials.
“I think we need more police,” Sybrina Fulton said, according to the Daily Caller. “We need police with better standards, and police with better ethics and better work habits.”
Fulton announced Monday that she is running for Miami Dade County Commissioner District 1 where she will face Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I want residents to feel safe,” she told the Guardian. “I want to bridge the gap between the law enforcement and the community.”
Calls to defund police departments have increased in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody. Several cities have committed to shifting resources from law enforcement elsewhere.
Los Angeles officials recently introduced a bill to decrease its police force budget by $150 million and spend the money on other programs.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fulton's platform includes affordable housing, transportation and economic opportunity, according to her campaign website. She has endorsements from Hillary Clinton and Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, the Washington Examiner reported.
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Her son, Trayvon, was killed in 2012 during a physical confrontation with George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. The shooting death ignited nationwide protests and scrutiny over Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which permits someone to use deadly force if they have reason to feel threatened during a confrontation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Zimmerman was acquitted in a high-profile case, which helped spark the Black Lives Matter movement.