Walnut Creek Shooting Ignites Debate Over Defunding Police

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Black Lives Matter protesters have marched through the streets of Walnut Creek demanding that the city defund the police department following the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer held him down by the neck.

Walnut Creek had its own death last year — Miles Hall was shot by police officers during a mental health crisis as he ran through the streets with a metal rod, banged on door of at least one home in a quiet neighborhood, and refused to drop the metal weapon while running from police. His mother had called them.

Advocates for defunding police consider the Hall case a classic example of why money should be shifted from the police department to mental health agencies. Would police still be called the person having the crisis were a threat to others?

A shooting Monday in Walnut Creek of a person sitting in a vehicle in a turn lane has ratcheted-up the local debate.

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On the police department's Facebook page, residents on both sides of the issue argued their point.

Vi Phenvi addressed the issue directly, "When the police is defunded the social workers and community healers would be on standby to deal with attempted murders."

Lisa Yoshii shot back, "that’s not what defunding the police means, and WC already has a lower police budget. Walnut Creek is already practicing what "defunding" would do aka funding more/equal funding to community programs."

Antonio Margiotta said, "The mayor should let you do your jobs. Your all great police officers!"

Most other comments were simply in support of the police department as they work to solve the case.