Daines Statement on Helena City Commission Vote to Defund Helena Police, Remove School Officers

U.S. SENATE– U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement after the Helena City Commission’s voted not to cut $300,000 from the Helena Police Department’s personnel budget and remove School Resource Officers (SROs) from all school campuses. This statement follows Daines’ statement earlier today urging the Helena City Commission to vote against cutting funding to the Helena Police Department.

“I’m glad the Helena City Commission decided to stand by our law enforcement today and ensure they have the resources needed to keep our communities and schools safe,” Daines said.

Background: 

Daines is a strong supporter of the men and women who serve in our local law enforcement and will continue working on policies that prioritizes the safety of Montana communities.  

On July 9th, 2020, Daines issued a statement against the Helena City Commission’s work session to cut $300,000 from the Helena Police Department’s personnel budget and remove School Resource Officers (SROs) from all school campuses.

On June 30th, 2020, the Helena City Commission voted to freeze about $300,000 from the Helena Police Department budget until a July 9 public hearing on reallocating funds dedicated to SROs.

On June 19th, 2020, Daines signed on to the JUSTICE Act aimed at restoring public trust in law enforcement through greater transparency and accountability.

On June 10th, 2020, Daines sponsored a Senate resolution that condemned the tragic murder of George Floyd and opposed the radical calls across the nation to defund the police. 

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