As he recounted attending the funerals of two New York City police officers, President Joe Biden addressed the issue of rising crime.
“I know what works: investing in crime prevention and community policing, cops who'll who’ll walk the beat, who know the neighborhood, and who can restore trust and safety,” Biden said.
But he also countered calls to “defund the police,” which originally was intended to shift funds from policing to mental health resources and other community programs.
“We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police. It's to fund the police ... with the resources and training, resources and training they need to protect our communities,” he said.
Biden also called on Congress to pass gun control legislation, including universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Biden delivered his first official State of the Union address March 1. It came amid a Russian invasion into Ukraine and continued challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic, with midterms that could change the balance of power in Congress months away.
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