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To the editor:

At a recent meeting of the Suffolk Democratic Committee, Delegate Clinton Jenkins announced some accomplishments made by the General Assembly. One of those accomplishments was an increase in funding for law enforcement. As I remember, he said, “Despite what you heard, we didn’t defund the police, we increased their funding,” and in response to that, the Suffolk Democrats applauded.

Terry McAuliffe is now fighting accusations of defunding the police when during his time, he too worked to increase funding for law enforcement.

The phrase “Defund the Police” means different things to different people, except maybe for Republicans who seem unified in thinking the phrase means abolishment of law enforcement and a consequence-free environment for criminals.

Whatever the phrase might mean to various proponents and opponents across the nation, it’s a moot point in Virginia where the Democratic chair of the Judiciary Committee said, “No, we don’t need to take money from law enforcement […] We need the police.”

Under Democratic leadership, including during the McAuliffe years of 2014 to 2018, Virginia has had the lowest crime rate in the region. Along with Virginia’s excellent economy, things are and have been pretty good in Virginia. Let’s keep it that way.

Benjamin Goldberg

Suffolk