New York City will take $1 billion from police budget, but many say it doesn't go far enough

As calls to defund the police grow louder around the country, New York City officials agreed on a budget that shifts roughly $1 billion from the police department, but advocates and lawmakers say the change doesn't go far enough.

The city council said in a statement Tuesday that the city's 2021 budget, totaling more than $88 billion, "reduces police spending and shrinks NYPD's footprint." The cuts came as the city is grappling with losing $9 billion in revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The budget cuts nearly $484 million from the NYPD's annual $6 billion budget and shifts funding to other agencies as well as youth and social services programming.

The changes will cancel a nearly 1,200-person police recruiting class set for next month (though another class in October is scheduled to go forward), curtail overtime spending and shift school safety, crossing guards and homeless outreach away from the NYPD.

“That work is not over, and while we have made progress, we are also vowing to keep fighting for fundamental changes to how we approach safety in schools, mental health and homelessness," said council Speaker Corey Johnson. "Over the coming weeks, the council will be working on hearings and legislation to make sure that these changes are real."