2024 FactCheck: on Crime

Kamala Harris: Don't defund police; reimagine public safety

In a June 2020 radio interview, one host asked Harris, "Where do you stand on defund the police?"

Harris said, "Defund the police, the issue behind it is we need to reimagine how we are creating safety. When you have many cities that have 1/3 of their entire city budget focused on policing, we know that is not the smart way. For too long, the status quo thinking has been you get more safety by putting more cops on the street. Well, that's wrong."

Harris said suburban communities "don't have police walking those streets," but what they do have is well-funded schools & thriving small businesses. "This whole movement is about rightly saying we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities," Harris said.

Donald Trump: FactCheck: Central Park 5 exonerated and got $41M settlement

The facts: The 5 boys were tried as adults and actually pleaded not guilty. And the victim, Trisha Meili, although almost killed, was found unconscious in the park, survived and testified in court. All of them were exonerated after a convicted murderer confessed to the crime in 2002. In 2014, they were awarded a $41m settlement.

In 1989, before any of the boys had faced trial, Trump paid a reported $85,000 to take out ads calling for their execution. The [ad included]: "They must serve as examples so that others will think long and hard before committing a crime or an act of violence."