2024 VT Senate race: on Crime

Bernie Sanders: I support police reform; not "defunding the police"

A: Do I think we should not have police departments in America? No, I don't. There's no city in the world that does not have police departments. And, too often around this country right now, you have police officers who take the job at very low payment, don't have much education, don't have much training--and I want to change that.

Q: So what should be done?

A: I think we want to redefine what police departments do, give them the support they need to make their jobs better defined. So I do believe that we need well-trained, well-educated, and well-paid professionals in police departments. Anyone who thinks that we should abolish all police departments in America, I don't agree.