The Los Angeles City Council has approved a motion to replace police officers with unarmed community responders for some non-violent calls.
“This won't solve all of our problems right away," said the motion’s co-author, Councilmember Herb Wesson (Fox LA). "But this move marks a sea change in our city's approach to public safety and I'm optimistic cities and counties across the nation will follow our lead."
Wesson said he would continue to work with the Black Lives Matter organization on the community response plan, which would affect calls about drug use, mental health, and neighbor disputes.
The motion is just the first step in the plan to scale down police activity — a trend catching steam in cities around the nation following the police killing of George Floyd.