Boston Democrat City Council Member's Outburst Raises Concerns about Defunding Police

A Boston Democrat city council member's outburst during a budget discussion has raised concerns about the city's plans to cut funding for the police department. The council member's behavior and the proposed cuts have drawn criticism from police unions and some city officials.

Boston Democrat city council member Tania Fernandes Anderson has drawn criticism for her behavior during a recent council meeting and for her support of proposed budget cuts that would reduce funding for the Boston Police Department (BPD).

In a video that has since gone viral, Anderson can be seen screaming and cursing at her fellow council members during a discussion about redistricting. The outburst has raised concerns about her ability to serve effectively on the council.

"Her behavior since being elected has been disturbing," a source told Fox News Digital. "She's not fit for office."

Anderson's outburst occurred amid a larger debate over the city's budget, which includes proposals to slash $18 million from the BPD. This would be the third year in a row that the city lawmakers have proposed significant cuts to the police department.

The proposed budget cuts have drawn criticism from police unions and some city officials.

"With social unrest so high and police departments across the country struggling to hire and retain officers, any talk of defunding the police is absurdly irresponsible for the citizens of Boston," said Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association. "We should be increasing the police budget and hiring more officers, not decreasing it."

City Council Vice President Brian Worrell emphasized that the budget cuts were not final and that the budget was "a work in progress." However, some council members expressed support for the cuts, arguing that the city needed to redirect funding to other areas, such as housing and education.

Councilor-at-Large Erin Murphy and City Councilor Ed Flynn were among those who opposed the potential budget cuts to law enforcement.

"As we debate the city budget, we should not cut services and programs that impact public safety and neighborhood services. Any budget cut to the Boston Police Department would be irresponsible and reckless. We must not turn our backs on Boston’s first responders," Flynn said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Boston city council and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's office for comment.

The proposed budget cuts have also sparked concerns about the impact on public safety.

"Defunding the police has created a ripple effect that endangers everyone," said a law enforcement source. "We need more police officers, not fewer."

The debate over the Boston PD budget is part of a larger national discussion about the role of police in society. In recent years, there have been calls to defund or abolish police departments in response to high-profile cases of police brutality.

However, some experts argue that defunding the police is not the best way to address the problem.

"The answer is not to defund the police, but to reform the police," said John Pfaff, a law professor at Fordham University. "We need to do things like decriminalize drugs, invest in mental health services, and create better training for police officers."

The debate over defunding the police is likely to continue in Boston and across the country.