An activist in the Bronx blasted the idea of defunding the police, pointing to the nationwide spike in violent crime.
Melody Jimenez, the Bronx-raised founder of the organization No Voice Unheard, lambasted the left-wing push to defund the police and said unity between police officers and the communities they serve is the only true way forward.
"There's a lot of crime happening in the Bronx. There are shootings every day. There are over two or three shootings a week in the Bronx," Jimenez said on Tuesday. "And we can't police ourselves. We need authorities to come into our communities and help us."
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"Why would we defund officers who come out here and risk their lives?" she continued in her interview with News 12 The Bronx. "Because there's a lot of money in these streets for cure violence organizations and nothing is changing."
No Voice Unheard, Jimenez's organization, seeks to create unity between law enforcement and the communities they serve while also having little patience for both police brutality and anti-police activists.
"There's not one person that will probably go to an officer when they feel unsafe because of what's going on in this world," Jimenez said. "And we need officers to step up, as well."
She added that kids in her community are "afraid" of being themselves and called for police to "simmer down" in their communities, but reminded people that officers are people, too.
"They are getting disrespected. They are told we want to defund you, they are getting cursed out all day," Jimenez said. "These are human people that put on a badge to do a job. Let's not forget that."
Jimenez expanded on her interview comments in a phone call with Fox News on Tuesday, saying that she does not believe that her elected officials at the local and national level are doing enough to "curb the violence in the street."
"I believe that there's more that can be done within our communities when it comes to unity and bringing NYPD into the community so residents of certain communities can be aware of the patrolling officers that are within their areas," she said.
Jimenez said she'd like to see her elected officials "stand up and give the word on unity" on the importance of the community engaging "with NYPD and law enforcement."
"I haven't heard that from an elected official yet," she said. "What I've been hearing from many elected officials is to defund NYPD, and, as leaders, I feel like the message needs to be unity."
"And that's very important for our youth to see some form of leadership, and I need them to stand up and to speak," Jimenez continued. "And for them to say and acknowledge the work that NYPD does for the community."
The Bronx-raised activist said she has "a lot of communication with many elected officials" in the area through her advocacy work and said "many of them are aware."
Jimenez noted that she recently spoke with Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., about the issue but did not "really speak in-depth about why many of them are standoffish, as many people are to even say we need some form of unity with NYPD with what the agenda being pushed at this moment."
"So it seems like something that's negative," Jimenez said, adding that she hopes her interview will show exactly what she means "when it comes to unity."
"But I have tried to reach out to them, and no one is willing to come forth and say this is the type of unity needed in our community," she continued.
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"One mother's cry is a cry to the community, and when a child is murdered a mother loses a child on both ends," Jimenez added. "And with that I feel many need to pay attention to the severity that has taken and the trauma it is causing within our communities."
"It is time for local officials to stand up and really be in solidarity with NYPD," she continued.
The activist also called on police to engage with the community at community events over the summer to get to know who they protect.
Neither Bowman nor Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., whose districts include parts of the Bronx, responded to Fox News’ requests for comment.
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Activist in AOC's district blasts 'defund the police' movement: 'There are shootings every day' - Fox News
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