Biden stresses support for more police funding in shift from progressives

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President Biden said he does not believe funding should be cut from police departments, telling a crowd of American mayors that he has instead proposed "increasing funding" as he believes departments "need psychologists and social workers."

Biden's remarks came during his address at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 90th Annual Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Friday.

President Joe Biden speaks during the 90th Winter Meeting of USCM on Jan. 21, 2022 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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"We shouldn’t be cutting funding for police departments," Biden said. "I propose increasing funding. Look, you know, we ask cops to do everything, including be psychologists and social workers. Guess what? They need psychologists and social workers. I mean it. Not a joke."

During his address, Biden touted what he considered to be accomplishments for Americans during his first year in office, telling the mayors that "nothing is gonna do more to ease pressures on families" than the Build Back Better legislation he has proposed.

Touching on aspects of the bill, Biden insisted police departments should "hire other social workers, folks trained in mental health, so they can partner with trusted community leaders like programs the Rescue Plan is funding in Atlanta and Louisville and other cities across the country."

An Oregon police officer was shot Friday during an unspecified encounter, authorities said. 

President Joe Biden greets Francis Suarez, the mayor of Miami, with a fist bump during the 90th Winter Meeting of USCM on Jan. 21, 2022 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Prior to taking office, Biden suggested on the campaign trail that he would be "absolutely" OK with efforts to redirect some police funding, a suggestion he later walked back as he targeted Republicans and claimed in July they were "lying" about efforts promoted by members of the Democratic Party to "defund the police."

At that time, Biden claimed he had "never said defund the police" and argued that "we need more policemen, not fewer policemen" despite his previous support for reallocating funds.

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Several progressive members of Congress, including "Squad" Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., have called for the dismantling or defunding of police departments.

Omar called for the Minneapolis Police Department to be dismantled because it is "rotten to the root."

Attempting to distance himself from the rhetoric, Biden recently signed three pieces of bipartisan legislation that support police officers, the law enforcement community and federal officials.

Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this article.