As Black Lives Matter efforts persist, prominent black voices push back on anti-police politics

As Black Lives Matter protest efforts continue across the United States, numerous prominent black voices have pushed back against the movement's emerging demands to defund or even dismantle police departments across America. 

Protests against police have raged across America's cities since the killing of Minneapolis resident George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police was captured on video in which a police officer knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd screamed, "I can't breathe!" In the weeks since the incident, the country has witnessed mass demonstrations, destruction of statues deemed historically offensive, and sometimes violence against police officers.

In recent weeks a new slogan — "defund the police" — has sprung up among activists. Black Lives Matter has made the issue front-and-center on its own website.

While the drive to defund the police has quickly caught on among liberal-leaning activists and demonstrators, a number of prominent black leaders and advocates have spoken up in recent days, urging a more measured, thoughtful approach to regulating police forces around the country.