Rochester's police chief says now is not the time to defund police departments. The comments came during a media availability while addressing a violent weekend in which 13 people were shot in 10 separate incidents.


What You Need To Know

  • Rochester's police chief says now is not the time to defund police departments

  • Chief Singletary says the Rochester Police Department is already feeling the effects of recent funding cuts

  • After a difficult weekend in Rochester, he's frustrated

"The violence we're seeing is not unique to Rochester," says RPD Chief La'Ron Singletary. "We’re seeing this in many urban areas across the country."

While responding to the shooting of a 16-year-old on Pennsylvania Avenue, police officers were confronted by a group of people. Singletary says the group interfered with officers as they were tending to the gunshot victim. He says one police officer was punched in the back of the head, while other people put their hands on officers.

"I don't know where we are in society," he says. "But it will never be OK to put your hands on a police officer or threaten a police officer."

Singletary says most of the shootings appeared to involve people settling disputes with guns. The violent weekend comes at a time when some are calling for the defunding of police departments. Singletary says the Rochester Police Department is already feeling the effects of recent funding cuts.

"Now is not the time when you talk about defunding the police," he says. "I’ve said it and I'll say it over and over again. I think the communities that are going to suffer the most are Black and Brown communities when you talk about defunding the police."

In a "back to the drawing board" moment, Singletary said he met with his command staff Monday to try and figure out ways to prevent violent incidents while getting illegal guns off the streets. He says he understands the calls for police reform, adding that he's willing to sit down and talk about it with anyone who wants to. 

But after a difficult weekend in Rochester, he's frustrated.

"Oh yeah, I’m frustrated," he says. "Many police chiefs around the country are frustrated. Particularly frustrated in Rochester, because we don't have the issues other police departments might have."