Nashville, TN —Following the vote last night to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department, Bill Hagerty today released the following statement, insisting on the continued support and full funding of our law enforcement officials:

“Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our communities safe. They are the only thing standing between anarchy and law and order,” said Bill Hagerty. “Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen criminals and anarchists hijack First Amendment protests with a campaign for violence and crime. Dismantling and defunding our police departments will throw our country into chaos. This is the wrong message to send. In meeting with a group of Tennessee law enforcement leaders today, none of them defended the behavior of the Minneapolis police officers that have been charged. They want to see justice done, as do I. But the dismantling and defunding of law enforcement in America is not the solution. As your next Senator, I will work to uphold the rule of law, stop ANTIFA, and fight to secure appropriate funding and support for our law enforcement officers.”

Hagerty earned President Trump’s “complete and total” endorsement to be Tennessee’s next United States Senator while serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. To learn more about Bill Hagerty, visit www.teamhagerty.com.