SPOKANE, Wash. — Defunding the Spokane Police Department was one of the changes protesters called for at Sunday's demonstrations in Riverfront Park.
This isn't a new idea. It emerged from protests against police brutality in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
Pulling funds from police departments did not gain much traction then, but now it's returned to the spotlight.
So was does defunding police mean?
Some activist groups would say it's slashing law enforcement budgets and redirecting the money to social services. Others want the funding removed and departments dissolved.
Dustin Jolly with Occupy Spokane said the local activist group wants to see funding for the Spokane Police Department redirected to public services, specifically relating to mental health.
"We need to look at other city services that are available and city programs," Jolly said. "And when we look at 911 calls and the mass amount of information that comes in from that, we see a mass need for mental health."
He said this would accomplish creating a resource-based system that is for the people. This would also include replacing police officers with peace officers.
How likely will the idea of pulling funds from the police department be seriously considered?
City of Spokane spokesperson Brian Coddington described a list of ways police are engaging and building positive relationships in the community, including implementing recommended changes from the Department of Justice and citizen use of force commission.
As for funding social services, Coddington said the city is already doing this.
"It's not necessarily a conversation about, do we take from police and put it over here, or is it we like what we're doing and the progress we're making on the police department side," Coddington said. "We need to find ways now that will be able to fund these other programs to be proactive as well."
But protesters want to see more done and hope the Spokane Police Department makes broader changes moving forward.