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\"I don't support defunding the police. I support conditioning federal aid to police based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness,\" he said.

As they introduced new sweeping policing reforms on Capitol Hill Monday -- which include imposing tighter conditions on federal policing funds -- Democratic leaders also stopped short of backing the defunding movement.

\"PHOTO:
Alex Brandon/AP
PHOTO: Demonstrators protest Saturday, June 6, 2020, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis.
>

\"Funding of police is a local matter, as you know. From the standpoint of our legislation, we're not going to that place,\" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on MSNBC.

House Democrats later discussed the defunding debate on a conference call, with House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., warning members against using the defunding rhetoric, according to a Democratic aide.

Can defunding a police department work?

Some cities have already dramatically reshaped policing, with some results.

Camden, New Jersey, a city outside Philadelphia, has seen significant drops in the murder rate and violent crime since the police department dissolved in 2013, and merged with the county. Officers were encouraged to walk the neighborhoods, build relationships in the community and were trained to prioritize de-escalation.

\"We just completely redefined the expectations of police and how we would perform in society,\" Scott Thomson, the former police chief, told ABC News.

While many cities across the country grappled with unrest and clashes between police and demonstrators at the start of protests over Floyd's death, Camden has remained relatively peaceful -- which Thomson described as the \"return on the investment in community policing.\"

As for calls for defunding police, Thomson said communities must first \"have in place the social services that you no longer want it to be the responsibility of the police to handle.\"

\"If it comes to mean not having police at all, I think it's just silly and Pollyannish idea,\" Farmer, the former New Jersey attorney general who presided over reforms of the state police, told ABC News. \"If what it means is reconfiguring the mission to align with expectations, then I think that's the right approach to take.\"

ABC News' Ella Torres contributed to this report.

This report was featured in the Tuesday, June 9, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast.

\"Start Here\" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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