HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-24-20 Public Comment E. Kastor - Budget as it relates to Police DepartmentFrom:Emily Kastor
To:Agenda
Subject:ACAB
Date:Wednesday, June 24, 2020 1:26:40 PM
My name is Emily and I am a resident of Bozeman. I am writing to demand that the
City Commission adopts a budget that prioritizes community well-being and redirects
funding away from the police.
Many Montanans may be tempted to think the unique nature of such a vast, yet
sparsely-populated state minimizes the likelihood of police brutality in our small
city communities. However, as reported by the Billings Gazette last year, Montana
ranked ninth in killings by police per capita. In 2017, the Great Falls Tribunereported Montana police killings reached a total higher than the previous six
years. These figures are alarming, but don’t tell the full story. Under Montana
Code § 2-6-102 and Article II, Section 10 of the Montana Constitution, police
disciplinary records are exempt from disclosure if there is an “individual privacyinterest that clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure.” Montana police
forces operate within a culture of impunity, and as the members of the
communities they are supposed to be protecting, we can’t even begin to grasp the
scope of their violence.
We are in the midst of widespread upheaval over the systemic violence of
policing. Empty gestures and suggestions of “reform” are inadequate and
unacceptable. I am demanding that real change be made to the way this city
allocates its resources.
Support for communities in need is necessary now, more than ever. I am
demanding that the City Commission meaningfully defund the Bozeman Police
Department. I join the calls of those across the country to defund the police. I am
demanding a budget that adequately and effectively meets the needs of at-riskBozeman residents during this trying and uncertain time. I am demanding a
budget that supports community wellbeing, rather than empowering the police
forces that tear them apart.
As the City Commission, the budget proposal is in your hands. It is your duty torepresent your constituents. I am urging you to completely revise the budget for
the 2020-2021 fiscal year, and to fund the social programs proven to be more
effective than policing at promoting community safety and equity. Have the
courage to be a leader of the change this city, state, and country desperatelyneeds.
Thank you for your time,
Emily Kastor