HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-23-20 Public Comment - M. Herron - Defund the police - more action neededFrom:Chris Mehl
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: Defund the police - more action needed
Date:Thursday, July 23, 2020 11:39:15 AM
Chris Mehl
Mayor, City of Bozemancmehl@bozeman.net406.581.4992________________________________________From: webadmin@bozeman.net [webadmin@bozeman.net]Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2020 9:49 AMTo: Chris MehlSubject: Defund the police - more action needed
Message submitted from the <City Of Bozeman> website.
Site Visitor Name: Melissa HerronSite Visitor Email: davaz.melissa531@gmail.com
Chris, I am writing to express my conviction that Montana needs to listen and respond in solidarity to the requestsfor systemic change being put forward by BIPOC and marginalized populations. The police should be defunded andmoney currently used to arm and militarize police should go to social services. Anthonine Pierre, deputy director ofthe Brooklyn Movement Center, claims, "the bottom line is you can't overinvest in social services. You canoverinvest in policing" (https://www.thenation.com/article/society/police-reform-defund-activism/). Mandatory anti-
bias and anti-racism training should be implemented for all police officers. I am aware from a recent Chroniclearticle that "Commissioners responded to activists’ requests…by reallocating $61,000 meant for a new police cruiserto citywide anti-discrimination training. The police department will still see an increase in funding that will go toadditional staff and new equipment. Commissioners also directed more money to the Bozeman Help Center, theHuman Resource Development Council and Haven, Bozeman’s domestic violence shelter... Bozeman citycommissioners requested a broad review of city and police practices related to racial discrimination, use-of-force,de-escalation and the citizen appeal process." (https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/bozeman-gallatin-county-respond-to-calls-for-police-reform/article_747f68f2-de19-598e-bf73-7f98640a25a3.html). Thank you for
working to make those changes. I am still skeptical of the overall proportion of city budget that is directed to policevs. social services. I would be supportive of a second review and release of the budget on a public platform thatwould allow transparency for the public regarding the way funding is weighted, and the option to discuss thenecessity of the funding proposed to go to new police staff and equipment and possible redirection of that funding tosocial services. Urgently, Melissa Herron