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Defund the Police in Pittsfield MA #1524

Closed GabbyGab14 closed 4 years ago

GabbyGab14 commented 4 years ago

Hi, thanks for your interest in adding your city to the website. Emails on defund12.org are all written by community members. To add your city, you must provide:

Until you provide this content, we cannot post your city.

Messages should follow our email style guidelines. Remember that messages must be specific to your locale and focused on defunding the police. If your message is copied from an external source, please provide a link to the original source.

Your request will be closed until you reply with the necessary content. Thank you! Pittsfield Defund the Police letter.docx

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Copying and pasting here for ease of editing:

Mayor Linda M. Tyer Mayor of Pittsfield - ltyer@cityofpittsfield.org Office: (413) 499-9321 City Council President Pete Marchetti Councilor at Large - pmarchetti@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 212-2163 Council Vice President Pete White Councilor at Large - pwhite@cityofpittsfield.org Home: (413) 464-9044 Councilor Yuki Cohen Councilor at Large - ycohen@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 347-2888 Councilor Earl Persip III Councilor at Large - epersip@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 281-4909 Councilor Helen Moon Ward 1 Councilor - hmoon@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 446-8125

Original source: https://defund12.org/northampton?fbclid=IwAR3whYcyeayrobAr6nujiYR43ysGN0V3mh_PJkC4Yf4r4M5ApsOwV7hijLU (changes made to reflect situation in Pittsfield)

[unique subject line here]

Dear Mayor Tyer and City Councilors, My name is [x] and I am a resident of [or work in] Pittsfield. I’m writing in regard to the proposed budget increase for police funding in Pittsfield. Hundreds of people have spoken out over the last few weeks outlining the reasons why policing is ineffective and even harmful, and the need to reduce the scope of policing nationwide. Hundreds of people who care about this city showed up to protest racial inequality perpetuated by law enforcement with the Berkshire NAACP at Park Square and I ask you to take this seriously. In the middle of a pandemic and financial crisis whereby millions are jobless and at risk of illness, it is an affront to your constituents to increase funding to the police while other crucial public services suffer. Policing is a paradox that creates the “crime” it aims to deter. A person who is houseless will have to break the law to survive because the police took all the money that would have otherwise provided affordable housing. A person struggling with addiction will be forced to steal because the police took all the money that would have otherwise provided access to treatment. A person in a mental health crisis will react with fear in the face of an armed officer with no skills relevant to helping them, increasing the chance they will cause harm to them self or others. We know for a fact that in every part of this country the detrimental effects of policing disproportionately harm Black people and communities of color. We must bring this violent cycle to an end. I am asking you to take action in the following ways:

  1. Reverse plans to increase funding for the Pittsfield Police Department.
  2. Reduce funding for the Pittsfield Police Department.
  3. Invest money that would have been allocated for policing to other crucial health and social services.
  4. Set up a committee to assess the needs of the city and how to reallocate funds.
  5. Create a community oversight board with legal power.
  6. Replace School Resource Officers with counselors and eliminate the DARE Program.
  7. Establish community-led Restorative Justice programs in schools.
  8. Eliminate police-based mental health and addiction services.
  9. Place a moratorium on surveillance technology used to police political activity.
  10. Place a moratorium on ICE collaborations. The movement to defund and reimagine the responsibilities of the police is not isolated. Los Angeles is taking action and Minneapolis has already voted to entirely disband their police department, despite the fact that they were considered nationally to be a “model” department. Training does not work. Reform does not work. Defunding is the solution we need. Do not leave Pittsfield behind in this historic moment.

Sincerely, [x] [address] [phone number]

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Hi @GabbyGab14! Thanks for your interest in adding Pittsfield to the site. Can you edit your email comment to provide more detail about the city budget to make a more compelling argument, showing the disparities in numbers? To get your submission published quicker, please provide source(s) for the data as well.

Please see our email style guide for some suggestions.

Thank you!

GabbyGab14 commented 4 years ago

Hi! Sure thing, I'll attach the word doc but c/p the body of the email text as well. Sources are at the bottom of the page. Feel free to get back in touch if any additional changes are needed.

Thanks, Gabby

[unique subject line here]

Dear Mayor Tyer and City Councilors,

My name is [x] and I am a resident of [or work in] Pittsfield. I’m writing in regard to the proposed budget increase for police funding in Pittsfield.

People all over the country have spoken out over the last few weeks outlining the reasons why policing is ineffective and even harmful, and the need to reduce the scope of policing nationwide. Hundreds of people who care about this city joined the Berkshire NAACP to protest racial inequality perpetuated by law enforcement and I ask you to take this seriously.

In the middle of a pandemic and financial crisis whereby millions are jobless and at risk of illness, it is an affront to your constituents to increase funding to the police while other crucial public services suffer. Pittsfield PD is one of the only city departments to see a funding increase in the proposed fiscal 2021 budget – up 5% to almost $11.5 million annually. The same budget reduces funding for education by 1.4 million. Police Chief Wynn accurately identified some of the primary ways funding for the police harms the community in his June 11th interview with Northeast Public Radio when he attempted to defend increased funding for Pittsfield police – the lack of accountability in billing overtime and budgeting for vacant positions and that Pittsfield PD is “the first call anybody makes” for issues like substance abuse, homelessness and domestic violence. The proposed 2021 budget increase for the police department would only exacerbate the problem of armed officers unprepared to deal with these issues being the “first call” by underfunding other public services which could prevent or more effectively respond to these issues.

Policing is a paradox that creates the “crime” it aims to deter. A person who is houseless will have to break the law to survive because the police took all the money that would have otherwise provided affordable housing. A person struggling with addiction will be forced to steal because the police took all the money that would have otherwise provided access to treatment. A person in a mental health crisis will react with fear in the face of an armed officer with no skills relevant to helping them, increasing the chance they will cause harm to them self or others. We know for a fact that in every part of this country the detrimental effects of policing disproportionately harm Black people and communities of color. We must bring this violent cycle to an end.

I am asking you to take action in the following ways:

  1. Reverse plans to increase funding for the Pittsfield Police Department.
  2. Reduce funding for the Pittsfield Police Department.
  3. Invest money that would have been allocated for policing to other crucial health and social services.
  4. Set up a committee to assess the needs of the city and how to reallocate funds.
  5. Create a community oversight board with legal power.
  6. Replace School Resource Officers with counselors and eliminate the DARE Program.
  7. Establish community-led Restorative Justice programs in schools.
  8. Eliminate police-based mental health and addiction services.
  9. Place a moratorium on surveillance technology used to police political activity.
  10. Place a moratorium on ICE collaborations.

The movement to defund and reimagine the responsibilities of the police is not isolated. Los Angeles is taking action and Minneapolis has already voted to entirely disband their police department, despite the fact that they were considered nationally to be a “model” department. Training does not work. Reform does not work. Defunding is the solution we need. Do not leave Pittsfield behind in this historic moment.

Sincerely,

[x]

[address]

[phone number]

Sources:

Guerino, Jack. “Pittsfield Council Wastes No Time Approving 10 Budget Sections.” IBerkshires, 5 June 2020, https://www.iberkshires.com/story/62370/Pittsfield-Begins-Review-of-170M-Budget-for-Fiscal-2021.html?new_footer=1 .

Landes, Josh. “Objecting To Calls To Defund, Chief Wynn Discusses Rising Pittsfield Police Spending .” Northeast Public Radio, 11 June 2020, https://www.wamc.org/post/objecting-calls-defund-chief-wynn-discusses-rising-pittsfield-police-spending .

On Sat, Jun 13, 2020 at 2:13 PM mahrer notifications@github.com wrote:

Hi @GabbyGab14 https://github.com/GabbyGab14! Thanks for your interest in adding Pittsfield to the site. Can you edit your email comment to provide more detail about the city budget to make a more compelling argument, showing the disparities in numbers? To get your submission published quicker, please provide source(s) for the data as well.

Please see our email style guide https://github.com/defund12/defund12.org/blob/gh-pages/EMAIL_TEMPLATE_STYLE_GUIDE.md for some suggestions.

Thank you!

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/defund12/defund12.org/issues/1524#issuecomment-643658653, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AP6IKRUJXLUHILW6VNIZ5TLRWO6UVANCNFSM4N5CKUPQ .

-- [image: photo]

Gabrielle Reeve (she/her/hers) Master of Public Policy Candidate 2020 The Heller School for Social Policy and Management Brandeis University gabriellereeve@brandeis.edu nrinier@brandeis.edu

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Thanks so much! Reviewing now

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Some formatting edits:

To: Mayor Linda M. Tyer - ltyer@cityofpittsfield.org Office: (413) 499-9321 City Council President Pete Marchetti Councilor at Large - pmarchetti@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 212-2163 Council Vice President Pete White Councilor at Large - pwhite@cityofpittsfield.org Home: (413) 464-9044 Councilor Yuki Cohen Councilor at Large - ycohen@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 347-2888 Councilor Earl Persip III Councilor at Large - epersip@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 281-4909 Councilor Helen Moon Ward 1 Councilor - hmoon@cityofpittsfield.org Cell: (413) 446-8125

Message:

Dear Mayor Tyer and City Councilors,

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of Pittsfield. I’m writing in regard to the proposed budget increase for police funding in Pittsfield.

People all over the country have spoken out over the last few weeks outlining the reasons why policing is ineffective and even harmful, and the need to reduce the scope of policing nationwide. Hundreds of people who care about this city joined the Berkshire NAACP to protest racial inequality perpetuated by law enforcement and I ask you to take this seriously.

In the middle of a pandemic and financial crisis whereby millions are jobless and at risk of illness, it is an affront to your constituents to increase funding to the police while other crucial public services suffer. Pittsfield PD is one of the only city departments to see a funding increase in the proposed fiscal 2021 budget – up 5% to almost $11.5 million annually. The same budget reduces funding for Education by $1.4 million. Police Chief Wynn accurately identified some of the primary ways funding for the police harms the community in his June 11th interview with Northeast Public Radio when he attempted to defend increased funding for Pittsfield police – the lack of accountability in billing overtime and budgeting for vacant positions and that Pittsfield PD is “the first call anybody makes” for issues like substance abuse, homelessness and domestic violence. The proposed 2021 budget increase for the police department would only exacerbate the problem of armed officers unprepared to deal with these issues being the “first call” by underfunding other public services which could prevent or more effectively respond to these issues.

Policing is a paradox that creates the “crime” it aims to deter. A person who is houseless will have to break the law to survive because the police took all the money that would have otherwise provided affordable housing. A person struggling with addiction will be forced to steal because the police took all the money that would have otherwise provided access to treatment. A person in a mental health crisis will react with fear in the face of an armed officer with no skills relevant to helping them, increasing the chance they will cause harm to them self or others. We know for a fact that in every part of this country the detrimental effects of policing disproportionately harm Black people and communities of color. We must bring this violent cycle to an end.

I am asking you to take action in the following ways:

  1. Reverse plans to increase funding for the Pittsfield Police Department.
  2. Reduce funding for the Pittsfield Police Department.
  3. Invest money that would have been allocated for policing to other crucial health and social services.
  4. Set up a committee to assess the needs of the city and how to reallocate funds.
  5. Create a community oversight board with legal power.
  6. Replace School Resource Officers with counselors and eliminate the DARE Program.
  7. Establish community-led Restorative Justice programs in schools.
  8. Eliminate police-based mental health and addiction services.
  9. Place a moratorium on surveillance technology used to police political activity.
  10. Place a moratorium on ICE collaborations.

The movement to defund and reimagine the responsibilities of the police is not isolated. Los Angeles is taking action and Minneapolis has already voted to entirely disband their police department, despite the fact that they were considered nationally to be a “model” department. Training does not work. Reform does not work. Defunding is the solution we need. Do not leave Pittsfield behind in this historic moment.

Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR EMAIL] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

Sources:

Guerino, Jack. “Pittsfield Council Wastes No Time Approving 10 Budget Sections.” IBerkshires, 5 June 2020, https://www.iberkshires.com/story/62370/Pittsfield-Begins-Review-of-170M-Budget-for-Fiscal-2021.html?new_footer=1 .

Landes, Josh. “Objecting To Calls To Defund, Chief Wynn Discusses Rising Pittsfield Police Spending .” Northeast Public Radio, 11 June 2020, https://www.wamc.org/post/objecting-calls-defund-chief-wynn-discusses-rising-pittsfield-police-spending

mahrer commented 4 years ago

@GabbyGab14 this is fantastic! However, I'm not able to find the 2021 proposed budget to fact check these numbers. Would you mind providing a link? Thanks for being on top of it :)

GabbyGab14 commented 4 years ago

Hi! I was using numbers from the articles I linked but have not seen the full budget online either. The city of Pittsfield's website only has the 2020 budget (https://www.cityofpittsfield.org/city_hall/city_budget.php) - I'm assuming because the final budget has not yet been approved for 2021? The iBerkshires article has a very detailed breakdown with many of the line items for the 2021 budget but no link to a document from the city.

On Sat, Jun 13, 2020 at 3:58 PM mahrer notifications@github.com wrote:

@GabbyGab14 https://github.com/GabbyGab14 this is fantastic! However, I'm not able to find the 2021 proposed budget to fact check these numbers. Would you mind providing a link? Thanks for being on top of it :)

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/defund12/defund12.org/issues/1524#issuecomment-643670643, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AP6IKRRIC7HTWWFCTWZK6XDRWPK4RANCNFSM4N5CKUPQ .

-- [image: photo]

Gabrielle Reeve (she/her/hers) Master of Public Policy Candidate 2020 The Heller School for Social Policy and Management Brandeis University gabriellereeve@brandeis.edu nrinier@brandeis.edu

mahrer commented 4 years ago

Ok great! Thanks for clarifying. Everything looks good so I'll approve this for a pull request.