My name is Will Brotherson and I am a Black Public Defender and a resident of District 1. I am writing to continue to urge you to reconsider the previous approval of OPD's budget and instead commit to a more substantial reduction this year, and a 50% defunding of OPD by 2022. Please reopen the budget so we can preserve funding for our youth, homelessness, jobs, and other care programs.
Since 2012, OPD has been under the direct control of a federal judge and court monitor, as part of a settlement over violence and corruption committed by OPD. The city has paid millions for the monitoring process and has had to hire numerous consultants to help.
Fewer police means less policing. Less Policing means less police misconduct. Less police misconduct means less money spent by the City on OPD.
I propose we place a Freeze on all hires until the end of fiscal year 2022.
We should also layoff 80 Officers Before July 4, 2020. We did this in 2010 in response to the financial crisis. It will work even better this time if the City sets and enforces a hard overtime cap for all officers. The scandals regarding improper overtime are widespread and well documented. This Cap and hiring freeze will save millions.
Councilmember Bas, thank you for being on the right side of history. We will remember in November, Council Members McElhaney, Gallo, Reid, Kalb, and Kaplan.
My name is Will Brotherson and I am a Black Public Defender and a resident of District 1. I am writing to continue to urge you to reconsider the previous approval of OPD's budget and instead commit to a more substantial reduction this year, and a 50% defunding of OPD by 2022. Please reopen the budget so we can preserve funding for our youth, homelessness, jobs, and other care programs.
Since 2012, OPD has been under the direct control of a federal judge and court monitor, as part of a settlement over violence and corruption committed by OPD. The city has paid millions for the monitoring process and has had to hire numerous consultants to help.
Fewer police means less policing. Less Policing means less police misconduct. Less police misconduct means less money spent by the City on OPD.
I propose we place a Freeze on all hires until the end of fiscal year 2022.
We should also layoff 80 Officers Before July 4, 2020. We did this in 2010 in response to the financial crisis. It will work even better this time if the City sets and enforces a hard overtime cap for all officers. The scandals regarding improper overtime are widespread and well documented. This Cap and hiring freeze will save millions.
Councilmember Bas, thank you for being on the right side of history. We will remember in November, Council Members McElhaney, Gallo, Reid, Kalb, and Kaplan.
Congratulations to the Council fo adopting a thoughtful and balanced budget.
Ed Gerber