Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

For too long, police have been seen as the solution for too many of Detroit's problems. The

Police Department's (DPD) $327M budget consumes nearly 30% of the general fund monies and

over the last four years their budget has increased dramatically without demonstrating a

meaningful return. Contrary to popular opinion, increasing the Police Department budget has not

translated into safer streets. While DPD's budget has ballooned by over $20M in recent years,

there has not been a corresponding decrease in violent crime. Five years ago Detroit's violent

crime rate was 20 per 1,000 residents. In 2019, it was the same.

DPD spends only a fraction of its time enforcing the law and responding to violent crimes, while

dedicating extensive time and resources to responding to situations outside their scope and

skillset. DPD officers are not prepared to respond to mental health crises, domestic violence, or

homelessness. Frankly, it is unrealistic to expect any one department to have the capacity,

knowledge or resources to respond to such opposite extremes. Being available and prepared to

readily respond to the most violent of crimes and disasters makes it impossible to provide

compassionate care and the consistent support that our most vulnerable residents deserve. It is

unfair to officers and a disservice to residents to ask them to do so. For years, residents have

diligently marched, called, written, and mobilized to urge City officials to look at the data and

re-think the City's budget.

"In the face of the current unprecedented public health crisis, the housing crisis, transit needs and

the impact of inequitable development, ...now is the time for Detroit City Council to shift the

city's budgetary focus back to addressing resident needs," writes Detroit People's Platform.

"Now is the time to shift to stronger and adequate investment in social programs that benefit the

common good and can begin to renew the social contract. Detroit City Council has the power to

bring about a paradigm shift dedicated not to only the survival, but to the success of the nation's

largest Majority Black city."

Since George Floyd's murder, city's across the country have stepped up to re-think their budgets

and shift funds into desperately needed social services and community resources. Now is the

time for Detroit to do the same. The city has a mandate to invest in public safety and right-size

the budget to re-invest in programming and resources. Detroiters deserve smart long-term

investments in community safety, mental health services, housing, environmental health,

recreation, and more.

For many communities, particularly the disability community, the cost of continued prioritization

of policing over social services is deadly. "According to the Center for American Progress, in the

United States, 50 percent of people killed by law enforcement are people with disabilities, and

over half of disabled African Americans have been arrested by the time they turn 28--that's

double the risk in comparison to their white disabled counterparts," stated Jeffrey Nolish, policy

director, Detroit Disability Power. "These outcomes are unacceptable. Therefore, we strongly

support defunding the police and reallocating funding to the Office of Disability Affairs, and

other disability related employment, health care, housing, transportation and mobility

initiatives."

The results of the Health Department's recent community survey re-affirms that Detroiters want

greater investment in and prioritization of safe and affordable housing, health and social services

and access to resources.

"In this year's budget negotiations, we know it is especially important to allocate additional funds

to the development and maintenance of accessible, affordable housing, as more people are

unemployed/underemployed from COVID and as more people have become disabled as a result

of the virus," writes Dessa Cosma of the Housing Trust Fund Coalition. "The Detroit Housing

Trust Fund is a flexible city funding source that provides affordable housing opportunities,

expands housing services, and improves housing conditions for low-income Detroiters and

families."

Raquel Garcia, Executive Director of Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision writes, "The

proposal of reallocating funds to support maternal and mental health, including addressing

pollution's impact through the Public Health Fund, would be incredible for Detroit. We have

scanned our members and they are excited to support budget reallocations that all together

resemble an environmental justice ordinance in Detroit. Land Use Planning, Buffering, and

Truck Studies help us make better plans, and this directly impacts asthma and other breathing

problems. A budget demonstrates your priorities, and these budget proposals uplifts the residents

that have stayed with Detroit through the downswings and the upswings. It would be an exciting

new page to build a robust budget that speaks directly to the health and well-being of residents."

"Redirecting these funds to programs that support community well-being and advance access and

opportunity will enable all Detroiters to thrive," said Christine Sauvé, Co-Chair of the Detroit

Immigration Task Force and Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator at the

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. "Investments in our libraries, language access, the Offices of

Immigrant Affairs and Disability Affairs, health, and transportation -- these are all essential

services that benefit all residents, including immigrants and refugees."

"The Mayor's budget prioritizes policing Detroiters over investing in people and communities.

But spending more on policing -- Detroit's status quo -- is not the right choice. Detroiters deserve

to have access to safe and affordable housing, and reliable transportation. This year, we have an

opportunity to answer the calls of Detroiters, to re-think, re-fund and reinvest in our

communities." said Councilmember Castañeda-López. "To meet these goals, I am proposing to

shift funds from the $327.8M Police budget and invest them into proven community initiatives

that for years Detroiters have been asking for."

Detroiters need specially trained departments and tailored programs that can provide the services

they need to not just survive, but thrive in the city. These services must be separate from the

Department trained to police them and respond to violent crimes. Yet critical City departments

that are equipped to enhance Detroiters quality of life are chronically underfunded. Detroit

residents have taken note of this imbalance in funding and the proposed budget amendments,

totaling just 12% of DPD's current budget, seek to rectify this historical imbalance. By shifting

just 12% of monies into these critical services, we will create the opportunity to truly transform

our people's lives. As city leaders, we must find the courage to take this next step.