Title
Ordinance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title Two--Fiscal, Article V-Special Funds, to add a new Chapter, Chapter 237 - "STOP THE VIOLENCE FUND", to prioritize the prevention of violence and crime within communities and to create a budgetary obligation for the Fund.
(Cablecast Public Hearing held 7/15/20 & Cablecast Post Agenda held 7/16/20)
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WHEREAS, in 2018, American Public Health Association stated that law enforcement violence is a public health issue; and,
WHEREAS, racial profiling by some police officers and the supporting system of structured racism results in disproportionate harm to the health of individuals and communities of color; and,
WHEREAS, the bias in the criminal justice system is staggering. African-Americans are nearly twice as likely to be pulled over than White Americans. African-Americans are more likely to be charged for drug crimes than White people even though White people use and sell drugs at similar rates; and,
WHEREAS, thirteen percent (13%) of the U.S. population is African-American, but 27% of those who are arrested are African-American. African-Americans are more likely to be detained before trial than White people, and nearly six times more likely to be incarcerated. African-Americans are more than three times more likely to be shot by the police than an unarmed White Americans; and,
WHEREAS, there are various evidence-based crime and violence prevention and intervention practices that are community-based; and,
WHEREAS, funding social services for mental health, domestic violence and homelessness, reduce crime and violence; and,
WHEREAS, the U.S. spends more than $100 billion dollars per year policing its cities and states. For many major cities, police department budgets make up a disproportionate amount of overall spending, even as other departments face steep cuts amid the coronavirus; and,
WHEREAS, on December 23, 2019, the Honorable William M. Peduto, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh,...
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