Title
Resolution authorizing and directing the City Controller to transfer a total of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) from Police Salaries (Police Recruit Allowance) to the STOP THE VIOLENCE FUND, within the 2020 Operating Budget.
(Cablecast Public Hearing held 7/15/20 & Cablecast Post Agenda held 7/16/20)
Body
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 unarmed White Americans; and,
WHEREAS, an increasing number of the City’s residents and taxpayers are telling City Council that they are tired of being disrespected by the police, they are tired of having their constitutional rights disregarded by the police, tired of burying friends and loved ones because of the police, they are tired of seeing their tax dollars go to paying liability settlements because of these unlawful actions by police and they’ve made it clear that they no longer wish to see their tax dollars being used to pay our police; and,
WHEREAS, serious and legitimate questions about the role of police forces and policing in the City of Pittsburgh have been brought to light; and,
WHEREAS, City Council, the Mayor and the residents need to have a very extensive, very public dialogue about the future of policing in the City of Pittsburgh, with all options on the table; and,
WHEREAS, City Council believes that now is an inappropriate time to bring any new police officers onto the force while these questions persist; and,
WHEREAS, many of the City’s residents consider hiring more police officers, while they see the Police Bureau not as a public safety organization, but as an agent of racism and oppression, as unacceptable.
Be it therefore resolved that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.
The Controller’s Office is hereby authorized and directed to transfer a total of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) from Police Salaries (Police Recruits) to the Pittsburgh Violence Prevention Trust Fund, within the 2020 Operating Budget:
From:
$250,000 from 11101.230000.51101 - General Fund, Bureau of Police, Regular Salaries. (Police Recruit Allowance)
To:
$250,000 to TBD .53901 - STOP THE VIOLENCE Trust Fund, Professional Services
Section 2.
City Council hereby requests that the Mayor cancel plans by the Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Police to conduct any further police recruit training or hiring until further notice.