Posted on 02/26/2021 3:39:31 PM PST by lowbridge
Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick this week announced a plan to replace the city’s police department with a new Department of Community Solutions and Public Safety.
The proposal, part of a statewide police reform effort, is now up for public comment and requires legislative approval. If passed, the city would install a civilian department leader to oversee two divisions, an unarmed force of “community solution workers,” and an armed division focused on responding to and investigating crimes.
Officers would have to reapply to keep jobs as armed “public safety workers” with the city.
The proposal acknowledges that in some ways, the measures would “defund the police,” but ultimately, just as much of the city’s funding and resources, if not more, would go toward public safety.
The proposal calls for the city to reallocate the police department’s $12.5 billion budget – which includes 63 sworn officers – but would not reduce overall funding.
In a statement, Myrick said the proposal was the result of a community dialogues, in meetings and protests especially over the last several months and years.
“… The men and women of the Ithaca Police Department have performed their duties with admirable skill and professionalism, but for too long the answer to every human behavioral problem in our City has been to call the police,” Myrick said. He called that practice “impractical” and “cumbersome,” and said it exacerbates homelessness, mental illness and addiction.
Myrick unveiled Ithaca’s plan in a 98-page draft report, that also covers police reform efforts in surrounding Tompkins County.
The reforms are part of a statewide reform effort authorized by executive order last year by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Police departments across New York state are required to develop reform and “reinvention” plans by April 1 if they wish to retain state funding.
(Excerpt) Read more at police1.com ...
The City of Evil
Berkeley of the east
“High above Cayuga’s waters....”
“Mayor unveils proposal to split PD into 2 groups: armed and unarmed (Ithaca, NY)”
I’m sure the unarmed police are the ones that will be guarding him and his family and, of course, the rest of the irreplaceable city government officials.
My public comment: Are you insane?
$12.5 billion for 63 cops? Have they been audited lately?
Harrisburg, PA, has done something similar.
40+ civilian glorified social workers.
They can otherwise be known as the dead and the undead.
Ping
For their own safety, the unarmed officers need identifiable uniforms so armed assailants know not to shoot them. May I suggest bright pink uniforms. After all, the safety of the unarmed officers should be a priority.
That’s quite a budget for a city of 30,000-ish. Property taxes there must be insane!
Oww. Like the brits. How cute.
Roger Miller song England Swings:
England swings like a pendulum do
Bobbies on bicycles, two by two
Westminster Abbey, the tower of Big Ben
The rosy-red cheeks of the little children
///////////////////////////////////////////////
So our unarmed “bobbies” will be unarmed and cheerful about talking criminals in delirium from pcp or meth out of slashing people with a butcher knife or shooting someone six times?
Pink police uniforms....
LOL
Much better than the Hare Krishna chanters’ robes. Although both groups are unarmed.
Aw, c’mon! They didn’t want the two groups to be named “armed” and “dangerous”??? Maybe one group should be named “law” and the other group “order”. The cliches write themselves...
And criminals can split the city into two separate zones. The probably not ( armed ) and the anything goes ( unarmed ) zones.
How dumb can you get.
And to think Ithaca once made guns. These kids grandparents would turn them across their knee and tan their bottoms.
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