Omaha City Council Debates Amendment to Divert Police Funding

How much the amendment would shift from police funding and what council members said before voting.

SOME WERE ASKING CITYLEADERS TO DIVERTPOLICE FUNDING TO THECOMMUNITY...TO INVEST IN MENTALHEALTH AND COMMUNITYPROGRAMS.THE MAYOR'SPROPOSED BUDGETINSTEAD SLIGHTLYINCREASED POLICEFUNDING.BUT THEN CAME APROPOSED AMENDMENT.TODAY THE COUNCILVOTED...REPORTER JON KIPPERTELLS US WHAT COUNCILMEMBERS DEBATE TODAYBEFORE VOTING.JUST LAST WEEK WEHAD DOZENS OF PEOPLETELL CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TO SPEND THECITY'S MONEYDIFFERENTY...TAKINGAWAY SOME FROM THEPOLICE AND USE IT ONCOMMUNITY SERVICEPROGRAMS, TRAININGAND MENTAL HEALTHCOUNCIL PRESIDENTCHRIS JERRAM LISTENED...AND FORCED THECOUNCIL TO VOTE ON ANAMENDMENT TO TAKETWO MILLION FROMPOLICE...AND PUT IT TOWARDSTHOSE PROGRAMS.14.24.56 "I THINK ITWOULD BE REMISS IF WEAVOIDED THISCONVERSATION."COUNCIL PRESIDENTCHRIS JERRAM SAYSAFTER DOZENS OFRESIDENTS ASKED THECOUNCIL TO DIVERTPOLICE FUNDING, THECOUNCIL AT LEASTNEEDED TO DISCUSS IT.HE PUT FORWARD ANAMENDMENT TO THE CITYBUDGET THAT WOULDTAKE TWO MILLION FROMTHE POLICE BUDGET ANDPUT IT INTO MENTALHEALTH ANDWORKFORCEPROGRAMS.HE SAYS POLICESHOULDN'T BE THE ONESTO DEAL WITH MENTALHEALTH ISSUES.14.23.24 "WHAT WE'REFORCING OUT POLICEOFFICERS INTOBECOMINGINTERVENTIONISTS INMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS,IS THIS REALLY WHAT WEWANT OUR POLICEDOING." BUT THE LARGEMAJORITY OF THECOUNCIL DISAGREED,INCLUDING BEN GRAY,WHO REPRESENTSNORTH OMAHA.14.53.29 "THIS IS ABOUTPROCESS, I DON'T DOTHINGS IN A NEAR JERKREACTION STYLE, ORWHEN EVERYBODY ISANGRY, WHENEVERYBODY IS ANGRY,WE MAKE MISTAKES."POLICE CHIEF TODDSCHMADERER SAID IFPASSED, HE MAY HAVE TONOT HIRE NEWRECRUITS, OR EVEN LAYOFF SOME OF OPD'SNEWER OFFICERS.GRAY SAYS THAT WOULDLEAD TO MORE BLACKOFFICERS GETTING LAIDOFF...AND THAT AFTERRECENT SHOOTINGS,THEY NEED AS MANYOFFICERS AS POSSIBLE.14.52.47 "WE'RE IN THEMIDST OF A GANG WAR, INEED ALL HANDS ONDECK INCLUDING EVERYPOLICE OFFICER WE CANGET." AFTER IT BECAMECLEAR THEY DIDN'T HAVETHEVOTES...COUNCILMEMBER PETE FESTERSEN,WHO WAS IN FAVOR OFJERRAM'S AMENDMENT,PUT FORWARD HISOWN.THAT INSTEAD OFCUTTING POLICE WOULDTAKE MONEY FROM THECASHRESERVES...SAYING THEYNEED TO DO SOMETHINGABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.N15.01.33 "I THINK THEPROPOSED BUDGET ISSTATUS QUO AND NOTRESPONSIVE TO THECONCERNS WE'VERECEIVED." THE COUNCILPASSED THAT 4-3...BUTMAYOR STOTHERT SAYSSHE'LL VETO IT.SAYINGDUE TO COVID...THIS IS NOT THE TIME TOTAKE MONEY FROM THECASH RESERVES.00.41 "THE MONEYCOMING OUT OF THECASH RESERVE ISEXTREMELY RECKLESSAND IRRESPONSIBLE ATTHIS POINT IN TIME."THE COUNCIL DID PASSTHE REST OF THEBUDGET ...INCLUDING AMENDMENTSTO ADD EXTRA MONEYFOR NEXT YEAR'S CITYELECTIONS TO MAKE ITEASIER FOR PEOPLE TOVOTE BY MAIL MAYORSTOTHERT DID NOTMENTION THAT, ASSOMETHING SHE'D VETO.THE CITY COUNCIL ALSOAPPROVED A DEAL TOPAY ZACHARY BEARHEELS' MOTHER 550-