Sacramento city manager proposes increase in police budget, but Measure U committee wants funds spent elsewhere

Lonnie Wong reports

RECOMMENDS INCREASING POLICEFUNDING.BY MORE THAN 9 MILLIONDOLLARS FOX FORTY'S LONNY WONGREPORTING TONIGHT.THE CITY BUDGET PROPOSALOFFERED BY THE CITY MANAGER'SOFFICE CALLS FOR AN INCREASEIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENTTO AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF NEARLY166 MILLION THIS COMES IN THEWAKE OF LAST SUMMER'S GEORGENATIONWIDE CALL TO DEFUNDPOLICE DEPARTMENTS.IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTINGSTILL BECAUSE WE HAD HOPEDTHAT IT WOULD GO IN DIFFERENTDIRECTIONS.SO JOHN CULVER CHAIRS THEWHICH IS CHARGED WITHSELECTING AREAS WHERE THE CITYCOULD SPEND MEASURE U SALESTAX INCREASE.

SHE SAYS THOSEMONIES NEVER WENT TO INTENDEDMANY OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONSLINE UP WITH THE DEFUND POLICEMOVEMENT SPENDING CITY DOLLARSON PREVENTATIVE IN SOCIALPROGRAMS IN UNDERSERVEDCOMMUNITIES RATHER THAN APOLICE RESPONSE I GUESSNOTHING PREVENTION ARE PART OFWHAT WE CONSIDER WILL HAVE THEPRIMARY ROLE IS IN FACT APUBLIC FREQUENTLY SAY TOPEOPLE YOU KNOW JUSTICE FOR MEIS NOT SOLVING MY MURDER, IT'SNEVER BEING MURDERED IN THEFIRST PLACE.THERE WAS A RECOGNITIONTHAT THE POLICE BUDGET ISGOING UP BECAUSE OF NEGOTIATEDSALARY INCREASES ANDINVESTMENT IN LETHAL WEAPONSAND SYSTEMS AND OTHEREQUIPMENT NEEDS STILL THESACRAMENTO.

POLICE OFFICERSASSOCIATION HAS TOLD FOX 40 INTHE PAST THE TRADITIONALPOLICE SERVICE IS A VALUED BYA MAJORITY OF CITY RESIDENTSHAVE ONE GROUP THAT COME INAND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE WANTAND THEN SAY IT'S WHAT THEWHOLE COMMUNITY WANTS THISDISINGENUOUS.WANTS MORE POLICE SERVICES NOTLESS MAYOR DARRELL STEINBERGHAS SAID HE IS AGAINSTDEFUNDING POLICE.BUT THAT MANY COMMUNITY ANDPREVENTION PROGRAMS CAN ALSOBE FUNDED BY THE CITY AT THESAME TIME.BUT SOME ARE SAYING NOW ISTHE TIME TO SHIFT THE ENTIREFOCUS OF POLICING SOMECOMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THEPOLICE BUDGET IS NOT A DONEDEAL.

IT'S ONLY A PROPOSALBUDGET COMMITTEE AND A VOTE BYTHE FULL CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLYSEE THIS IS THE POINT NOWWHERE WE NEED TO BE VERY VOCALAS A COMMUNITY TO WE DON'TWANT THIS PROPOSED BUDGET TO