Defund 413 Amherst

We, the undersigned community members of Amherst, express our support of the Black Lives Matter Movement and the national struggles underway to end police brutality. Resources in Amherst must be reallocated to truly support our community and all of its members in a way that promotes public health and safety rather than policing. The council has spoken out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice, but words only go so far. A clear and concrete way to support Black lives is to immediately reduce the Amherst Police Department’s budget by 52%. This call is not exceptional: the Black Lives Matter movement has issued a national call to defund police departments, and major cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Seattle are already taking steps to do so.

Policing only compounds public health crises and the terror of this pandemic, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and Brown People of Color, and homeless residents who are disproportionately affected both by the current economic and health emergency and by police brutality.

Full list of demands:

1. 52% Cut to the APD budget ($2,677,892)
- Cut $155,625 from APD operating expenses (amount spent in the past year on gas, vehicle maintenance,
training, and uniforms)
- Cut proposed increase of $108,683 from APD personnel line item (amount for step raises)
- Cut $2,413,584 (50%) from the personnel line item, approx. 25 FTEs

2. Under no circumstances, should any of the $2.5 million set aside in delayed capital be spent on the police department.

3. Do not give any of the 80k set aside in the budget for combatting structural racism to the police department, instead spend it in a community-directed way guided by Black led organizations and community members.

4. Implement a permanent hiring freeze for the APD

5. Freeze all applications for state and federal funds for grant programs for the APD

6. Repurpose transferable state and federal funds already received for APD programs and return non-transferable funds

7. No money from the Town of Amherst reserves should be used for the APD and policing, even in the event of reduced state aid for the 2021 FY.

The people are making their values and commitments clear; we ask that our Town Government do the same.