CITY BUDGET HEARING

On Monday, June 3, 2019, I spoke on behalf of the Friends of Durham in support of the requested funding by the City Manager's Office and the Police Department for the department's 2019-2020 budget. If you missed the televised budget hearing, you can read the statement below. 

​DPD BUDGET REQUEST – CITY COUNCIL
Public Hearing, Monday, June 3, 2019
 
I speak tonight, as chair of and on behalf of the Friends of Durham, in support of the Police Department budget request.
 
In 2016, IACP submitted its report on the department’s operations. Although the report made over forty recommendations, it summarized that the department was “generally efficient and well-organized with a strong commitment to community policing and collaborative problem-solving efforts.”[1] But among those many recommendations, was one that goes to the heart the department’s current request. The study supported adding personnel to the department. This is not to suggest that the addition of personnel will automatically result in a significant reduction of crime. But it helps, and moreover, it speaks to some of the operational and management needs that are directly impacted by having adequate staffing levels, such as better patrol schedules and more opportunities for community engagement.
 
The most recent IACP report continues to support the addition of sworn and non-sworn personnel. The report cites upward population growth from 2006 through 2016, while departmental FTEs remained relatively stagnant. This growth has continued since that time and is expected to reach over 280,000 by 2020; that is a 24% increase since the last census.[2]
 
It is important to note that funding alone is not the answer, and although our police department builds relationships through programs such as Police R.E.A.D.S., Safe Place, and National Night Out, we know that we must also support our community organizations and our residents who are working daily on the root causes of crime, such as poverty, racial inequity, and reduced economic opportunities.
 
The Friends of Durham asks that you support the funding request, consider purchasing Shotspotter, and find more ways to collaborate with our community partners.
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[1] IACP Study page 1 of executive summary
[2] IACP Study page 10: 2010 census population was 228,330. 2020 census population is expected to be 283,210. From the IACP Study citing 2000‐2014 Data Source: http://factfinder.census.gov
1980 Census Source:
http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980/1980censusofpopu8011uns_bw.pdf
1990 Census Source: https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/1990s/tables/SU‐99‐05.txt