Dear Ruth,
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! A common council meeting is scheduled for TODAY, May 4th, at 6pm, and we need supporters of the Reimagining Public Safety plan to make their voices heard. In past Common Council meetings opponents of RPS made so many false statements that the Ithaca Voice had to begin its coverage of the meeting with:
“The City of Ithaca is not abolishing the Ithaca Police Department.”
You can find a live link to register to speak here. It will be live until will be live until 3 pm. You can also submit your questions through their public comment form. We are asking you to speak out with supportive statements. Examples of positive points in the RPS plan:
The plan adds 5 unarmed community responders, taking armed officers out of nonviolent situations and making citizens feel safer when they call the police.
This is a win-win: our community will feel safer, and the police will have more time to respond to cases where they’re really needed.
The police aren’t losing their jobs; no one’s being defunded or abolished. This plan only ADDS unarmed responders.
The plan increases community engagement by adding community service requirements and better training for all officers.
The plan increases transparency and requires better record keeping so officers are accountable to members of the community.
The event will also be available live and archived on the City of Ithaca’s YouTube channel.
Thank you for making your voice heard!
Sincerely,
Ithacans for Reimagining Public Safety
