A tank for an already over-militarized police force is beyond absurd. It's offensive. The cost of that unnecessary and morally offensive vehicle could instead pay for dozens of additional employees to serve our city's unhoused, or for an additional 32 tiny homes, or for other supportive services for people without homes, at-risk children and youth, and other vulnerable humans.
Please do not use city money on militarizing police. Studies show that it is not more effective, it doesn't result in increased police safety, it results in the citizens feeling as though they live in a militarized area or that the police are wasting money and have more money that they currently need.
Please use the funds on something else rather than militarizing the police. Spend the funds on creating a program of police mentors for the youth or something better for the community. The police does not need a military tank in our community. We need support in funds for sanitation, safety, and education for the public. No tank, thank you.
This purchase should only be considered if there were literally no other use for the funds. And even then, by suggesting the police should have a tank, you make it clear you see us - your constituents - as enemies. A terrible idea, horrible optics, and an insult to every Sacramentan.
I like to think police are protecting the community, but when the police are buying tanks to run over the community, instead of listening to the community, it gets harder and harder for me to have a positive view of the police. This "vehicle" is NOT how I want my tax dollars used, and this war-like behavior by our police disgusts me as a life-long Sacramentan.
Please, listen to the concerns of our community. We are asking you to prioritize the well-being of our community over the militarized policing of it. 400,000 can be spend on so many things that help our neighbors thrive. Why would you consider spending so much on a vehicle that is not needed? Why do you continue to criminalize us instead of helping us? Why won't you listen?
As a physician and Midtown resident I am concerned about the public health of our community with increasing militarization of the police while inadequately addressing homelessness and other social inequality issues. Cassy Friedrich, MD zip 95816
As lifetime resident of Sacramento and having seen the changes in the community over the years, I believe $400,000 taxpayer dollars can be spent much more wisely and that the City Council should be voting to put our money into programs that help people. We currently have crisis levels of people experiencing homelessness, underfunded schools, not enough affordable housing, children who go to bed hungry every night, a lack of services for people who need medical care and help with mental health and drug addiction. List goes on. This is a toy for the police that will encourage them to think of their job as a military force, not a force that ostensibly is protecting its community. We pay our taxes in order to support our communities and meet our communities needs. An armored vehicle does not do that. Spend this money where it is truly needed.
As someone who works and engages in the life of Sacramento on a daily basis, I find the proposal of adding an armored vehicle to the Sacramento Police Department appalling. Armored vehicles speak to military action and having this vehicle will only add another feature of intimidation to an entity which already uses fear and intimidation as a tactic to control the community. This does not speak to building community when our community is so desperate for housing, mental health, youth programming, addiction services and so much more. A purchase like this only speaks to increasing the police state within the city, especially in communities of color and poverty. So I urge the city council to not waste money on a vehicle that will likely only rarely be used, and when used will serve as a vehicle of intimidation and fear upon our citizens. Is that the kind of Sacramento you want? ~Robyn Ayres
I urge this Council and Mayor Steinberg to reject this contract proposal immediately. We have witnessed the escalation of militarized policing all over this country, and shame on Sacramento for even considering spending $400,000 precious dollars on this war vehicle when we so desperately need affordable housing, mental health programs, and investment in our youth. There are no solid arguments for this type of acquisition—the research, data, and personal stories of people tell us it will be disastrous. It is a waste of money and extremely harmful to our communities, especially our Black & Brown & poor communities.
I oppose this use of Measure U funds and other City funds for this type of equipment. The intent of Measure U is to support and restore essential services that were cut back during the last recession. The City should redirect these funds to real essential services such as libraries, whose Monday hours were cut years ago, for critical senior center services for a growing low-income elderly population, for youth programs, and neglected public parks, for instance. An armored military vehicle is not an essential service. Military equipment use by police departments encourages the intimidation and control of people through violence, a fascistic practice that we must recognize and oppose.Finally, the Corona Virus is here and going to put even more pressure on City funds as it disrupts the local economy and causes havoc in our health care services. More than ever, this is not the time to throw money at military toys for our police to play with.
Martha Paterson-Cohen
Funding this tool of war will only further the gulf between police and the neighborhoods they patrol. It inspires fear and terror in people, not a sense of protection. Stop militarizing the police force and putting black and brown lives at risk. Instead allocate the money to something directly beneficial such as helping the unhoused with shelter, food, and sanitation.
Please do not award a tank to the Sac PD! Giving the police weapons of war does not make our communities safer. It will only create situations more dangerous for the general public, widen the gulf of mistrust between the police and the communities they serve, and spend valuable taxpayer dollars that should go elsewhere. Neighborhoods are not war zones and the police are not military personnel; they should be trained more extensively in peacekeeping than in war so that they can fulfill their mandate of protecting and serving citizens, not fighting them.
A tank for an already over-militarized police force is beyond absurd. It's offensive. The cost of that unnecessary and morally offensive vehicle could instead pay for dozens of additional employees to serve our city's unhoused, or for an additional 32 tiny homes, or for other supportive services for people without homes, at-risk children and youth, and other vulnerable humans.
Please do not use city money on militarizing police. Studies show that it is not more effective, it doesn't result in increased police safety, it results in the citizens feeling as though they live in a militarized area or that the police are wasting money and have more money that they currently need.
Please use the funds on something else rather than militarizing the police. Spend the funds on creating a program of police mentors for the youth or something better for the community. The police does not need a military tank in our community. We need support in funds for sanitation, safety, and education for the public. No tank, thank you.
This purchase should only be considered if there were literally no other use for the funds. And even then, by suggesting the police should have a tank, you make it clear you see us - your constituents - as enemies. A terrible idea, horrible optics, and an insult to every Sacramentan.
No tanks, thanks. It's an extremely embarrassing and unnecessary use of funds that I can only see used to intimidate protestors.
I like to think police are protecting the community, but when the police are buying tanks to run over the community, instead of listening to the community, it gets harder and harder for me to have a positive view of the police. This "vehicle" is NOT how I want my tax dollars used, and this war-like behavior by our police disgusts me as a life-long Sacramentan.
Please, listen to the concerns of our community. We are asking you to prioritize the well-being of our community over the militarized policing of it. 400,000 can be spend on so many things that help our neighbors thrive. Why would you consider spending so much on a vehicle that is not needed? Why do you continue to criminalize us instead of helping us? Why won't you listen?
As a physician and Midtown resident I am concerned about the public health of our community with increasing militarization of the police while inadequately addressing homelessness and other social inequality issues. Cassy Friedrich, MD zip 95816
As lifetime resident of Sacramento and having seen the changes in the community over the years, I believe $400,000 taxpayer dollars can be spent much more wisely and that the City Council should be voting to put our money into programs that help people. We currently have crisis levels of people experiencing homelessness, underfunded schools, not enough affordable housing, children who go to bed hungry every night, a lack of services for people who need medical care and help with mental health and drug addiction. List goes on. This is a toy for the police that will encourage them to think of their job as a military force, not a force that ostensibly is protecting its community. We pay our taxes in order to support our communities and meet our communities needs. An armored vehicle does not do that. Spend this money where it is truly needed.
As someone who works and engages in the life of Sacramento on a daily basis, I find the proposal of adding an armored vehicle to the Sacramento Police Department appalling. Armored vehicles speak to military action and having this vehicle will only add another feature of intimidation to an entity which already uses fear and intimidation as a tactic to control the community. This does not speak to building community when our community is so desperate for housing, mental health, youth programming, addiction services and so much more. A purchase like this only speaks to increasing the police state within the city, especially in communities of color and poverty. So I urge the city council to not waste money on a vehicle that will likely only rarely be used, and when used will serve as a vehicle of intimidation and fear upon our citizens. Is that the kind of Sacramento you want? ~Robyn Ayres
I urge this Council and Mayor Steinberg to reject this contract proposal immediately. We have witnessed the escalation of militarized policing all over this country, and shame on Sacramento for even considering spending $400,000 precious dollars on this war vehicle when we so desperately need affordable housing, mental health programs, and investment in our youth. There are no solid arguments for this type of acquisition—the research, data, and personal stories of people tell us it will be disastrous. It is a waste of money and extremely harmful to our communities, especially our Black & Brown & poor communities.
I oppose this use of Measure U funds and other City funds for this type of equipment. The intent of Measure U is to support and restore essential services that were cut back during the last recession. The City should redirect these funds to real essential services such as libraries, whose Monday hours were cut years ago, for critical senior center services for a growing low-income elderly population, for youth programs, and neglected public parks, for instance. An armored military vehicle is not an essential service. Military equipment use by police departments encourages the intimidation and control of people through violence, a fascistic practice that we must recognize and oppose.Finally, the Corona Virus is here and going to put even more pressure on City funds as it disrupts the local economy and causes havoc in our health care services. More than ever, this is not the time to throw money at military toys for our police to play with.
Martha Paterson-Cohen
Funding this tool of war will only further the gulf between police and the neighborhoods they patrol. It inspires fear and terror in people, not a sense of protection. Stop militarizing the police force and putting black and brown lives at risk. Instead allocate the money to something directly beneficial such as helping the unhoused with shelter, food, and sanitation.
We do NOT need more militarized policing. Spend the $400,000 to provide sanitation to those in our community who live without housing.
Please do not award a tank to the Sac PD! Giving the police weapons of war does not make our communities safer. It will only create situations more dangerous for the general public, widen the gulf of mistrust between the police and the communities they serve, and spend valuable taxpayer dollars that should go elsewhere. Neighborhoods are not war zones and the police are not military personnel; they should be trained more extensively in peacekeeping than in war so that they can fulfill their mandate of protecting and serving citizens, not fighting them.