Although it unfortunately appears that approval has already been given to purchase another (unnecessary) militarized piece of equipment, the staff report fails to address why competitive bidding for the purchase should be suspended. At a time when Sacramento is facing major public health and safety issues regarding homeless and police responses to protests, what steps have been taken to ensure that this particular contract is the best and most fiscally prudent option? There is no indication that alternatives were considered and found lacking, or why competitive bidding would not be appropriate. The City Council should not be rubber-stamping requests for military equipment for a municipal police department without at least a minimal amount of fiscal supervision.
This city does not need this vehicle. Even if we did, I wouldn't trust this police department with one. But if the city *must* purchase one, why on earth would you make taxpayers pay *more* for it by suspending competitive bidding???
Items like this destroy my faith that this city council is interested in solving real problems rather than play-acting at some phony version of strength. Save city resources for more urgent needs like housing. Stop doubling down on an overpriced militarized police force.
I oppose spending over $400,000 on another military grade piece of equipment for our civilian police department, when there are so many other, more pressing needs that our city faces.
Police brutality and excessive force remains a problem, and Sacramento PD already has more than one military-grade equipment item like this. This represents an unnecessary extension into further militarization and scariness, from the people who are meant to be the best protectors of our community - not the aggressors in it.
Purchasing this military-grade equipment does nothing to address poverty or other root causes of crime, only exacerbates the divisions between the police and the community.
We need more support for those who have the least, not more heavily armored vehicles. What else could this $400,000 be spent on?
It’s unbelievable that we are going into a recession and with the public distrust of police that this would be brought up for vote. Please vote no and this is ridiculous
This is a disgusting waste of money, with 400k the department could engage in training to better prepare our police with de-escalation tools. We could equip our police with more non-lethal alternatives so that we don't see more people shot while holding cell phones in the dark of their yard. 400k of public funds could be spent on better youth intervention programs, better lighting, and cops walking beats in downtown/midtown. 400k could be spent to start an independent civilian oversight committee to investigate cases of police misconduct instead of leaving it up to the police to investigate the police. Hire more psychologists, spend it on sensitivity training, teach cops that it isn't them versus the citizens of the city.
I oppose the purchase of the Loader all together however that is not being considered.
Therefore, I oppose part a) of the motion to suspend competitive bidding. The purchase of a 439k vehicle without competitive bidding does not sound like good governance to me. One usually needs an emergency or some critical exemption to cut out competitive bidding and this situation does not appear to be an emergency. Sac Sheriffs already have one of these tanks if an emergency happens meaning the county is already prepared. This purchase does not meet any reasonable emergency standard in my opinion to absolve it of competitive bidding, especially at this high price. Pentagon gets a blank check, does our police department? What if there is a vehicle that can meet all the standards of this 439k vehicle at half the price? We should look into cheaper options. Competitive bidding is there to prevent corruption and inflated government contracts. Please vote no on part a), let competitive bidding and good fiscal responsibility happen. Voting no on part a) stops part b) and c) from happening.
Sacramento should not strive to militarize its police. Policing needs deescalation these days, not more violence and materiel capable of careless murder. This is a very bad and immoral purchase. I live in District 6.
Please vote no on any additional tax payer funds towards citizen control officers (police) and give the money directly to the Departments that can assist to alleviate the actual problems in this city such as the homeless issue. Placing a bandaid, dressed as armored trucks, on the crime issue is not the fix. Read the room guys.
Why do you need this?
Although it unfortunately appears that approval has already been given to purchase another (unnecessary) militarized piece of equipment, the staff report fails to address why competitive bidding for the purchase should be suspended. At a time when Sacramento is facing major public health and safety issues regarding homeless and police responses to protests, what steps have been taken to ensure that this particular contract is the best and most fiscally prudent option? There is no indication that alternatives were considered and found lacking, or why competitive bidding would not be appropriate. The City Council should not be rubber-stamping requests for military equipment for a municipal police department without at least a minimal amount of fiscal supervision.
This city does not need this vehicle. Even if we did, I wouldn't trust this police department with one. But if the city *must* purchase one, why on earth would you make taxpayers pay *more* for it by suspending competitive bidding???
Items like this destroy my faith that this city council is interested in solving real problems rather than play-acting at some phony version of strength. Save city resources for more urgent needs like housing. Stop doubling down on an overpriced militarized police force.
We don't need a military police
I respectfully urge you to vote NO on this item.
I oppose spending over $400,000 on another military grade piece of equipment for our civilian police department, when there are so many other, more pressing needs that our city faces.
Police brutality and excessive force remains a problem, and Sacramento PD already has more than one military-grade equipment item like this. This represents an unnecessary extension into further militarization and scariness, from the people who are meant to be the best protectors of our community - not the aggressors in it.
Purchasing this military-grade equipment does nothing to address poverty or other root causes of crime, only exacerbates the divisions between the police and the community.
We need more support for those who have the least, not more heavily armored vehicles. What else could this $400,000 be spent on?
It’s unbelievable that we are going into a recession and with the public distrust of police that this would be brought up for vote. Please vote no and this is ridiculous
It is unconscionable to spend $400k on ANOTHER tank for the cops while Sacramento citizens are underserved
We can do better than this.
I respectfully urge you to vote NO on this item.
There are far greater needs than this. What is the justification for such an extravagant purchase?
This is waste of taxpayer money.
No more militarism of PD
This is a disgusting waste of money, with 400k the department could engage in training to better prepare our police with de-escalation tools. We could equip our police with more non-lethal alternatives so that we don't see more people shot while holding cell phones in the dark of their yard. 400k of public funds could be spent on better youth intervention programs, better lighting, and cops walking beats in downtown/midtown. 400k could be spent to start an independent civilian oversight committee to investigate cases of police misconduct instead of leaving it up to the police to investigate the police. Hire more psychologists, spend it on sensitivity training, teach cops that it isn't them versus the citizens of the city.
Ridiculous waste of funds.
I oppose the purchase of the Loader all together however that is not being considered.
Therefore, I oppose part a) of the motion to suspend competitive bidding. The purchase of a 439k vehicle without competitive bidding does not sound like good governance to me. One usually needs an emergency or some critical exemption to cut out competitive bidding and this situation does not appear to be an emergency. Sac Sheriffs already have one of these tanks if an emergency happens meaning the county is already prepared. This purchase does not meet any reasonable emergency standard in my opinion to absolve it of competitive bidding, especially at this high price. Pentagon gets a blank check, does our police department? What if there is a vehicle that can meet all the standards of this 439k vehicle at half the price? We should look into cheaper options. Competitive bidding is there to prevent corruption and inflated government contracts. Please vote no on part a), let competitive bidding and good fiscal responsibility happen. Voting no on part a) stops part b) and c) from happening.
Excessive equipment and we do not need to further militarize out police. Hard NO on this.
Sacramento should not strive to militarize its police. Policing needs deescalation these days, not more violence and materiel capable of careless murder. This is a very bad and immoral purchase. I live in District 6.
This seems like an excessive purchase for tax payers, with little to no potential use.
Please vote no on any additional tax payer funds towards citizen control officers (police) and give the money directly to the Departments that can assist to alleviate the actual problems in this city such as the homeless issue. Placing a bandaid, dressed as armored trucks, on the crime issue is not the fix. Read the room guys.
Excessive piece of equipment whose funding would be better spent in other areas.