GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids hosted a virtual town hall on the city's proposed budget Thursday night.
A large portion of the night was spent discussing the budget for the Grand Rapids Police Department. Despite the town hall meeting, the group Defund the GRPD still doesn't feel like the community is being heard.
"Its just disheartening to see," says Zahna, a volunteer for the group.
Because of a technical issue, phone calls were not taken, and instead, all questions were fielded via Facebook comment or text. Something Zahna was frustrated with.
"That gives you a space where you can really just pick and choose what you want to go through, the ones that sound the best," she says.
For the last year, Defund the GRPD has called for the budget to be cut to the chartered minimum of 32% of the city's overall budget. That would equate to a cut of around $5 million and a loss in staff.
"Doing that just preliminarily, I spoke with the chief the other day, to get to that number would be about 50 officers," says city manager Mark Washington.
Mayor Rosalynn Bliss explained the city's goal in recent years has been to grow its officers in house to better reflect the community.
"Those who would be let go would be our newest hires," she explained. "That, to me, is very counter to exactly what we're trying to accomplish."
Defund the GRPD says simply, they don't care.
"It sucks that you guys waited that long to grow your own and that they will have to leave these positions, but at the same time, that's not our problem," says Zahna.
Washington pointed out at one point that the GRPD currently has 100 fewer officers than when it was at its largest. Bliss backed that statement.
"We need to make sure that when somebody calls 911 and they need a police officer to show up, that we have the resources and an officer is able to show up," she said.
In response, Zahna says at a presentation from the 61st District Court earlier this week, a 40% reduction in cases over the last 10 years was reported.
"If arrests aren't leading to court, why are we still needing almost 300 officers and sworn folks on the street," asks Zahna. "That just doesn't make sense to me at all."
The city budget is not finalized yet. There is another public hearing scheduled for May 18.
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