Budget committee is digging into @SeattlePD's budget for the second straight week, and several @SeattleCouncil members are expressing frustration they aren't getting straight answers, even to requests for how long it will take to get answers. #DefundSPD
Here's what we learned at last week SPD budget hearing. #DefundSPD #DefundThePolice theurbanist.org/2020/06/11/pro…
.@CMTMosqueda objected to SPD's use of "less than lethal" as a name for crowd control tactics like chokeholds and chemical weapons that really do take lives, particularly amid a pandemic that targets the lungs. (Hence the ban.) #DefundThePolice theurbanist.org/2020/06/16/sea…
SPD is again claiming tear gassing & pepper spraying Seattle residents en masse is pretty cheap. This triggered lots of follow up questions from CMs where it became apparent the full cost of crowd control this month hasn't really been tallied. #DefundSPD #CHOP 
If you're wonder how SPD's homeland security budget can be $13.3 million. Last week we heard it was mostly overtime. Turn's out $10.36 million in overtime for "homeland security" alone. Here's the breakdown. #DefundSPD #DefundThePolice
The City's 2020 proposed budget was $8.4 million for homeless sweeps. $2.4 million was for SPD's Navigation Team portion--10 SPD full-time staff plus 51 more officers involved. #DefundSPD
Those sweeps have continued during the pandemic, despite CDC guidance against it. Read @displacedviet & @thescalzone for what that looks like. #DefundThePolice #StopTheSweeps theurbanist.org/2020/05/28/fin…
.@CMTammyMorales asked if police officers got overtime to do the Weller homeless sweep referenced in piece above. She heard non Nav Team members showed up voluntarily. "We'll have to get back to you," SPD's rep says w/ a chuckle. #DefundSPD #StopTheSweeps
Did @cmkshama see the recent report that local corporations pump millions into police foundations to buy military-grade weapons? Yes! She did not miss that. #DefundThePolice #DemilitarizeThePolice theguardian.com/us-news/2020/j…
CM Sawant asked if the hiring freeze is for real. SPD budget reps said it was and also studying what cuts would look like. "We're considering all options at this point." #DefundSPD #DefundThePolice
CM @Lisa_Herbold then clarified that SPD has spent its budget so couldn't add new positions anyway. Mayor has pledged a hiring freeze next year too, but she's yet to commit to reductions. #DefundSPD #DefundThePolice
"It's time to clean house," CM Sawant getting a parting jab as budget committee wraps: Wants to get rid of problem officers and shrink the size of SPD. #DefundSPD #DefundThePolice
CM Alex Pedersen offered a modest proposal to add a 311 non-emergency call line to offer an alternative to 911 that's easier to remember than SPD's non emergency line: (206) 625-5011. CM Mosqueda agreed it was worth purusing.
Question is whether 311 calls would actually lead to depolicing and non-violent responses or whether they end up getting routed pretty much the same way. #DefundSPD #DefundThePolice
Police presentation is done, but City Budget Director Ben Nobles is up next w/ Mayor's proposed rebalancing package which includes a 5% cut to SPD's proposed $409MM budget. #DefundThePolice #DefundSPD
Here's the SPD presentation for your perusal. seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…
Here's the SPD presentation for your perusal. seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…
Here's @MayorJenny's 2020 rebalancing proposal in response to the #COVID19 pandemic. #DefundSPD seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…
Budget Director Nobles said SPD's $20 million cut was the largest of any department, but he also acknowledged it's the largest department (by far). It's $409 million budget is ~30% of Seattle's discretionary spending. #DefundSPD
And @ericacbarnett pointed out only $4 million of that is in response to #DefundThePolice protests. #DefundSPD thecisforcrank.com/2020/06/24/dur…
That new $4 million came from cutting planning work for a new North Precinct building. @BlocktheBunker beat back a $160 million 2016 proposal that would have been the spendiest police station in America. #BlockTheBunker #DefundSPD theurbanist.org/2016/09/16/may…
Trying to build a shiny new police station for North Precinct was NOT going to go over well. Even before #GeorgeFloyd, Covid-19, and a deep recession. Several @DecrimSeattle members cut their teeth on #BlockTheBunker. decriminalizeseattle.com/about/
