Cities across America rise in solidarity as another black life has been taken unjustly by the police.  In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and many other black folks across the United States, we are rising to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Though protests are powerful, in a capitalistic framework money speaks louder than words. It is time to divest funding from oppressive police departments and reallocate that funding to public schools, accessible healthcare, trauma therapy and low income neighborhoods.

The Lancaster city police department receives 42% of the overall city budget*. The police were allocated $25,775,360 in 2020 of tax payer dollars. This is over double what the city fire department receives! Let’s demand our progressive Mayor take a stand to reallocate AT LEAST 20% of the Lancaster Police Fund, taken from militarized operations of Lancaster PD and channeled into the fund indicated below. We also demand that Lancaster PD budget will not be increased and that police quotas be abolished.

 

Mayor Sorace,

We The People of Lancaster, Pennsylvania demand that our hard earned tax dollars fund institutions and systems that serve to enhance the livelihood of the citizens of this great city.  We request that no less than 20%, or $5,155,072 be reallocated DIRECTLY from Lancaster PD to a public fund entitled “Citizens Empowerment”. This fund will be governed by a paid board of 4 Lancaster city residents from each of the four residential quadrants within the city limits. These board positions will be voted for every four years in the city mayoral elections. These funds intended use will adhere to the following;

- Free trauma therapy for any person(s) involved in a police encounter.

- Non-violent Communication and Aggression De-escalation training for all public offices, first responders and police officers.

- Semi-Annual Mental Health Screenings for ALL police officers completed by a third party organization 

- Anti-racist training for all current employed police officers and newly hired cadets.

- A legal fund for any person bringing a civil suit for an aggression complaint.

- A healthcare fund for any person injured by police.

- Three social workers hired specifically to respond in place of police to neighborhood and community related calls. These calls parameters will be determined by committee.

- After school program funding for SDOL

Thank you for hearing our voices.

Together We Rise.

In solidarity,

Lys

 

 

 

*General fund total, $60,946,080; Lancaster police fund $25,775,360