In May of 2022, at the urging of a small, but very vocal contingent calling themselves “Citizens for a People’s Budget” demanded that the Greenfield, MA City Council defund the annual budget of the Greenfield Police Department by 1 million dollars. The City Council did not end up reducing the departmental budget by that amount, but did, however reduce is by 400 thousand dollars.

That action was taken under the guise of holding GPD accountable for a recent ruling on a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former officer that senior ranking members of GPD engaged in racial discrimination that was resolved in his favor. Even though there already a financial settlement ordered by the courts as a result of that finding (paid for by insurance, not the town), the City Council felt compelled to make a statement that will have no effect on the involved parties, but will affect people who weren’t. 

That statement will result in a brand new K9 officer being cut from the force,  8 full-time positions being cut, brand new recruits being terminated, a reduction to GPD’s available hours from 24-hours to 16 hours (7a-11p), a reduction in cruisers on the road, a reduction to staff available for calls, and numerous negative impacts on the community at large. 

That statement was made without the consent or support of the community as a whole. 

That statement was made without insight into the job police do, and without considering the impacts on the people who will lose their jobs, nor the community they are sworn to serve and protect  

So, let’s speak up and make a statement of our own. Sign today to demand that the Greenfield City Council reverse their decision. 

Re-fund GPD.