City Manager Jamal Fox has included K9 policing funding in his proposed
FY23 city budget.
I'm opposed and sent the message below to my city council rep, Peter
Kovar. Peter
replied, "I agree with you that Takoma Park should end its K-9 program. As
you mentioned, I voted against funding for the program previously, and I
continue to think that's the best policy for the City."
Really my message is a draft of council testimony I'll present at Wednesday
evening's Budget Public Hearing
<https://takomaparkmd.gov/public-notices/its-budget-season-review-the-fy-2023-proposed-budget-and-comment-on-monday-and-wednesday-evenings/>.
However there's a budget work session discussion of K-9 policing this
evening
<https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-monday-april-25-2022/>
so you may wish to testify this evening. You can testify in person or via
Zoom. Sign up to testify by Zoom either evening via links at
https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/meetings-and-documents/current-and-past-agendas/.
Or simply write the council to share your view. Here are addresses, and
copy clerk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: CindyD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, KacyK@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
PeterK@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, TerryS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, TalishaS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
JarrettS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, KateS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Seth
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Seth Grimes <seth.grimes@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, Apr 25, 2022 at 7:36 AM
Subject: K9 policing in the proposed FY23 Takoma Park city budget
To: Peter Kovar <peterk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Peter, I was dismayed to see included in the city manager's proposed FY23
budget
<https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/finance/budgets-and-financial-documents/proposed-budget/fiscalyear_2022-2023_budgetbook.pdf>,
"K9 supplies ($29,150), which include the purchase of a new K9, training
supplies, boarding, and vet costs for retired Law Enforcement K9s" (pp. 81
& 90). There is also a "K-9 Allowance" of $5,720 (pp. 80 & 89).
I've signed up to testify at Wednesday evening's Budget Public Hearing
<https://takomaparkmd.gov/public-notices/its-budget-season-review-the-fy-2023-proposed-budget-and-comment-on-monday-and-wednesday-evenings/>,
in opposition to the continuation of K9 policing in Takoma Park.
What is your position? I do remember that in May, 2021, you voted against
retaining the city's police dog, but the mayor and three council members
voted to keep the dog we had at that time, so a 4-3 vote.
The July 2021 report of Takoma Park's Task Force to Reimagine Public Safety
<https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/initiatives/project-directory/Reimagined%20Public%20Safety/uploads_0721/takoma-park-task-force-to-reimagine-public-safety-report-2021-07-13.pdf>
includes
--
*33) A majority of the Task Force recommends eliminating all funding for
the use of canines by the Takoma Park Police Department and the retirement
of the single canine currently employed. *
Takoma Park Mobilization had called for termination of the city's K-9
policing unit back in July 2020 --
http://tpmobilization.org/action-alert-end-k9-policing-in-takoma-park --
after we became aware of the December 2018 attack by a city police dog on a
bystander. If you haven't read this coverage, you should:
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/10/15/she-went-out-for-a-walk-then-drogo-the-police-dog-charged
.
Our 2020 campaign generated 257 messages to Chief DeVaul and former City
Manager Ludlow.
The police dog the city had in 2020, the last full year the Takoma Park
Police Department (TPPD) had a dog, took only 12 calls during the entire
year, 3 or 4 of them marijuana possession busts, at a cost of 75 training
hours and of course a dog allowance. That's according to the TPPD's
annual report. For detail, see my April, 2021 item, Takoma Park should
retire its police K-9 unit and cease marijuana enforcement
<https://onetakoma.com/2021/04/27/takoma-park-should-retire-its-police-k%e2%80%909-unit-and-cease-marijuana-enforcement/>
.
I'd welcome any thoughts you care to share at this moment.
Thanks,
Seth
