Tell City Leaders: Invest in Community and #CareNotCops
Albuquerque City Councilors and Mayor Tim Keller
The City of Albuquerque says their mission is to build safe, thriving communities. Their budget says something completely different - devoting over 30% of the budget to a militarized police force that spends most of its time harassing unsheltered people means treating communities like the enemy. On top of that, the City used $10 million of the American Rescue Plan stimulus money - which is supposed to go to community - to go to APD, too.
Please sign this petition to let Mayor Keller and your City Councilors know that this is unacceptable. We know there is a strong and growing movement of people calling to defund the police and invest in our communities. As we move forward, we would love to hear from you about community needs and funding priorities. In addition to signing this petition, please take a moment to fill out this survey and share your thoughts with us!
Contact Mayor Keller: https://www.cabq.gov/mayor/contact-us
Find your councilor: http://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor
Email city councilors: http://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor/contact-all-councilors
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To:
Albuquerque City Councilors and Mayor Tim Keller
From:
[Your Name]
Dear City Leader,
As your constituent, I am contacting you with concerns regarding the city budget. Mayor Keller’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2022 gave $223.4 million to Albuquerque Police Department, plus an additional $10+ million of the American Rescue Plan stimulus money––which is supposed to go to communities recovering from the pandemic. On May 17, 2021, the Albuquerque City Council approved this budget despite public outcry.
This budget process happened largely behind closed doors, but we all mobilized and acted quickly. Over 400 people signed the petition to defund APD and hundreds emailed their councilors in the three days before the meeting. During the meeting, the majority of people who gave public comment complained about the city’s growing police budget, saying leaders need instead to put more money in health, housing, and social services.
Meanwhile, APD has one of the highest rates of police killings in the country. Albuquerque Police Department’s rate of killings is 6 times that of NYPD’s and twice that of the Chicago Police Department. New Mexico ranks #1 highest for its rate of police killings for the period from Jan 2013-Dec 2020. For decades, reform efforts and more funding to police have failed to stop state murder and violence.
APD has not shown it is willing or capable of the radical change it needs to undergo to stop state violence and murder against our community. The police union has recently even spent $70,000 on a public campaign to resist the DOJ consent decree, which requires mandatory reforms.
We do not need to give more money and power to police.
For decades, reform efforts and more funding to police have failed to stop state murder and violence. What we need instead is more investment in housing, healthcare, mental health support, restorative and transformative justice, community gardens, childcare, arts and culture, and community-based organizations.
I urge you to create a city budget that cuts the police budget by 50% and shifts those funds to the priorities listed here. I also urge you to use a participatory budgeting process for allocating $250 million that actively includes those in our community that have been directly impacted by violence, and who are creating safety, healing, and accountability every day in our communities. Enough is enough -- we need a budget that invests in true community safety and well-being.
Thank you,