Laserfiche WebLink
Alex Breen expressed support for PPD and encouraged City Council to adopt civilian oversight of PPD, <br /> ban the use of force and promote de-escalation, and reallocate responsibilities and budget from the <br /> Police Department to fund two (2) dedicated mental health experts. <br /> Jill Miller expressed support of reallocating funds from the PPD to fund mental health professionals, <br /> civilian oversight, and encouraged City Council to take action beyond the listening sessions. <br /> Rachel Wysong expressed support for civilian oversight of the PPD along with reallocating funds from <br /> the police budget to fund mental health professionals. <br /> Megan Chung spoke to City Council regarding the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program <br /> and its ineffectiveness and inability to identify mental health issues. <br /> Jim Wright expressed his support for PPD and opposes defunding the police budget. <br /> Kevin Andrews encouraged City Council to investigate and adopt the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On <br /> The Streets (CAHOOTS) which has proven to be successful in Eugene, Oregon, and sends a mental <br /> health worker and an EMT to deal with mental health problems and emergency calls instead of the <br /> police. <br /> Paul W Martens commented that Pleasanton has an exceptionally low crime rate according to the <br /> Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program and expressed his <br /> opposition to defunding the PPD. <br /> Sika Lonner expressed her concern regarding bias, racism, and excessive use of force in Pleasanton, <br /> expressed her support to reallocate PPD funds to obtain mental health experts, and supports the <br /> removal of Student Resource Officers from Pleasanton schools. <br /> Jocelyn Combs expressed her concern regarding racial profiling by PPD, discouraged the Pleasanton <br /> Police Officers Association from interviewing, endorsing, or donating to candidates this year, <br /> encouraged the use of mental health professionals, and supports the use of a civilian oversight. <br /> Nithya Swaminathan suggested the reallocation of School Resource Officer funds to fund mental health <br /> professionals in Pleasanton schools. She recapped an incident between herself and the SRO while <br /> having a seizure at school and encouraged City Council to promote reform. <br /> Bill Wheeler expressed his support for PPD, opposes defunding the police budget, and supports <br /> additional funding for mental health experts to assist with mental crisis calls. <br /> Stephen McGeown expressed concern the Pleasanton Police Officers Association may seek to <br /> undermine reform in Pleasanton and encouraged City Council to engage with residents to understand <br /> their views. <br /> Wendy Kimsey expressed support for a permanent ban on chokeholds, the creation of a permanent <br /> crisis response team, civilian oversight of PPD, and encouraged a substantive change soon. <br /> Julia Simmons expressed concern regarding the militarized response to local protests and requested <br /> the PPD divulge if it participates in the 1033 program (Law Enforcement Support Office) or any other <br /> federal programs that provide military-grade equipment, provide equipment value and date received, <br /> and provide justification for the militarization. <br /> Sydney Fluker encouraged City Council to pass common-sense gun control legislation or push for a <br /> higher level of government to reduce the amount of gun violence in Pleasanton and subsequently <br /> eliminate the environment of fear that permeates policing. <br /> City Council Minutes Page 5 of 6 July 21, 2020 <br />