2020 RETROSPECTIVE
DEFUNDING THE POLICE: IS REFORM REALLY ENOUGH? BY: SAR AH WALDMAN
Above: How much is budgeted to carry out San Diego’s General Fund Department Programs and Services in 2021. Photo courtesy of The City of San Diego.
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n 2019, the City of San Diego allocated $480 million of the city’s budget to the San Diego Police Department. In 2020, the police budget increased to $539 million, which is 34% of the city’s $1.6 billion budget. On Monday, June 8, San Diego received over 400 phone calls and 4,000 emails demanding that the city reduce funding for the police. After 12 hours of speakers and debate, San Diego’s city council made an 8-1 (nearly unanimous) decision: to do the opposite.
police reform, but believes that a constrained budget would result in the “demise of community-oriented policing in San Diego and a return to the military-style, search-anddestroy approach.” Faulconer strongly supports Councilwoman Monica Montgomery’s proposed Office on Race and Equity, believing that the office will be a step in the direction of systemic change. Montgomery stated that the mission of the new office will be “healing race relations in our city” and will include “economic and Mayor Kevin Faulconer proposed a $27 million justice components.” Councilman Chris Ward, increase, bumping the police department the lone city council member who voted against budget up to $568 million for fiscal year 2021. funding the police, wanted to allocate more Councilwoman Barbara Bry is an advocate of
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