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From: Clara Jaeckel <br />To: PublicComment <br />Cc: GRP -City Council <br />Subject: comment for agenda item 9A - Redwood City budget priorities <br />Date: Sunday, June 21, 2020 11:34:39 PM <br />I thank City Manager Diaz for the recommendations for police reform listed in the June 19 <br />news release. However, these steps do not go nearly far enough. <br />For instance, banning the carotid restraint is a positive step in principle, but we know that such bans <br />cannot be relied on for protection in practice. Chokeholds were already illegal in New York when police <br />used one to kill Eric Garner. <br />Additionally, returning the military tactical vehicle received from the federal government is a <br />good initial action. But that doesn't resolve the problem of the Redwood City Police <br />Department's interest in accepting the vehicle in the first place, nor of Chief Mulholland's <br />troubling description of it as an "insurance policy" indicating that it was intended to intimidate <br />residents. Even once the vehicle is gone, the desire to wield violent power will still remain. <br />We have seen in recent weeks that this is endemic to police departments across the country <br />and nearly impossible to eradicate. <br />For these reasons, we need to move to alternative methods to provide community safety. <br />Please consider the alternative services for various issues laid out by MPD 150 at: <br />hLWs://www.=dl50.com/report/altematives/ <br />I urge the council members to take action most immediately by not including any increased <br />funding for police in the budget tonight. In the longer term, please work to shift those <br />resources to community services such as housing, the library, climate change resilience. Thank <br />you. <br />Clara Jaeckel <br />1 Duane St Apt 34 <br />Redwood City <br />