Salinas City Council to consider cutting police funding

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The Salinas City Council is expected to consider cutting police funding at an upcoming meeting, according to Council Member Steve McShane.

In response, a petition is circulating online arguing in favor of continuing full funding for the Salinas Police Department over the next six years.

According to the writer of the petition, called A Salinas for our Children, some City Council members want to cut the police budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year at their meeting on May 25 "for no other reason other than for political purposes."

The proposal shows a small dip, less than one person compared to last year. The council is emphasizing there will not be a dip in salaries or layoffs at the Police Department.

According to McShane, the budget should not have too big of an effect on local law enforcement.

"We aren't cutting personal in any departments including police and for anybody that wants to a big rally out of cutting police or public safety or say protecting police and public safety, there just isn't as much sizzle there. Salinas has been here a long time it will be here for a long time and ultimately it's about making sure we have a safe community," he said.

The writer of the petition views the potential budget cut as a negative and feels that it will be harmful to the local community. For example, many fear that vulnerable families of color will not benefit from a potential change in funding.

Last year, protesters on the Central Coast called for defunding police to varying degrees. In Salinas, some said they did not want to get rid of the police, but wanted to invest some of the funding to varying degrees.

Activists call for defunding of police to varying degrees

Local group voices opposition to defund the police

At the time, Chief Adele Frese pointed out that rates of violent crimes- especially homicides- have dropped significantly since 2015.

The City of Salinas recently submitted a request to the Monterey County Grand Jury for an audit of the police department and its implementation of the Collaborative Reform Initiative.

City of Salinas requests Grand Jury review of police department

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