Norman City Council votes to cut police budget
NORMAN — Calling it a “very small gesture” and “an important time in Norman's history,” the city council voted early Wednesday morning to cut more than $800,000 from the police department budget in response to calls to fund alternatives to armed policing.
The meeting, which started at 7 p.m. Tuesday, ended just before 4 a.m. Wednesday.
The council passed three a mendments — o n e e a c h b y M a y o r B r e e a C l a r k , Councilwoman Kate Bierman and Councilwoman Alex Scott — totaling $865,000 in cuts following several hours of heated discussion and public comment.
The bulk of the money — $630,000 — will be reserved for community outreach and development programs, spokeswoman Annahlyse Meyer told
The Oklahoman. Council members will review community needs before deciding how to spend the money, Meyer said.
“I think this is an important time in Norman's history, “Clark told The Oklahoman. “We can't be afraid to try new things and reenvision the future of policing in our community. I know there are a lot of passionate perspectives on both sides of this issue, and I appreciate that.”
A third amendment, proposed by Scott, calls for a $235,000 reduction in police salaries and benefits. The money would be used to create an internal auditor position to monitor police overtime.
“I proposed that cut because I stand by the need for an auditor, in general, as well as an accountability measure for police overtime,” Scott told The Oklahoman. “I do not think the cut made last night was particularly substantial, but it does represent progress. It has not been done before. Not like this.”
The reductions approved by the council represent about 3.6 percent of the Norman Police Department' s $23 million budget. It wasn't immediately clear Wednesday if the cuts would result in layoffs.
Police Chief Kevin Foster was not immediately available for comment.
“We are currently working through what the impacts of the cuts will be to the department,” spokeswoman Sarah Jensen said in a statement.
Councilmembers Joe Carter and Bill Scanlon voted against Scott's amendment. Carter also voted against Bierman's amendment, which passed 8-1. That amendment would cut $330,000 in salaries and benefits and transfer the money to community outreach and development, with the reserve balance to be held in the general fund, the city reported.
The council voted unanimously to pass Clark's amendment, which would send an additional $300,000 from the department's patrol budget to community outreach and development.
Tuesday's council meeting started about 7 p.m. and followed a roughly 90-minute study session that featured a presentation on police programs, policies and procedures by Foster.
The meeting drew hundreds, including protesters demanding alternatives to armed policing and police department supporters, and focused on the city's 2020-21 budget.
Members of the group Norman Citizens for Racial Justice, or NC4RJ, called on Foster, Clark and the council to address “police violence and accountability and systematic racism in Norman” by defunding and demilitarizing the police department and eliminating the school district's school resource officer program, which it stated promotes “racist policing.”
NC4RJ demanded alternatives that include unarmed mediation and intervention teams, decriminalization of poverty and nonviolent crimes, transformative justice programs, and increased access to mental health services.
Council man, Stephen Holman, in his closing comments, said the council's actions are not enough.
“It's a very small gesture, what we've been able to do with the budget tonight,” he said. “This conversation ... has not been happening at City Hall. Ever in my experience. It's always been for more funding for police and things like that.
“So we have started that conversation here tonight and which means it can continue going on forever and for the rest of Norman's future, in my opinion.” The council passed the $281 million spending plan just before 4 a.m. Wednesday.