The Recorder’s May 21 article about police budget cuts was a disservice to the residents of Franklin County. It leads with the mayor’s hyperbole and fear-mongering and at no point provides any context to help residents determine if these cuts are reasonable. Of course the police should respond to domestic violence situations. Of course they should respond to reports of child abuse. And they will continue to do so. Do police need to spend almost 30% of their time responding to general assistance* where no police officer is required? (*GPD call logs). At the same time, arrests are down in the past decade, but the police budget grows. Greenfield was proposing to spend $216 per resident on police in this budget. In North Adams they spend $163, in Easthampton $160. These are comparable communities to Greenfield, and they keep their communities safe. Even with the reduction Greenfield will be spending more than $190 per capita. Take a look at how police spend their time in the community and it’s reasonable to wonder if things can’t be done differently. Are there are better ways to mediate conflict, respond to mental illness or drug use, and adapt other policies and procedures that would lessen the demands on officers’ time so that they can do the important work our community asks of them in keeping us safe? The article in the Recorder made the decision to cut the police budget seem arbitrary, and it was not. The failure to offer understanding of a complicated and important issue is bad reporting. Please do better!
Peter Scherer
Shelburne Falls