By: Eris Lowdermilk
The Asheville City Council has ratified a recent adjustment with their law enforcement. The new budget is $29.3 million for police officers, which is a 3% decrease from the previous years.
Though many citizens of Asheville desire to have more of an increase, changes are occurring amidst the topic of defunding the police. City Manager Debra Campbell proposed the budget decrease, and claims there will be more changes towards law enforcement to come in the future.
This was a response to the multiple protests throughout the summer in Asheville, NC. Otherwise, changes such as these will take time. The money that was decreased from the budget will go towards homelessness outreach, park and recreation safety, data management of public safety.
For the police budget, it goes towards animal control services, employment with parks and rec as well as assistants and park wardens, telecommunicator positions, and the resignations in the past few months.
Wicker, Mackenzie. (2020, September 22). Asheville ‘defund police’ vote: City reallocates $770,000 from APD budget. Citizen Times. https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2020/09/22/defunding-police-asheville-cuts-department-budget-3/5865674002/
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