Overview:
The Dallas City Council is proposing a new spending framework that could move millions from the Office of Community Care and other sources to help reach the city's police hiring goal for the fiscal year. The Office of Community Care was unable to scale its projects at a level to make them sustainable for the community, and the city council is considering a budget amendment to bring in partners to help with some of those services. This comes after the passage of Proposition U in November, which required additional police officers for DPD and increased funding for their pensions.
As the City of Dallas’ priorities shift, staff are proposing a new spending framework that takes millions from the Office of Community Care and other sources to help reach the city’s police hiring goal for the fiscal year.
During a Feb 5 City Council Briefing, staff proposed a budget amendment to move more than $7.7 million in ARPA funds to police hiring, vehicles and equipment. More than $5 million of those funds come from the Office of Community Care.
Of the various projects from the Office of Community Care that are getting the axe, staff said they “were unable to scale [them] at a level to make them sustainable for the community.”
This comes after the passage of Proposition U in November, a city charter amendment requiring additional police officers for DPD and increased funding for their pensions.
A week after the Feb. 5 briefing, the Public Safety Committee proposed setting DPD’s recruitment goal to 325 new officers for the year.
Several council members voiced their support for a budget amendment. District 13 Council Member Gay Donnell Willis said while they know police need to be hired and properly equipped, they’re pulling funds from mental health services, family violence prevention and food insecurity aid.
She asked how they were going to backfill that need. City Manager Kimberly Tolbert said there’s an opportunity to bring others who can help with some of those types of services, such as partners.
The city council could consider the budget amendment in May.
About city council:
The Dallas City Council serves as the legislative body in the City of Dallas. It consists of 14 elected members and an elected mayor.
Dallas Documenter Brianna Patt attended the Dallas Dallas City Council Briefing public meeting, and this brief emerged from her notes. Click here to read Patt’s full notes, and here to learn how you can become a paid Documenter at public meetings
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