'It is truly appalling that after years of Black and directly impacted leadership demanding LESS police and real solutions to community health that Council members Jim, Ann, Sal, and Debra actually put this on the agenda. It is up to you, Carlos, Betty, Laura, Yass, and Kate to vote NO and make sure that being unsheltered isn't further criminalized. Spend the money on solving the issue NOT criminalizing people.
Please use this money to provide housing, health care, and mental health services rather than on “security” measures that will only serve to make the communities less safe.
It is truly unacceptable that after years of Black and directly impacted leadership demanding LESS police and real solutions to community health and safety that Council members Jim, Ann, Sal, and Debra actually put this on the agenda. It is up to you, Carlos, Betty, Laura, Yass, and Kate to vote NO and make sure that being unsheltered isn't further criminalized. Spend the money on solving the issue, NOT criminalizing people."
As someone who lives on a street with a park that has an entrenched homeless camp in District 8, I wholeheartedly support this common sense recommendation for adding security to some of our highest impacted parks that are experiencing rampant crime and code violations. Further, I’m extremely concerned about the authenticity of many opposition comments, as unions and special interest groups are becoming heavily involved in city politics and undermining the voices of actual Phoenix residents.
Adding park rangers and overnight security is vital to residents being able to use the parks for intended purposes. While being homeless in and of itself is not a crime, it’s often used as a convenient excuse to ignore the massive amounts of crime going on in these parks due to the open air drug market, sexual assaults, the sale of stolen goods, the list goes on. It’s a clear public safety hazard and it’s time for Phoenix to step up and clean up our parks.
I oppose agenda item 96. Allocating $400,000 of the budget to hire private security for public parks will NOT solve the issue of homelessness. This simply displaces those experiencing homelessness more and makes it harder for them the receive the very few resources they already have. This money could be used instead to fund said resources that actually help the community: affordable housing, more shelters, mental health programs, etc. I do not support 96
We all wish to feel safe in our own neighborhoods. Part of that is using our parks for their intended use and feeling safe in doing so. A maintained area for people to use and feel comfortable. That takes resources. During these times it may require "creative resources" like subcontracting out for additional eyes, ears and hands. What ever it takes, keeping our parks a safe zone will keep our neighborhoods feeling safe and clean. The investment, whatever it is, is worth it.
Please don't take away resources that are hugely needed to actually support unhoused people to hire security that will just make things harder for them and make the problem worse. Please respect people.
It is not security/more policing of people existing that we need at parks, we need people willing to take accountability for the fact that resources are needed by community members that deserve to be treated as human beings. Phoenix City Council: take responsibility that you have not provided affordable housing and access to shade, both of which a park provides to people for free! Vote no on 96! Also, shame on you all for putting this on the agenda with less than two days for public comment.
Complete wast of funds for the city. $400k to push the problem somewhere else with actually focusing and working on a solution to making our community better.
I oppose the funding private security in these parks. I think the money could be used in better ways. What the funding is suggested to fix is not the root of the problem. Is very disheartening how Phoenix treats unhoused people, if they can’t be in parks where do you expect them to go?
400k yearly is a huge waste of funds that could be put toward helping the root cause of "trespassing in parks after hours"- namely, homelessness. The documentation clearly states that there are 25 unfilled ranger roles. Park rangers are government employees that are informed on the CARES act, aid in outreach, and are active members of the community. Why not fill these jobs, instead of bringing in overpriced outside security forces that may not hold the same code of conduct that a ranger would?
Rents and home prices are skyrocketing. Do not criminalize people who have nowhere to go. Being unsheltered is NOT a criminal offense!!! That money needs to go towards services to help them.
This feels like another opportunity to divert funds for already overpoliced areas, to harass unsheltered people from existing in the park. Money should instead to be located into providing basic resources and shelter to folks found ‘trespassing’. This sounds dangerous and like an attempt for Phoenix Council and Police to skirt their responsibility for caring for our neighbors! //People Over Property//
We do not need police to be harassing the underserved community more than they already do and making more money doing it. This is an abuse of funds that could be used towards an actual helpful service to help these people.
Last month Jim was arguing about spending money on shelter for unhoused people and now he and his cohort want to spend almost half a mil to surveil, and criminalize people in already hyper policed areas. We MUST address the root cause of these issues and stop throwing money at security and police as if this will do anything but cause more harm and suffering. VOTE NO!!! Take the money and half of PPD's over inflated budget invest in education, child and health care, & truly affordable housing.
I support this recommendation for adding overnight security to some of our most impacted and highly used parks which are seeing criminal drug transients buying, dealing and using drugs. We need oversight so that everyone is safe and able to use our parks during posted park hours. A few years ago, the code of conduct was developed by the city and neighborhood leaders. We are not seeing the enforcement of these basic rules. Tickets must be issued for non-compliance. Laws must be followed.
'It is truly appalling that after years of Black and directly impacted leadership demanding LESS police and real solutions to community health that Council members Jim, Ann, Sal, and Debra actually put this on the agenda. It is up to you, Carlos, Betty, Laura, Yass, and Kate to vote NO and make sure that being unsheltered isn't further criminalized. Spend the money on solving the issue NOT criminalizing people.
Please use this money to provide housing, health care, and mental health services rather than on “security” measures that will only serve to make the communities less safe.
It is truly unacceptable that after years of Black and directly impacted leadership demanding LESS police and real solutions to community health and safety that Council members Jim, Ann, Sal, and Debra actually put this on the agenda. It is up to you, Carlos, Betty, Laura, Yass, and Kate to vote NO and make sure that being unsheltered isn't further criminalized. Spend the money on solving the issue, NOT criminalizing people."
I oppose this agenda item; this money should be used to help the unsheltered in Phoenix with shelter, water, and recovery instead.
As someone who lives on a street with a park that has an entrenched homeless camp in District 8, I wholeheartedly support this common sense recommendation for adding security to some of our highest impacted parks that are experiencing rampant crime and code violations. Further, I’m extremely concerned about the authenticity of many opposition comments, as unions and special interest groups are becoming heavily involved in city politics and undermining the voices of actual Phoenix residents.
Adding park rangers and overnight security is vital to residents being able to use the parks for intended purposes. While being homeless in and of itself is not a crime, it’s often used as a convenient excuse to ignore the massive amounts of crime going on in these parks due to the open air drug market, sexual assaults, the sale of stolen goods, the list goes on. It’s a clear public safety hazard and it’s time for Phoenix to step up and clean up our parks.
I oppose agenda item 96. Allocating $400,000 of the budget to hire private security for public parks will NOT solve the issue of homelessness. This simply displaces those experiencing homelessness more and makes it harder for them the receive the very few resources they already have. This money could be used instead to fund said resources that actually help the community: affordable housing, more shelters, mental health programs, etc. I do not support 96
We all wish to feel safe in our own neighborhoods. Part of that is using our parks for their intended use and feeling safe in doing so. A maintained area for people to use and feel comfortable. That takes resources. During these times it may require "creative resources" like subcontracting out for additional eyes, ears and hands. What ever it takes, keeping our parks a safe zone will keep our neighborhoods feeling safe and clean. The investment, whatever it is, is worth it.
Please don't take away resources that are hugely needed to actually support unhoused people to hire security that will just make things harder for them and make the problem worse. Please respect people.
It is not security/more policing of people existing that we need at parks, we need people willing to take accountability for the fact that resources are needed by community members that deserve to be treated as human beings. Phoenix City Council: take responsibility that you have not provided affordable housing and access to shade, both of which a park provides to people for free! Vote no on 96! Also, shame on you all for putting this on the agenda with less than two days for public comment.
Spending money on cops has not been the solution and that’s a factual statement.
Wasting taxpayer money to treat the symptoms of poverty would be not only a horrible PR move, but totally unethical.
Complete wast of funds for the city. $400k to push the problem somewhere else with actually focusing and working on a solution to making our community better.
I oppose the funding private security in these parks. I think the money could be used in better ways. What the funding is suggested to fix is not the root of the problem. Is very disheartening how Phoenix treats unhoused people, if they can’t be in parks where do you expect them to go?
400k yearly is a huge waste of funds that could be put toward helping the root cause of "trespassing in parks after hours"- namely, homelessness. The documentation clearly states that there are 25 unfilled ranger roles. Park rangers are government employees that are informed on the CARES act, aid in outreach, and are active members of the community. Why not fill these jobs, instead of bringing in overpriced outside security forces that may not hold the same code of conduct that a ranger would?
Rents and home prices are skyrocketing. Do not criminalize people who have nowhere to go. Being unsheltered is NOT a criminal offense!!! That money needs to go towards services to help them.
This feels like another opportunity to divert funds for already overpoliced areas, to harass unsheltered people from existing in the park. Money should instead to be located into providing basic resources and shelter to folks found ‘trespassing’. This sounds dangerous and like an attempt for Phoenix Council and Police to skirt their responsibility for caring for our neighbors! //People Over Property//
We do not need police to be harassing the underserved community more than they already do and making more money doing it. This is an abuse of funds that could be used towards an actual helpful service to help these people.
Last month Jim was arguing about spending money on shelter for unhoused people and now he and his cohort want to spend almost half a mil to surveil, and criminalize people in already hyper policed areas. We MUST address the root cause of these issues and stop throwing money at security and police as if this will do anything but cause more harm and suffering. VOTE NO!!! Take the money and half of PPD's over inflated budget invest in education, child and health care, & truly affordable housing.
I support this recommendation for adding overnight security to some of our most impacted and highly used parks which are seeing criminal drug transients buying, dealing and using drugs. We need oversight so that everyone is safe and able to use our parks during posted park hours. A few years ago, the code of conduct was developed by the city and neighborhood leaders. We are not seeing the enforcement of these basic rules. Tickets must be issued for non-compliance. Laws must be followed.