Norman City Council meeting on proposed $500,000 budget cut to police department going late into the night

NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – The Norman Metropolis Council held discussions on their funds into late Tuesday night time amid a proposed $500,000 in funds cuts to the Norman Police Division.

Norman Metropolis Corridor was packed Tuesday night time for the funds dialogue. Nobody might get inside Tuesday afternoon because of it being full. Two rallies had been held earlier than the assembly that began at 6:30 p.m. Certainly one of them was in favor of the cuts, whereas the opposite was in opposition to them. A number of folks gathered exterior metropolis corridor on each side of the aisle concerning the difficulty.

“I am right here to rally for higher psychological well being take care of my neighborhood,” mentioned Lauren Medford, a medical assistant and resident of Norman.

“We’re right here to assist our cops and we do not need them to be defunded,” mentioned Heather Madden, a Norman resident and spouse of a Norman police officer.

Medford and the Individuals’s Funds Coalition mentioned they’re for the funds cuts and wish the cash to be reallocated to psychological well being disaster intervention. They need a group of unarmed professionals who’re suited to answer psychological well being crises.

“The concept is that we have now another type of useful resource aside from police to attract on to be first responders,” Medford mentioned.

However, Madden mentioned she will not be on the identical web page. She and others need to see that cash keep within the division.

“It is ridiculous what they’re doing,” she mentioned.

This comes after the Norman Metropolis Council voted to reallocate $865,000 in police division funds in June of 2023. Norman police additionally despatched KFOR a criminal offense information worksheet exhibiting statistics on crime within the metropolis that may be seen under.

Additionally under, is a portion of the e-mail despatched that describes their present staffing state of affairs.

Approved Commissioned Energy as of Might 2023: 180

Approved Commissioned Energy as of July 2023: 171

Whole Variety of Commissioned Officers as of June 1, 2023: 157

Whole Variety of Cadets in Academy / Discipline Coaching as of June 1, 2023: 10

Whole Variety of Commissioned Officers assigned to the Patrol Divisions: 104

15 of those officers are supervisors

Whole Variety of Patrol Officers: 89

Please notice that of those 89 officers, 14 are on long-term depart reminiscent of FMLA, army service, or OJI.

Whole variety of officers who’ve voluntary resigned or retired since June 2023: 17

Whole variety of people accessible as of June 1, 2023 to work the streets as a part of the Patrol Divisions: 75

Additional, understanding that the identical officers can’t work day by day in every week, we even have to have a look at the required variety of officers wanted to maintain minimal staffing for a full week. If we’re going to permit for officers to take discretionary depart and take part in coaching, we’d like a minimal of 90 officers to attain these staffing ranges. If coaching and/or depart are restricted, minimal staffing might lower to 76. Nonetheless, this stage of staffing can solely be sustained for a brief interval earlier than inflicting detrimental results. If no discretionary depart or time for coaching is allowed, the minimal staffing might shift to 64. Nonetheless, sustained operation with no entry to discretionary depart and coaching is of nice detriment.

SARAH JENSEN, NORMAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

On the time this text was submitted, neither the council nor the general public reached dialogue on the proposed $500,000 funds cuts to the police division. We are going to replace this text as extra data turns into accessible or as any choices are made by the council.