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New London Connecticut Accepts Grant for Eight New Additional Police Officers New London Connecticut Accept Grant for Six New Police Officers

By Cyera Williams

Three women linked arm and arm stand with signs
© 2020 Cyera Williams

SHAWN BROOKS: The New London Police Department budget is close to 12 million dollars if not over, that’s more than public service, social service, and the library combine

CYERA WILLIAMS: Protesters made it clear over the weekend why they didn’t want to see money spent on more police officers.

SHINEIKA FAREUS: Residents are often not educated and told on what that means to receive a grant that huge and what it means on who will be responsible to pay it

CYERA: Mayor Passero defends his decision

MAYOR PASSERO:I don’t think that the public safety, police department aspect is getting more than, or overfunded at all>

CYERA: Protester plan on staying in the streets till their demands to Defund the police are met, N-C-C News Cyera Williams

NEW LONDON, CT (NCC News) –  Protesters surrounded city hall on Friday evening after a grant for $2.1 million  was accepted under the COPS Hiring Program to bring on eight additional police officers. Despite the pressure Mayor Michael Passero received from protesters, he said he does not regret his controversial decision and looks to hire someone from the New London community.

The call to defund the police department started in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Hearing Youth Voices, an organized activism group added this idea to their list of demands for the City of New London. 

Group of protesters standing outside of city hall.
Hearing Youth Voices gathered at city hall to protest on Friday evening.
© 2020 Cyera Williams

According to the city’s ordinance, 80 officers are required in the Police Department but they are currently understaffed with 69 police officers. 

Mayor Passero said, “I’m sure if you’re looking at our city and how we distributed our scarce resources, our taxpayer money in the city, you’ve got to look at that first and tell me where we’re distributing inappropriately.” He added, “I don’t think the public safety police department aspect is getting more or is overfunded at all.” 

Parts of the community are outraged that the grant went towards police funding and not school budget, social services, or human resources. Protesters say the grant money should go into the town resources and not the police department.

Although the city accepted the grant under the COPS Hiring Program, Mayor Passero says he supports funding being allocated towards social services.

Shawn Brooks Fletcher, a member of Hearing Youth Voices said “we need the police defunded, why are you adding more police officers? The black community in New London is already policed as it is.”

Sign that reads "The safest communities don't have the most cops, they have the most resources"
Protesters in New London, Connecticut to defund the police department.
© 2020 Cyera Williams

Another concern for protesters are the taxes that will go towards the eight officers after the grant is gone in three years. 

Shineika Fareus, the organizer for Hearing Youth Voices said “Residents are often not educated and told on what that means to receive a grant that huge and what it means on who will be responsible to pay it.”

Mayor Passero said, “it was a process to acquire that grant, there was city staff that worked very hard to win that grant”. He also added, “if we were going to get a little money back from the federal government, for the poorest city in the state of Connecticut, I’m going to take it back whenever I can get it.”

The additional officers have not yet been brought on but will receive the final approval from Mayor Passero. He says “ I need police officers that are there to help, not to make [community member’s] life more complicated and challenging than it already it is.”

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