WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - Leaders in the North Carolina city of Winston-Salem say they will consider moving $1 million from its police budget to pay for more efforts against poverty.
The Winston-Salem Journal reported Monday that the discussion among city leaders follows demands across the country to cut spending for police following the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis.
The city has an anticipated police budget of nearly $80 million for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The $1 million would come from vacant police officer positions that city officials do not expect to be filled in the coming year.
City leaders said the usual rates of attrition in the department could allow for 15 vacant slots to be spared. Some of that money would instead go to a summer youth employment program as well as efforts to help people who are facing eviction. Some would go to a program that helps ex-offenders.
Council member James Taylor said the city was “in no way having anything considered about dismantling the police department.” But he said the shift in funding would give the city more money “to address the root cause of crime.”
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