ASHEVILLE - City Councilstill contends that reimagining public safety is among its top priorities, but frustrations with the Asheville Police Department were front and center at council's June budget public hearing.
A few speakers questioned if the proposed $30.1 million budget— a $1.6million increase from the estimated actual budget for the current fiscal year— actually represents the promises of the department and city to find new ways to invest in public safety, or if it is a continuation of "business as usual."
“We have to stop putting our money into police, and we must instead invest in our communities," said resident Victoria Estesat the June 14 hearing.
Previous budget coverage:
- City budget: Asheville Reparations could see $500K in annual funding
- Asheville proposes $216.9M budget; includes increase to $17/hr minimum wage for employees
Finance Director Tony McDowell said the departmental increase is due, in large part, to the 5% and 2.5% citywide salary increases planned for July. Also a contributing factor is budgeting assuming only 40 vacant sworn officer positions, rather than the 50 of this current fiscal year.
Estes' frustrations at the council meeting were palpable, a sentiment exacerbated in the wake of mass shootings nationwide and allegations that APD is criminalizing mutual aid after the arrest of 16 people, most of them community volunteers, whowere charged with felony littering following protests in Aston Park.
“So why are there places like our little city of Asheville that are continuing to pump money into outdated, racist, oppressive police forces?" Estesasked."If there is one thing that is inherently clear here, it is that police do not keep us safe. They do not prevent crimes. They show up to respond afterwards."
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Mayor Esther Manheimer said the commitment to reimagining public safety is one council is carrying intofiscal year 2023.
"When the council made reimagining public safety a priority, we knew it would be a long term commitment," she said in an email to the Citizen Times.
"Asking a community to reimagine public safety means not only redefining how to respond to public safety threats but also understanding and addressing the root causes behind actions that threaten our public safety."
What is in APD's proposed $30.1 million budget?
Over the past two years, the APD has experienced significant turnover and staggering staffing lows.
According to the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget, presented by City Manager Debra Campbell in May, the turnover has "created exceptional challenges for APD to maintain coverage and provide a basic level of service."
Though progress has been made, according to the budget, Asheville Police spokesperson Bill Davis said as of mid-June, APD is down 40% of available sworn officers when taking into account those out for training, medical and administrative reasons.
Of 238 sworn officer positions, 187 are filled, but only 143 officers are available for service.
Based on recent turnover rates and planned hiring in the next fiscal year, staff assumed APD will have an average of 40 vacant sworn officer positions in the coming year and included this vacancy savings in the proposed budget.
McDowell said this means despite the department having 269 approved positions, the budget includes funding for only 229 positions. The cost of budgeting those 40 positions would be approximately $2.7 million.
"That money didn't go anywhere," he said. "It's just not part of the budget."
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To assist with hiring efforts next fiscal year, the proposed APD budget includes $75,000 in funding to provide additional contracted support for background investigations and polygraphs that are a required part of the police hiring process.
It also includes an additional $122,000 in overtime funding based on current year trends.
Salaries and wages are responsible for about $1 million of the budgetary increase.
The department's highest earner is Chief David Zack with an annual salary of $172,815. He is the city's fourth highest earner.
The department's next highest salary is Deputy Chief Jim Baumstark at $142,417.
In March, the APD kickedoff its two year, $225,000 contract with Arizona-based Epic Recruiting, intended to assist the department with its historic staffing loss.
Davis said it is too early to determine any effect regarding the Epic partnership. They are currently in the production phase, he said, and anticipates an update in the coming weeks.
He said the department's Recruitment and Career Development division is now conducting testing for prospective officers who would be part of the next training academy in January 2023.
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The Epic partnership is not the department's only outside contract. APD is closing out its second year with Cole Pro Media—a California-based public relations company, first partnered with in the weeks after Asheville Police officers were caught on camera slashing water bottles and destroying medic supplies at a Black Lives Matter protest in summer 2020.
Its $48,000 contract with Cole Pro ends June 20, according to public records obtained by the Citizen Times.
Davis didnot answer whether the department intends to renew that contract.
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Also included in the budget is a list of fiscal year 2023 departmental priorities, which includes continuing conversations with the Asheville Housing Authority and Asheville City Schools to assess APD's role within public housing developments and schools.
There is also a mention of exploring "cutting-edge" training in modernpolicing with a focus on racial equity, social justice, and de-escalation courses, to include Ethical Policing is Courageousand Vistelar, a conflict management training,for all police employees.
Retired salesman and business owner Doug Brown, who ran for City Councilearlier this year and lost in the May primary, said calls to reimagine public safety are not representative of the community as a whole.
"They are trying to paint a picture of police as mean, brutal people. That isn't true," Brown said.
"If you want to reimagine police, you ask the police to reimagine it. You get the people that have been in the business. You don't ask a bunch of community gardeners, piano teachers, bleeding heart liberals ... those are not the people you ask for safety in your city. Those are not the people running businesses that need law and order."
'Empty promises'
Reimagining public safety was first named as a city priority in the wake of summer 2020 protests. Efforts have included the removal of Vance Monument, the support of community reparations and the movement of two nuisance response programs, Animal Control and Noise Ordinance enforcement, out of APD and into other departments.
In November, the city approved an inter-governmental agreement with Buncombe County to consolidate 911 services. This took effect Jan. 1.
McDowell added that the reallocation of funds from APD in 2020 was used to add positions in Information Technology Services for improvedpublic safety data analysis, reporting, and public access, as well as inCommunication and Public Engagementto better serve communities and neighborhoods. It was also used to fundadditional homeless outreach.
He noted investments in APD training and body-worn and vehicle cameras.
As part of reimagining public safety, Manheimer highlighted growing partnerships to allow integration of the county's community paramedic program to be included with APD and Asheville Fire Department emergency response calls for service such as overdose, suicide or mental health crises.
But for some community members, it doesn't feel like enough.
"Two years ago last week, you made some conspicuous empty promises," Greenleaf Clarke saidat the June 14 meeting. They contend that things have gotten worse in those years, rather than better.
"This is no reimagining," Clarke said of the proposed budget.
Rob Thomas, executive director of the Racial Justice Coalition, a title he said he would use until there is a better option "not embedded in white supremacy culture," said his main issue is a lack of community engagement.
"You have an entity that is claiming to reimagine public safety, and there has literally not been any work done," he said.
"Community has not had the space to actually envision what something different could look like. I see that as the biggest issue."
Thomas said the efforts that have been made aren't enough, and even when it appeared "divestment" occurred, the funds were not reinvested in community programs.
Also frustratedwasEmma Hutchens, who spoke at the June 14 public hearing.
She urged council to "actually diversify" public safety response instead of "continuing to pour resources into APD."
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Hutchens called for greater funding for community paramedicine andmental health resources housed outside the department, as well as funding to address transit, climate change and food security— which she said are all issues of public safety.
“It is discouraging to hear the city talk about reimagining public safety while continuing to just fund business as usual," Hutchens said. She noted APD has seen its budget increase every year with diminishing outcomes, including perpetually open positions and a growing list of things the department does not respond to.
“Police do not keep crime from happening, they only respond," Hutchens said."Safety is a much bigger picture and I believe that Asheville deserves a bigger picture of public safety and that those funds belong in community investment rather than in more policing.”
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.
