CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-us.org
VOCAL-US CONDEMNS DOJ SPENDING $600 MILLION ON (COPS) GRANTS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
VOCAL-US Calls on the Federal Government to Eliminate COPS program and Invest in Local Healthcare and Housing Resources to Meet Critical Needs and Address Community Concerns
NEW YORK — In response to the announcement that the Department of Justice has made a $600 million award to law enforcement, VOCAL-US released the following statement, attributable to Neil Berry, a leader with VOCAL-NY, a state chapter of VOCAL-US:
“The Department of Justice should be ashamed of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Crime Bill which is responsible for making the United States the global leader on mass incarceration. Now, they are dedicating billions of dollars to build prisons, jails, and expand policing. Instead of working to repair the devastation these policies caused, the COPS office is adding an additional $600 million dollar for law enforcement. Those dollars should be invested into the community, local healthcare, and housing — solutions that we know work and will actually improve communities and reduce violence.
More policing does not equate to safety. Just this week in NYC, expanded policing on a Brooklyn subway line led to a mass shooting of bystanders at the hands of the NYPD, acting on the assumption of ‘fare evasion.’ This is the obvious outcome of relying on the police to solve social issues.”
BACKGROUND:
On September 13, 2024, VOCAL-US members traveled to Washington, D.C. with the People’s Coalition for Safety and Freedom to call for the repeal and replacement of the 1994 Crime Bill, and to demand that the federal government invest in proven policies to address community problems and reduce violence instead of in prisons, jails and police. The end of criminalization and mass incarceration is a prerequisite for true safety in our communities.
VOCAL-US brings decades of local organizing experience to a national movement. Working in coalition, partnering with local organizations, and bringing the unwavering energy and dedication of leaders directly impacted by homelessness, the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, and HIV/AIDS.
Learn more about VOCAL-US here, and follow on Twitter and Instagram.
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