The Gazette’s March 16 article, “Northampton City Council OKs tactical funding for police,” outlined the debate but downplayed one very important issue — the rift between the Police Department and community members.
Much of my discomfort with this proposal is the lack of transparency from the police chief regarding specific equipment on hand now, and that which the department intends to purchase. At the City Council meetings on March 1 and March 15, many community members expressed their mistrust of the Police Department’s intent with their request of funds for tactical gear. The community has the right to know exactly where the money is going. What, to date, has been purchased, and what will be purchased with these funds?
Police Chief Jody Kasper’s response to the Gazette’s inquiry regarding details on this matter was particularly disturbing to me. Kasper used the historical evasiveness of the state police, in response to similar requests, as an excuse for the Northampton Police Department’s lack of transparency (“75,000 request for police tactical gear up for second vote,” March 14). Secrecy diminishes trust, and suggests wrongdoing, while transparency would build trust.
The ACLU has provided a model bill relevant to this issue, Community Control over Police Surveillance and Militarization, available on its website (https://www.aclu.org/other/community-control-over-police-surveillance-militarization-ccopsm-model-bill). In this document, it suggests that “legally enforceable safeguards, including robust transparency, oversight and accountability measures must be in place to protect the public’s welfare, civil rights, and civil liberties before any military or surveillance equipment is funded, acquired or deployed.”
At the City Council meeting March 15, Councilor Alisa Klein suggested we create a civilian oversight and accountability board to monitor the police. I strongly agree that we must create this board in order to ensure that our rights, as citizens, are protected.
In addition to protecting our rights, this would empower community members and help to establish trust in our local Police Department.
Elizabeth Reynolds
Northampton