Police Budget Protest To Happen Outside Brookline Official's Home

BROOKLINE, MA — After two formal proposals to reallocate about 10 and 15 percent of the police budget to social, educational and housing programing around Brookline failed, some are asking residents to protest and call for an even higher cut.

"We are holding a peaceful demonstration outside of [Select Board Chair] Benard Greene’s residence to demand a 50% budget cut to the Brookline Police Department, and invest in our schools, affordable housing, and social services." said Chiuba Obele, of Boston, who also has filed a lawsuit against the police department. Lexi Harriman who attended Brookline High in 2019, is also listed as a co-sponsor of the event on Facebook. A flyer says the event is sponsored by a Brookline Budget Justice, Grassroots Brookline and Boston Socialists Alternative.

The hours-long debate during the final night of the spring Brookline Town Meeting swung between proponents who said cutting upwards of $1 million to $2 million could help balance priorities in town and opponents who said the cuts needed more vetting, and said because of union contracts the department would end up cutting a number of officers of color and social programming. In the end, the town's legislative board approved the Select Board and Advisory Committee recommendation to keep the cuts to the $772,413 and to form task forces to rethink the department.

"Greene’s unwavering defense of the Brookline police department, and his refusal to support the budget cuts, have contributed to the defeat of two proposals that would have reduced police spending," said Obele. "This is unacceptable."

Read more: Brookline Town Meeting Decides Not To Defund Police

Greene, who is Black, and has pointed out that the Town needs to take steps to address what he said is a disconnect in wanting to be diverse, but then not being welcoming to difference said he felt pretty good about the Town Meeting vote.

"The margin — for both of the amendment votes — was significant and I think that says something," he told Patch Wednesday morning.

The budget amendment that proposed to reduce the police budget by more than $2 million failed by a vote of 173 opposed to it, 60 in favor of it and six people abstained.

The amendment that proposed to reduce the police budget by a little more than $1 million failed by a slimmer margin, but still wider than many expected with 140 opposed, 96 in favor and six people abstaining.

There are some 248 voting members. It appears 239 and 242 of them voted.

"The vote shows there's a significant level of support for the Select Board and the Advisory Committee motion," said Greene.

Of the decision to hold a protest outside his home, Greene brushed it aside and said he planned to ignore the protest but would be listening to any "thoughtful criticism" and suggestion for the town.

"Last night's discussion brought out some questions that are helpful for the Town to think about on policing," he said. "It's really important for people to understand the basic issues, and the discussion showed that there's so much misunderstanding and there are assumptions that what's happening in other towns is happening in Brookline."

Greene said in addition to the task forces, he is hoping to push more Town Hall style dialogue regarding policing in Brookline.

Up next, the Town, he said, is reflecting on what it has already done to reform the police department, but also on whether there are more things to do.

"For example, traffic stops: There are ways to reduce the need to stop people," he said. "The fewer traffic stops we do, the better. They are not just about justice. Do we really need to have police stop people for broken taillights?"

Greene said the Select Board discussed briefly putting together two task forces to look into Brookline policing — one to research policing models around the world and consider everything from a non armed model in the UK, and how that works when addressing crime. Another would look into policies and procedures. Three years ago, Greene said helped look into police policies and reforms.

"I think people will see that our policies and procedures are light years ahead of what people are demanding in other communities," said Greene. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement, he said, including making explicit the no choke hold policy, looking at how civil service rules could potentially change and whether police should be involved in parking enforcement any more.

The protest is set for 8 a.m. July 5, in Olmsted Park near 33 Pond Avenue.

The group's demands:

• Reduce the Brookline Police Department’s budget by at least 50 percent.
• Redirect money from the police budget toward improving public schools and building and maintaining new affordable housing units.
• Create a democratically run police oversight committee comprised of civilians to investigate claims of police brutality, review police misconduct and discipline officers.
• Create an independent task force of trained mental health professionals and social workers who will act as first responders to mental health crises and non-emergency incidents and provide social services for crises such as homelessness and domestic violence.
• Commit to progressive immigration reform and refuse all cooperation with I.C.E.

Read more:

• How To Support Black-Owned Businesses In Brookline
• Brookline To Raise Banner To Support Black Lives Matter: Greene
• Juneteenth Rally Draws Hundreds In Brookline

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a press release you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how to post a press release, a column, event or opinion piece.