Letter: Opposed To Recruitment Of New Amherst Police Officers

Defund 413 Amherst opposes the recruitment of new positions within the police department.  Less than a month after the FY22 budget vote, during which there was overwhelming public support for reducing the size and scope of the police, adding new police positions is a return to the status quo. Throughout the budget process, over 60 members of the public spoke at meetings to support the Community Safety Working Group’s recommendations and/or advocate for decreasing policing in Amherst.  Not only has the town manager failed to adopt the budget recommendations that would ensure that CSWG’s programs would thrive, but he has failed to incorporate the suggestion to reduce the size of the force.

By choosing to fill vacant positions at the Amherst Police Department, Town Manager Bockelman is signaling that he is unlikely to reallocate police department funds to fully fund a Community Response for Equity, Safety and Service (CRESS) program and the other CSWG recommendations in the upcoming fiscal years. This greatly reduces the likelihood of the Town providing a steady source of funding for these vital programs and means they’re more likely to rely on grants that might only last for a few years. 

Defund 413 Amherst is deeply disappointed to see the town moving forward with hiring for these vacant positions.

If you support the CSWG’s recommendations, please email Town Manager Bockelman and Police Chief Livingstone to express your displeasure.

Town Manager Bockelman: townmanager@amherstma.gov

Chief Livingstone: police@amherstma.gov 

Allegra Clark on behalf of Defund 413