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Salas, Diana From: Hastin Zylstra <hastin@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2020 10:35 AM To: eComment Subject: Public Comment for tonight's City Council meeting Hello! My name is Hastin Zylstra, and I'm a homeowner in Santa Ana, Ward 7. I've lived in Santa Ana for 6 years. I am stating my opinion in support of the police oversight committee, and adjusting the budget of the police department in Santa Ana. In regards to the budget, I understand that Police are expensive and that we need to ensure that our city is safe. But I do not believe that we need to devote so much of the budget (42% of the FY 2019-2020 budget) to the police force. Instead, I would like to see more of that budget be devoted to community outreach, or specific specialised response units (such as for homelessness, mental health, or non-violent crimes). Too often as a city, we dispatch armed police officers to handle these issues. As a small business owner in Orange County who has to deal with homelessness issues, I would rather know that the person I am calling is going to provide actual solutions for the individual rather than just arresting them - or possibly injuring them. In regards to the police oversight committee, it would be a fantastic first step into more transparency for our police department. As an important part of our community, we need to ensure that our police are held accountable by its citizens and city. Transparent reports and details on police mishandling will ensure that our citizens (POC especially) get a full insight into positive and poor handling of policing issues. Thank you.