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Salas, Diana <br />From: <br />Zach Fairless <zmfairless@gmail.com> <br />Sent: <br />Tuesday, June 16, 2020 2:49 PM <br />To: <br />eComment <br />Subject: <br />Defund The Police <br />Dear Mayor & City Council, <br />My name is Zachary Fairless and I am a resident of Ward 3. I am writing in deep concern for the health of Santa <br />Ana's community. It has become more than clear that a radical shift in our concept of policing and community <br />health must take place at the local level. It is unacceptable that Black and marginalized communities are living <br />in persistent fear of being killed by state authorities like police, immigration agents or even white vigilantes <br />who are emboldened by state actors. <br />Despite continued profiling, harassment, terror and killing of Black communities, local and federal decision - <br />makers continue to invest in the police, which leaves Black people vulnerable and our communities no safer. <br />Moreover, this deep lack of trust that the government is breeding by terrorizing its own people, rather than <br />safeguarding our health, is an alarming risk for future generations to live peacefully and safely with each other. <br />The time has come to defund the police. <br />We need to restore justice in our city which has prided itself on providing sanctuary to all people of our <br />community. A radical increase for funding towards community services and healthcare is imperative. We need <br />youth programs, increased mental health services, neighborhood infrastructures, childcare, and community <br />outreach for those who need these services most. We need more funds for rehabilitation and the re-entry process <br />for formerly incarcerated individuals, and help increase employment and education rates. We need to continue <br />funding for the deportation defense fund in our city. We need to build a society that does not need policing. <br />We call for defunding of police and for those dollars to be rerouted to strengthen our community health system <br />including continued funds for deportation defense and relief. <br />Sincerely, <br />Zachary Fairless <br />524 N Grand Ave, Santa Ana, CA, 92701 <br />Zmfairless@gmail.com <br />7608877270 <br />