Policing in Pittsburgh: Police Reform & Budgeting

My name is Dawn Plummer, resident of Point Breeze. I serve as the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council whose office is in Garfield. Today I share testimony on behalf of over 100 food, public health and farm stakeholders throughout our region who come together to build a just, equitable and sustainable food system for all.

You might wonder what policing has to do with food systems. For the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, defunding police presents an opportunity to invest more of our city’s capital and operating budget funds in communities that have suffered from historic disinvestment, particularly our city’s Black communities. Many of these communities are also impacted by food apartheid meaning that whole communities are geographically and economically isolated from healthy food options. Communities need investments in basic needs that ensure a dignified life for every single resident. That includes homes, living wage jobs, education, community centers and transportation. This also includes investment in our city’s food environment and food infrastructure.

Defunding the police means that we stop trying to manage problems of poverty through policing, but rather move swiftly to end it. We must reimagine what we mean by public safety. We must ask ourselves “what do I need to feel safe” --and then structure our budgets and invest in our communities accordingly.

Members of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council are leading efforts across Pittsburgh and the region to launch and sustain food businesses, grow community gardens, steward vacant lots and build urban farms. They teach our young people where food comes from and what it means to be equipped with the tools to feed ourselves. Our members rescue food waste and serve nutritious meals to kids, families and seniors who rely on them. Each of these pieces of our city’s food infrastructure would benefit from increased public investment. As life sustaining essential workers, we also know that many of our PFPC members and neighbors will increasingly face the crushing impact of the pandemic on their health, jobs, families and businesses. They need this investment today, not down the road.

The PFPC recently concluded a two-year Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Planning project which outlines 150 different strategies -- many of which will require some form of public investment from local, state and federal government that will deliver on the human right to food in Pittsburgh. The time to act is now. We call on the Administration and City Council to work diligently to increase transparency and community collaboration through hearings like these, where the public can look closely at budgets and have real conversations about spending priorities and racial equity in the reallocation of funds.

The PFPC is committed to this work and looks forward to working with local government to guarantee that our public budgets meet the pressing needs of our residents and invest in our collective future.

Thank you for your attention.