Ithaca, NY Mayor Svante Myrick this week announced a plan to replace the city's police department with a new Department of Community Solutions and Public Safety.
The proposal, part of a statewide police reform effort, is now up for public comment and requires legislative approval. If passed, the city would install a civilian department leader to oversee two divisions, an unarmed force of "community solution workers", and an armed division focused on responding to and investigating crimes.
Officers would have to reapply to keep jobs as armed "public safety workers" with the city.
The proposal acknowledges that in some ways, the measures would "defund the police", but ultimately, just as much of the city's funding and resources, if not more, would go toward public safety.
