10 to Transform

in collaboration with Durham Beyond Policing

Learn more about the campaign

Submit a Public Comment to the City Council

Durham City Council will hold a public hearing on the 2021-2022 budget on June 7th. This is our last chance to voice our needs and visions for Durham before they vote on the budget.

So far, over a thousand people have signed on to our 10 to Transform demand to reallocate 60 Durham Police Department vacancies to the Department of Community Safety and Wellness to hire unarmed skilled responders. We have been in deep conversations for weeks, talking to over 550 people of color in Durham—over 80% of them support the demand. Our members and supporters who live in the communities most impacted by violence in Durham want this shift. We need to make sure our City Council members know this too.

We need City Council members to see how the 10 to Transform demand relates to the actual needs and priorities of communities most impacted by police violence. We need them to hear your stories and what it will mean to you and your loved ones when we win.

Use the form below, customize the message with your own personal story, and submit a public comment to the city council by Monday June 7th at noon.

You can find some key points to unify our voice below.

Talking points for your original message:

  • We deserve to feel safety, belonging, and care in our communities, especially in the time of crisis.
  • So many of us carry the trauma of our communities being harmed by the police when we ask for help. Calling 911 in a crisis is not an option for all of us. Too often, we have to respond to harm on our own.
  • Knowing that unarmed professionals will respond with appropriate skills and tools to handle challenges brings us peace of mind.
  • Social workers, mental health professionals, people who are trained in de-escalating conflict are best equipped to provide care when we most need it. Police officers aren’t trained for these situations.
  • Safety is not just the absence of crime. We need to center care in the decisions we make for our city.
  • Add your own story:
    • How would this shift impact you and your loved ones’ lives?
    • Why do you want to see this shift happen?
    • Has there been a time when you were in crisis but didn’t call 911 because you were afraid of police officers escalating the situation even more? Has there been a time when you called 911 and police officers were not able to provide you with the support that you needed? This is a good place to share those stories