Defund NPD To Ask Mayor To Declare Racism A Public Health Crisis

NEWTON, MA — Defund NPD, a group of voters calling on local leaders to reduce police budgets and reinvest in mental health and social services, is set to present before the New Human Rights Commission at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

In a release, the group said it will call on Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to declare racism a public health crisis during its short presentation.

During the Human Rights Commission meeting, accessible via Zoom, the organization will also share data about "the reality of disparate, biased policing in Newton," according to the release.

In June, the group spoke during a Newton City Council meeting, asking leaders to reduce the police department's budget by 10 percent.

"We are here to help our city be anti-racist," organizers said during the meeting, noting that some 1,500 people had already signed a petition in an effort to defund the Newton Police. The group later condemned the council's vote against budget cuts.

:We are in it for the long haul and will hold the city government accountable for making sweeping systemic changes in the FY22 budget," Defund NPD said in a press release after the vote.

Related: Newton Group Asks City To Cut Police Budget By 10 Percent

Patch editor Jenna Fisher contributed to this report