Hi All!

We're excited to announce a Data Jam by Invest in Pittsfield
this Saturday, February 27th from 1 - 4 PM. The purpose of the Data Jam is
to cull police budget information from Pittsfield city council agendas,
information that the city has been reluctant to provide. The work isn't
hard but will take many hands. The description of the event is below. We
hope to see you there!✊


















*As residents and stakeholders in the City of Pittsfield, we want the
funding and tools to invest in a just, healthy, and safe future for
Pittsfield.We need to justly, ethically and responsibly invest our city
budget in programs that promote health, encourage prosperity, and prevent
violence.Too many tasks and services are assigned to law
enforcement--things like mental health first response, substance use
support, youth mentorship and opportunity, violence prevention, and
response to homelessness. These are essential services that law enforcement
was never meant to provide, and the money flowing to the police department
to manage the negative consequences of these challenges starves our city of
programs and resources that our communities need to survive and thrive.We
also know that communities of color, especially Black communities, and
marginalized communities are policed more often and more aggressively. The
result is that some communities endure the disproportionate impacts of
policing and involvement in the criminal legal system while still having to
collaborate with police and courts to access essential services and
resources.Currently, a huge proportion of our city's budget goes to the
Pittsfield Police Department, but it's actually hard to know exactly how
much because the city doesn't make available a clear budget for the
department that lays out all the sources and amounts of the department's
funding.In order to begin a conversation about whether we're investing the
right amounts in the right places, we need to understand exactly how much
money we spend on policing.A data jam is a volunteer opportunity for people
interested in how we invest in Pittsfield's future to gather and make light
work of going through a huge amount of public documents by doing it
together. Invest in Pittsfield collective members will provide training at
the top of every hour (1:00, 2:00, and 3:00pm) on what to look for and
where to find it.For this specific task you will need:-a computer with an
internet connection-very basic familiarity with how to use Google/Excel
spreadsheets (entering data into columns, no calculation or formula
work)-the ability to skim read City Council agendas to look for specific
information and find that information in the agenda packet.*

*To register and get the Zoom link: [link removed]
<[link removed]>*
*Website: [link removed]
<[link removed]>*
*Email: [email protected] <[email protected]>*

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__________________
Abigail Childs
Christian Kennedy
Co-Chairs, Executive Committee
Berkshires DSA
berkshiresdsa.org

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