By Quincy Walters, NPR
Mayor Marty Walsh on Friday declared racism a public health crisis in Boston. To tackle the emergency, Walsh said he will reallocate $3 million of the department’s overtime budget to public health. Walsh said the decision comes after he listened to Black people — both in the Black Lives Matter movement and in his life — who shared with him “how racism shapes lives and hurts communities.”
The transfer of $3 million from the city’s police department to public health accounts for less than 1% of the Boston police’s annual $414 million budget.
“We’re determined to accelerate our work towards systemic change,” Walsh said during a media conference. “What I’m announcing today is the beginning.”
Featured Image, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh talks about the postponement of the Boston Marathon as Gov. Charlie Baker, left, looks on, during a news conference, Friday, March, 13, 2020, in Boston.Michael Dwyer/AP
Full article @ NPR