Town Council Recommits to Social Justice Priorities – Amherst Indy

Report on Amherst Town Council Special Meeting: Reaffirming Commitments to Community Safety and Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

On November 7, 2025, the Amherst Town Council convened a special meeting to address a postponed motion concerning community safety priorities. The Council unanimously approved the motion to implement priorities established on November 14, 2022, with a specific mandate for the Town Manager to ensure the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) department is integrated into the dispatch system by the end of December 2025. This decision directly supports the advancement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), by reinforcing the town’s commitment to building accountable institutions and ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents, especially those from marginalized communities.

2.0 Background and Context

The special meeting was necessitated by the postponement of a vote during the November 3, 2025, meeting. Councilor Andy Steinberg invoked his right under Charter Section 2.10(c) to delay the vote, prompting this session to resolve the matter. The central issue was the reaffirmation of the town’s commitment to implementing the 2021 recommendations of the Community Safety Working Group (CSWG), which are foundational to the town’s social justice and community safety strategy.

3.0 Committee Testimony: Aligning Community Safety with Global Goals

Members of the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC) provided compelling testimony, framing the discussion within the context of accountability, institutional trust, and equitable public service, which are core tenets of the SDGs.

3.1 Advancing SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

• CSSJC members argued that fulfilling the Council’s promises is critical for building effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. The delay in action was described as an erosion of public trust.
• Everald Henry, a CSSJC member, emphasized that supporting the CRESS initiative builds trust between the community, the government, and the police, which is essential for a safer and more prosperous community.
• The CRESS model was presented as a mechanism for providing an appropriate, non-violent response to crises, thereby promoting access to justice for all and freeing law enforcement to focus on urgent public safety matters. This aligns with Target 16.6 to develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions.
• The call for a Resident Oversight Board with investigative powers and an actively anti-racist police culture directly addresses the need to combat discrimination and ensure responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making (Target 16.7 and 16.b).

3.2 Addressing SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Debora Ferreira, CSSJC co-chair, highlighted that CRESS is understaffed and underfunded despite data from the League of Women Voters indicating that BIPOC and marginalized community members are its most frequent users.
• This disparity in resource allocation underscores the importance of the motion in reducing inequalities and ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to essential safety services, in line with Target 10.2, which aims to empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all.
• Lissette Paradis noted that the CRESS model was designed specifically for Amherst’s needs, distinct from other towns, to handle specific call types such as mental health crises and verbal disputes, which disproportionately affect marginalized groups.

3.3 Promoting SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The development and support of the CRESS program represent an innovative approach to making Amherst a safer and more inclusive community, a key objective of SDG 11.
• The committee’s demand for the creation of a Youth Empowerment Center by August 2026 contributes directly to Target 11.7, which calls for providing universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible public spaces for all, particularly for youth and vulnerable persons.

4.0 Key Demands and Proposed Timelines

The CSSJC presented a clear set of actions required to fulfill the Council’s 2022 priorities, establishing a roadmap for accountability:

1. Ensure the CRESS department is fully integrated into the dispatch system by the end of December 2025.
2. Establish a Resident Oversight Board with investigative authority by June 2025.
3. Create and fund a Youth Empowerment Center, to be operational by August 2026.
4. Mandate the Amherst Police Department (APD) to revise its policies and foster an actively anti-racist institutional culture.
5. Increase CRESS staffing and operational hours to meet the community needs outlined in the original CSWG report.

5.0 Council Resolution and Path Forward

Following public comment and testimony, Councilor Steinberg apologized for the delay, clarifying that his action was intended to ensure a thoughtful decision-making process, not to signal a lack of support for CRESS. The Council then proceeded to a vote.

• Motion Passed: The Council voted unanimously to approve Hala Lord’s motion: “that the priorities set and voted on November 14, 2022 continue to be implemented and enthusiastically supported, and we support the Town Manager in getting the CRESS department to be up on dispatch by the end of December, 2025.”
• Commitment to Accountability: The CSSJC concluded by affirming its commitment to continued oversight. Debora Ferreira stated, “We are vigilant. We’re going to hold you all accountable… We are going to be showing up every two to three months.” Everald Henry added that the committee is an underutilized resource for the Council.

The Council’s reaffirmation marks a significant step in aligning municipal governance with the principles of sustainable development, focusing on building just, equitable, and resilient community structures.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues of community safety, social justice, police reform, and government accountability, which directly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This is the most prominent SDG, as the article centers on reforming local safety institutions to be more effective, accountable, and inclusive. The debate over the CRESS (Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service) program, the call for a Resident Oversight Board, and the demand for an anti-racist police culture all fall under the goal of building just and strong institutions.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article explicitly states that the push for these reforms is driven by the need to better serve marginalized communities. It notes that “BIPOC and those on the margin are the ones that use CRESS the most” and that the council’s perceived inaction shows a lack of care for “those on the margin, who are voiceless.” This directly addresses the goal of reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The call to fund and create a “Youth Empowerment Center” connects to the goal of making cities and communities inclusive, safe, and resilient. This initiative aims to provide safe and accessible public spaces for a specific demographic within the town of Amherst.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific demands and discussions in the article, the following SDG targets can be identified:

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The entire effort to make the CRESS department fully operational (“up on dispatch by the end of December, 2025”), establish a “Resident Oversight Board with investigative powers,” and revise the Amherst Police Department’s (APD) policies demonstrates a focus on creating more accountable and effective local governance and safety institutions.
• Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC) acting as a volunteer body to hold the Town Council accountable is a clear example of participatory decision-making. Debora Ferreira’s statement, “We’re going to hold you all accountable…because these issues are critical to our town and all our residents,” embodies this target.
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article’s emphasis on creating an “actively anti-racist culture” within the APD and providing an alternative response for nonviolent calls for marginalized communities is aimed at ensuring fairer and more equal access to public safety and justice.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…race, ethnicity…or other status. The article highlights that the CRESS program is particularly important for “BIPOC and those on the margin.” The advocacy by the CSSJC is an effort to empower these “voiceless” groups and ensure their safety and needs are included in the town’s priorities.
• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory…policies and practices. The demand for the APD to “revise its policies and develop an actively anti-racist culture” is a direct action aimed at eliminating discriminatory practices within a key public institution to achieve more equitable outcomes in community safety.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible…public spaces, in particular for…children. The specific demand that the “FY27 budget needs to include funds for a Youth Empowerment Center…being created by August 2026” directly aligns with this target of creating safe and inclusive public spaces for the community’s youth.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions or implies several concrete indicators that can be used to measure progress:

Indicators for SDG 16 Targets

• Operational Status of CRESS: A key indicator is whether the CRESS department is integrated into the dispatch system by the deadline of “the end of December, 2025.”
• Staffing Levels: The number of CRESS responders is a measurable indicator. The article notes a drop “from 10 staff with 8 responders to 7 staff with only five responders,” which can be tracked over time.
• Call Volume and Type: The article implies the use of “call logs and dispatch logs from APD” to determine which calls CRESS should handle. Tracking the number and type of calls diverted from police to CRESS would be a direct indicator of the program’s implementation. The goal for CRESS to cover “87% of anticipated call volumes” serves as a specific benchmark.
• Establishment of Oversight Body: A clear, binary indicator is the creation of a “Resident Oversight Board with investigative powers” by the proposed deadline of June 2025.
• Policy Revision: The status of the APD’s policy revisions to develop an “actively anti-racist culture” can be tracked, including the review of dispatch policies which were reportedly “being reviewed by the town attorney” as of March 2023.

Indicators for SDG 10 Targets

• Demographics of Service Users: The statement that “BIPOC and those on the margin are the ones that use CRESS the most” implies that data on the demographics of who calls for and receives CRESS services is a key indicator for measuring whether the program is successfully reducing inequality in public safety access.

Indicators for SDG 11 Targets

• Establishment of Youth Center: The primary indicator is the successful creation and funding of the “Youth Empowerment Center” by the specified deadline of “August 2026.” Progress can be measured by budget allocation in FY27 and milestones toward its opening.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: amherstindy.org