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Council holds over ordinance to add crime analyst tied to STRIVE program amid surveillance concerns
Summary
An ordinance to amend the 2025 police budget to add a crime analyst position linked to the STRIVE program was held over after council members raised concerns about the analyst's anticipated role, potential surveillance of marginalized residents, and the scope of law enforcement involvement in shelters.
The Binghamton City Council voted unanimously on May 21 to hold over an ordinance (O25-36) that would amend the 2025 police budget to add a crime analyst position intended to support the STRIVE program.
Council member Rathmell, who led a lengthy critique during discussion, said she supported adding two crime‑victim positions in principle but was "deeply uncomfortable" with how the analyst role described in plan documents appeared to use poverty and homelessness data to support expanded targeting and monitoring of poor, unhoused and underemployed residents. She said the plan repeatedly referenced "incidents that occur without law enforcement involvement" and used that language to justify expanded law enforcement partnerships at sites such as emergency shelters.
Council member Kavanaugh described the origin of the position differently, saying the "state framework for the STRIVE program" requires each implementing jurisdiction to have a crime analyst position and that creating the post would be the city's way of meeting that requirement. After discussion and requests for more time to review the local plan and implementation language, a motion to hold the ordinance over carried 6–0.
Council remarks during the discussion raised several recurring concerns: whether the analyst's activities would expand surveillance of marginalized groups, whether the police department is the appropriate home for behavioral‑health‑related functions, and whether the local implementation language aligns with stated community protections. Council member Rathmell said it was "entirely disingenuous" for a county framework to claim protection of marginalized communities while county partners pursue policies she described as harmful to immigrants and LGBTQIA people.
The holdover preserves current budget lines until council members have had time to review the detailed STRIVE plan and any implementation or interagency agreements. Council members said they will request additional documentation about the analyst's duties, reporting relationships, and any memoranda of understanding or state mandates that define the position's scope before bringing the ordinance back for a vote.
