Public Safety

Plurality Of San Diego County Residents Support Reallocating Police Funding

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Pat Finn / Producer

Published October 30, 2020 at 9:23 AM PDT

This story was published more than 3 years ago.

The San Diego Police Department headquarters is shown on Jan. 7, 2020.

A Voice of San Diego survey found that nearly half of county residents support reallocating some law enforcement funding toward social services than don't.

A poll taken this month by Voice of San Diego has found that 49% of respondents favored reallocating "significant amounts of funds" from police and sheriff's departments to social service agencies, while 41% opposed any such move.

Not surprisingly the Voice poll found that receptiveness to the idea of redistributing funds varied widely by age, gender, political affiliation and race.

Sara Libby, managing editor of Voice of San Diego, talked with KPBS Midday Edition on Friday about the poll, which surveyed 712 San Diego County residents using landline and cell phone calls and online surveys.

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The poll was conducted by FM 3 Research between Oct. 8-20.

Public Safety

Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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Pat Finn

Pat Finn previously served as a producer for KPBS Midday Edition and KPBS Evening Edition. Finn began her career in broadcasting at KTLA and KCET in Los Angeles. In 1979 she became KPBS’ Public Information Director, then Director of Advertising and Promotion, Program Director, and Director of Broadcasting. She oversaw the station’s local and national productions, including the one-hour documentary Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar, and Child Protective Services, a one-hour look inside the San Diego County agency responsible for the welfare of at risk children. Both programs also aired on public television stations nationwide. Finn has earned honors from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

See stories by Pat Finn