Item B: Police Auditor Report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ATTACHMENT D o Mediation and Advocacy Task Team FINAL REPORT - MAY 2006 BACKGROUND During the course of studying the current police complaint process and reviewing civilian oversight systems in place nationally, the Police Commission recognized that several model programs promoted the use of alternative complaint resolution options as an emerging best practice. The commission agreed that alternatives to the internal affairs process, such as mediation, should be incorporated into the new civilian oversight system, and also acknowledged the need for an advocacy component. It recommended that a separate task team be. formed to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing mediation and' advocacy process and suggest options for Improvements. The commission included the following language in its July 25, 2005 report to City Council: ) The commission believes that a successful mediation program should be an integral part of the redesigned complaint process. As such, commissioners have expressed a commitment to modernize and expand the current program to ensure complainants are informed of the complaint resolution options available to them and to maximize opportunities for alternative resolution. Over the. years, the department has worked. with the Human Rights Program to develop a mediation and advocacy program that has had a number of successes and is not significantly different in its function than the model programs examined nationally. However, there is a sense that the existing program has not reached its potential an~ after several years in effect, may benefit from an evaluation. The commission supports the current practices. of offering formal mediations, facilitated conversations, and/or advocacy support for certain complaints to promote understanding of interactions and promote respectful communication and accountability for each person~ actions. 771e commission agreed at its May 2005 meeting to appoint a task force of Police Commission, Human Rights Commission, and community stakeholders to look at current practices and make proposals to enhance the role of mediation ant! advocacy iil'the complaint process. Specifically, the task, team will determine which entity should manage the mediation program and coordinate actual mediations, whether mediators should be hired on contract, whether mediation should preclude the use of the regq/ar complaint process, ~nd how community advocates may best be utilized in the process. The Mediation and Advocacy Task Team (MATT) was convened In September 2005. Participants In the process were: Neil Van Steenbergen; Chair, Tim Laue, Angle Slfuentez,John . Ahlen, Carla Newbre, Police Commission; James Dean; Jer Megowan, Francisca Johnson,. Greg Rikhoff, Human Rights Program; Annie Bentz, University of Oregon Conflict Resolution Services; Betsy Ford, Community Mediation Services; and. Ron Roberts, Jen. Bills, Cindy Coleman, Eugene Police Department.