Item B: Annual Meeting with Police Commission

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Annual Meeting with Police Commission Meeting Date: July 23, 2007 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Eugene Police Department Staff Contact: Jeannine Parisi www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5852 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is a joint meeting with members of the Police Commission to discuss the commission’s annual report and approve its work plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008. An ordinance modifying sections of the city code concerning the Police Commission is also proposed. BACKGROUND Each year, the City Council meets with the Police Commission to review its annual report and approve a work plan for the upcoming year. The Police Commission FY07 Annual Report describes the commission’s accomplishments and challenges in completing the tasks delineated in the previous work plan (see Attachment A). One of the activities completed last year was a re-evaluation of the Police Commission’s role and structure in relation to the Police Auditor’s Office and Civilian Review Board. The commission thoroughly reviewed its membership and operating procedures as prescribed in city code and suggested the following modifications: ?Discontinue the member recommended by the Police Chief and convert it to a ninth at-large position. Most commissioners agreed that public perception concerns outweighed any real or symbolic benefits attributable to the position, and that there were more effective avenues for the Chief’s position to be considered. ?Add a paragraph formalizing the relationship between the Police Auditor and Police Commission on matters of police policy, practice or training review. ?Include language clarifying the role of the member appointed from the Civilian Review Board to the commission. Additionally, several housekeeping revisions were recommended, such as replacing the word ‘citizen’ with ‘civilian’ as appropriate. Attachment B contains the modifications proposed by the Police Commission, which have been reviewed by the City Attorney and formatted as a draft ordinance. Attachment C is the commission’s proposed FY08 work plan, adopted at its July 12 meeting. In large part, the plan is a continuation of activities begun in the past six months. Major work plan items described are to: ?Continue Taser policy development, assist in the design of a pilot project to evaluate Tasers as a new less lethal weapon, and review pilot project results; L:\CMO\2007 Council Agendas\M070723\S070723B.doc