Item B: Annual Meeting with Police Commission

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A. Use of Force/Taser Policy Committee – Progress to Date A new policy review committee was formed, separate from the policy screening team, to focus on policies associated with police use of force. The committee’s first project was to assist the department in developing a Taser policy to be used during a pilot project to test deployment of this weapon as a new less lethal option. The committee was also charged with updating the department’s existing use of force policies, using the Lexipol model policies as a foundation for revisions. The Use of Force/Taser policy committee received a packet of background materials on electro-muscular control devices (e.g., Tasers) in February and in April, held its first meeting to discuss the pilot project. After receivinga series of sampleTaser policies and the department’s first policy draft, the committee was ready began its policy development work in earnest. The original draft underwent significant revision over the next four meetings in response to committee members’ suggestions for language they believed better reflected community standards. Additional policy modifications were prompted by comments from the ACLU and from staff as procedural decisions related to the pilot project were made. th At the June 18 meeting, the committee agreed that the draft policy was ready for wider public dissemination. The draft included several ‘outstanding issues’ where committee members had not yet come to consensus on preferred policy language. The committee felt th that these items were particularly ripe for public discussion and set a date of June 27 for a public forum. The committee further decided to structure the forum in a way that it believed would foster dialogue and focus public commentary. The format included a general overview of the committee’s work followed by a break-out into round table discussion areas with an opportunity for participants to rotate through the topic areas. Four topics were identified for roundtable discussion areas and topic experts were contacted to host each area as follows: Medical/health risks – Dr. James McClelland, Oregon Cardiology and Dr. Rick Lindquist, McKenzie Willamette ER; moderated by Commissioner Tamara Miller Law enforcement – Lt. Scott Fellman and Sgt. Kevin McCormick; moderated by Commissioner John Ahlen Civil Liberties and Human Rights – Dave Fidanque and Claire Syrett, ACLU; moderated by Commissioner Joe Alsup Draft Taser Policy – facilitated by Commissioners John Brown and Charlie Zennaché Topic-specific handouts and the draft policy were available for review, while moderators collected input on charts at each table. Comment cards were also provided for participants to provide written input. About 50 people attended the forum and there was extensive media coverage of the event. However, based on strong sentiments that the public expected an opportunity to simple provide testimony on the topic, it was announced that Police Commission would also hold an extended public comment period at its July 12meeting. Page 5 of 8 2007 Police Commission Annual Report