HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem B: Police Commission Annual Report and Work Plan
ECC
UGENE ITY OUNCIL
AIS
GENDA TEM UMMARY
Work Session: Annual Meeting with Police Commission
Meeting Date: July 28, 2008 Agenda Item Number: B
Department: Eugene Police Department Staff Contact: Randi Zimmer
www.eugene-or.us Contact Telephone Number: 682-5852
ISSUE STATEMENT
This is a work session with members of the Police Commission to discuss the commission’s annual
report and approve its work plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009.
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 FY08 Annual Report (Attachment A)
describes the commission’s accomplishments and challenges in completing the tasks outlined in the
FY08 Work Plan. One of the activities completed this year was assisting in the design of a Taser
policy which resulted in a final recommendation to the Eugene Police Department and Chief Lehner.
The department is currently testing out this less lethal weapon in a year-long pilot project. Another
project completed this year was the recommendation for a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training that
the Mental Health Crisis Response Committee spent several months working on.
Attachment B is the commission’s proposed FY09 Work Plan, adopted at its July 12 meeting. The
major committee projects are to:
?Continue the Police Operations Manual (POM) update and standardization process;
?Identify improvements for police response and interactions with people with special needs and
disabilities;
?Implement a public outreach committee to better engage the public in community policing; and
?Complete policy revisions that deal with use of force.
The commission has also selected to continue its work on the Police Long-Range Staffing Plan. In
FY08, the commission spent several months evaluating the Magellan Comprehensive Staffing Report
and its assumptions on staffing levels relevant to the department. Following this lengthy review, the
commission discussed what role it might have in facilitating a community conversation on police
service levels and formulating policy recommendations around long-range staffing decisions.
Commissioners decided to spend more time on this in FY09, specifically to facilitate public
discussions and conversations, and identify policy recommendations which may serve as a formal
recommendation for the FY10 budget process.
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In addition, the following work sessions, consistent with the commission’s charge to assist the City
Council in balancing police resource priorities with community values, were proposed:
?Assist in the planning and development of a Hate Crimes Conference;
?Continuation of the patrol facility review and propose necessary recommendations;
?Hold two joint meetings with other City-appointed boards: the Civilian Review Board and the
Human Rights Commission;
?Receive and provide feedback on the evaluation from the police department of the year-long
Taser Pilot Project to ensure community values were maintained; and
?Review the 2008 Internal Affairs case statistics.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
The City Council-adopted vision and goals include two statements relevant to this item:
1)Safe Community – a community where people feel safe, valued and welcomed, and;
2)Effective and Accountable Municipal Government – a government that works openly,
collaboratively, and fairly with the community to achieve measurable and positive outcomes.
COUNCIL OPTIONS
The Police Commission is requesting the City Council approve a work plan for the current fiscal year.
The City Council may:
1.Approve the Police Commission FY09 Work Plan as proposed;
2.Amend the work plan and approve the plan as amended;
3.Direct the Police Commission to modify the work plan and present the revised version to the
City Council for approval at a later date.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends that the council approve the Police Commission FY09 Work Plan as
proposed and presented in Attachment B.
SUGGESTED MOTION
Move to approve the Police Commission’s FY09 Work Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Police Commission FY08 Annual Report
B. Police Commission FY09 Work Plan
C. Police Commission FY09 Work Plan Gantt Chart
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Randi Zimmer
Telephone: 541-682-5852
Staff E-Mail: randi.m.zimmer@ci.eugene.or.us
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ATTACHMENT A
City of Eugene
POLICE COMMISSION
Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2008
(July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008)
Eugene Police Commission Mission Statement
Our mission is to recommend to the City Council, City Manager, Police
Department, and the people, the resources, preferred policing alternatives,
policies, and citizens’ responsibilities needed to achieve a safe community. We
strive to create a climate of mutual respect and partnership among people that
helps achieve safety, justice and freedom for all people in Eugene.
777 Pearl St, Room 107 Eugene, Oregon 97401
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(541) 682-5852 FAX (541) 682-8395
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www.eugene-or.gov/policecommission
I. Introduction
This staff report is submitted to the Eugene City Council to document the activities of the Police
Commission during Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008. The annual report
describes how the commission has met the expectations of the City Council as outlined in its
work plan, has responded to issues of community concern, and has furthered its mission and
objectives.
The charge of the Police Commission, as described in City Ordinance 20398, is described as five
outcomes:
1)To increase communications between police and the community, leading to a greater
understanding of the preferred policing alternatives for this city;
2)To identify police policy and resource issues related to preferred policing alternatives;
3)To decrease misunderstandings regarding the nature of adopted police policies, practices
and approaches;
4)To provide input on police policies and procedures that reflect community values; and
5)To assist the city council in balancing community priorities and resources by advising it
on police resource issues.
The City Council approved the FY08 Police Commission Work Plan on July 12, 2007. New
projects selected for the year were to: 1) participate in a multi-year effort to update the
department’s policy manual, 2) develop a foundation for a strategic response to family violence
incidents, 3) complete work on the Mental Health Crisis Response Committee (MHCRC) to
develop a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program, and 4) review policies on the Use of
Force/Taser Committee.
An ongoing project, the Long Range Staffing Plan, began in FY08 and will continue into FY09.
The commission’s charge for this committee was to begin reviewing the Magellan
Comprehensive Staffing Report. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the staffing
levels of the Eugene Police Department and provides a staffing needs projection based upon two
levels of service: basic service and a typical community policing model level. Not only is the
review of staffing levels pertinent to maintaining a balance of officers available for service calls
and community policing, but this topic became very significant at the time Lane County
announced its cuts to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. These cuts would directly affect the
workload of the Eugene Police Department, despite its already low staffing numbers. Thus, the
Police Commission felt addressing the department’s needs would be a priority in their work plan
and wanted to engage the public in a proper awareness of the staffing crisis.
The commission held an annual joint meeting with the Human Rights Commission and was
presented with the annual Internal Affairs Case Statistics. In addition, two new work sessions
were part of the FY08 Work Plan. These included a commission process discussion and the
Police Auditor Annual Report. The commission’s ability to meet the responsibilities outlined in
the FY08 Work Plan and address new obligations are described in the following sections.
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2008 Police Commission Annual Report
II. Accomplishments
A. Improving Communication and Understanding of Police Practices and
Resource Issues
One of the most important Police Commission functions is to provide a forum for discussion on a
range of policing issues in a public meeting setting. This year’s meeting schedule provided
numerous opportunities for community involvement in the commission’s work. In addition to
the eleven regular monthly police commission meetings, the commission sponsored over a dozen
committees or task group meetings. One new activity this year was participation in a Police
Operations Academy, a nine-week training based on the Citizen’s Police Academy curriculum
taught by the department. Several informational work sessions were also conducted throughout
the year, which broadened opportunities for public participation and understanding of other
policing issues. For example, in February 2008, the Police Commission and the Human Rights
Commission held a joint meeting to discuss relevant issues affecting both bodies, and welcomed
input from the public on possible joint ventures.
One of the major ongoing projects the Police Commission engaged in from the FY08 Work Plan
was the Long-Range Staffing Plan. From February through June, the commission reviewed the
Magellan Comprehensive Staffing Report and held discussions with EPD division managers
regarding staffing concerns and complications relevant to this report. As a result of this research,
the commission decided to take further steps and engage the public in an open discussion on
resolutions. This is incorporated into the proposed FY09 Work Plan.
Other work sessions and information items included the Public Safety Coordinating Council’s
Report Card on the criminal justice system, a progress update on the Police Auditor’s work, a
vehicle/pedestrian safety report, the FY09 Police Department budget proposal, a tour of the Lane
County Jail, and an overview of the department’s Volunteers in Policing program. In addition, a
review of the policy development process of the Police Operations Manual (POM) was
conducted by EPD staff to help bring the new members up to speed, and help reinforce the
commission on the protocol for revising policies. In December 2007, the City of Eugene
sponsored a Boards and Commissions Training for all new City Council appointees to learn
about volunteers’ roles, responsibilities and procedures. This was extremely helpful as this
training hadn’t been offered in several years.
Internal Affairs case summaries, which help illustrate the types of complaints received and their
resolution, were provided on a regular basis. The dissemination of this information began on a
quarterly basis, however with the assistance of a new data management system the Internal
Affairs Office was able to develop a monthly reporting system.
The commission also continued to receive department strategic plan quarterly reports. These
reports helped the commission stay abreast on department projects outside the purview of the
Police Commission and provide an opportunity for the community to receive more information
and comment on Police Department operations. The quarterly reports were included in the
meeting packets as supplemental material to allow adequate meeting time for other agenda items.
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2008 Police Commission Annual Report
However, commissioners asserted that the reports were very beneficial in providing a window
into department activities.
As in past years, the Police Commission reviewed the proposed Police Department FY09 budget
and reviewed the City Manager’s budget request. This budget review was of particular
importance because of the budget crisis Lane County was experiencing, especially in regard to
the overall public safety system. The commission did not offer specific recommendations in the
budget process; however, with the ongoing work on the Long-Range Staffing Plan project,
possible FY10 budget recommendations may result next year.
Also, a new emphasis on sustainability began this year by going paperless with the meeting
packet materials. The Police Commission web page contains all the documents for each
meeting, including all committees and work sessions. This conservation effort was very well-
received and has reduced the amount of paper and monetary costs associated with providing
materials to the commission and the community, as well as increased the availability of materials
to the general public.
B. Mental Health Crisis Response Committee and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
Most noteworthy during FY08 was the Mental Health Crisis Response Committee’s completion
of an extensive review of the use of a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training model. Several
CIT programs from across the country were examined and discussed at length. The committee
conducted a literature review to learn about current services, constraints and critical gaps serving
those with mental illness in Eugene. In addition, the committee met with several community
members who experience mental illness to help understand the mental health system needs from
a consumer’s point of view. As a result of the dialogue established through the committee’s
review, a lasting commitment by local community members was established to ensure success in
the program.
A preliminary report was drafted by the Mental Health Crisis Response Committee in October
2007 that focused on the feasibility of implementing a similar CIT model in the Eugene Police
Department. The committee then discussed what further recommendations and next steps the
EPD should take to implement such a model, and incorporated this into a final report. This final
report was adopted by the Police Commission at the November 8, 2007, full Police Commission
meeting. The report proposes the following next steps for the Eugene Police Department to take
in implementing a CIT training program:
?Continue outreach to community mental health agencies and advocates willing to assist in
CIT implementation.
?Assist in the creation of an EPD policy with respect to a CIT training program.
?Facilitate conversations between Chief Lehner and community partners on collaborative
policy implementation (i.e. Al Levine from Lane County Mental Health).
?Provide a venue for ongoing dialogue between the commission/community and the
department on progress made on the implementation of CIT, including timeline,
leadership, state and local training, barriers and/or challenges faced.
?Explore financial support for a CIT training program.
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2008 Police Commission Annual Report
To ensure the committee’s work continues with the success intended for the CIT program, a
steering committee was formed. The committee will meet on a regular basis and includes
department staff, a former committee member, and community stakeholders. The police chief
responded to the report by pledging to implement a CIT program for the Eugene Police
Department. An implementation team has been assigned and the group has started meeting with
community stakeholders to develop the first community training.
C. Use of Force/Tasers
Another significant accomplishment of the Police Commission this year was work by the Use of
Force/Taser Committee as a response to an emerging community issue involving less-lethal
weapons. This committee was separated into two parts: overall use of force and Tasers. The
Taser committee held a half-dozen meetings to discuss and help develop a draft Taser policy
over four months (June-September, 2007). Public comment was included twice during each of
these meetings and each discussion entailed several community members engaging with
committee members in an open discussion. This was a valuable resource for the committee to
better understand the central values and needs of the community around use of force.
Following the committee’s extensive discussions with the public and community stakeholders, a
draft Taser policy was developed. This draft was presented to the Police Commission in
September 2007, and received the full commission’s approval. The draft policy was forwarded
to Chief Lehner for his consideration. Having completed its policy recommendations, the
committee held a preliminary discussion on the data to be gathered during the pilot project and
provided the department with several data point recommendations for later evaluation purposes.
The final Taser Pilot Project policy was adopted in September by the Police Department, which
included all of the committee’s data point recommendations. In January, the Taser Pilot Project
began and the Tasers were slowly introduced a few at a time. The pilot project will last at least
one year (January 2008-January 2009) or until sufficient data is available to analyze the
effectiveness of the project. As part of the commission’s work plan, a statistical report will be
presented by the department after data is collected following the first six months. The
commission will also receive a more comprehensive evaluation after the year-long project. This
will occur in FY09 and is part of that proposed work plan. The other use of force policies not
related to Tasers will also be part of next year’s work.
C. Family Violence Committee
The Family Violence Committee was created to undertake the review of police responses to
domestic violence disturbances. This committee was originally formed during last year’s work
plan. Three policies that this committee decided to review were the domestic
violence/restraining orders, child abuse, and sexual assault. Following several discussions with
community stakeholders, including the Domestic Violence Council and the Child Advocacy
Center, a Domestic Violence (DV) modifier was established for officers to use when writing
reports on domestic disturbance calls. This will help the department keep track of the number of
family violence calls and monitor any trends in repeat offenses. In February, this committee
convened for the last time. They offered their support to the department for future work on
family violence should the need arise. They also asked for periodic status reports on the number
of domestic disturbance disputes reported.
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III. Challenges
A. Membership Changes
The Police Commission experienced a fairly significant change of membership and staff this
year. Members with a long-term history on the commission who served since its inception have
departed, leaving the commission with new faces and new ideas. Four of those original members
completed two four-year terms: John Brown, Maurie Denner, Carla Newbre and Angie
Sifuentez. Four new members joined the commission on November 1: Brooke Dodge (position
3), Timothy Mueller (position 8), Juan Carlos Valle (position 2) and Marilyn Nelson (completing
the term for position 7). In November, Charlie Zennaché resigned from the commission due to
his appointment to the Circuit Court of Lane County as a Judge, thus Ms. Nelson was appointed
to complete his term. Also in November Hugh Massengill, liaison from the Human Rights
Commission, finished his term and was replaced by Mary Otten. However, just before the end of
this fiscal year, the commission learned that Mary would be leaving the commission due to
scheduling conflicts. A new Human Rights Commission liaison will be selected in the next
month. Because of the change of membership, new leadership was chosen. Joe Alsup was
elected as Vice Chair, effective July 1, and Tamara Miller was elected Chair, effective
November 1.
In addition, Jeannine Parisi, staff liaison to the commission for the past eight years, left the
commission for a one-year position in another city department (and later left the organization).
Randi Zimmer replaced Ms. Parisi as the staff liaison to the commission on October 22, 2007.
B. Work Plan Adjustments
Two new work sessions planned for this year’s plan did not reach completion. The In-Car Video
(ICV) one-year evaluation was delayed due to persistent technology problems. Staff estimates
that a full year of the project implementation will probably not be reached before fall 2008.
Also, plans for a joint meeting between the Police Commission and the Civilian Review Board
(CRB) were delayed. Following attempts to plan a joint meeting, staff of the CRB decided to
delay this work session until more urgent issues were available to discuss. However, the Police
Commission is provided with monthly updates from the CRB via their liaison at regular Police
Commission meetings.
In December, the commission revisited its work plan in an attempt to balance existing
commitments with new priorities. New members were also asked to choose committees on
which to participate. A month-by-month schedule was organized to ensure enough time was
spent on each of the work plan’s projects. No major changes were made during this discussion
except for a suggestion to add a new committee on the special needs population and their
interaction with law enforcement. Due to the amount of work yet to be completed, the
commission decided to just hold a scoping meeting on the topic this year, and include it as a
committee for FY09. The scoping meeting was held in March and was well-received by several
community members who participated in an open discussion.
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2008 Police Commission Annual Report
IV. Next Steps
The commission held a process session and work planning meeting in May, in large part to
trouble-shoot any procedural issues and emphasize commission processes deemed beneficial.
One central theme emerged during the day regarding policy review. Because of the time-
intensive work on the Mental Health Crisis Response Committee (which, in large part, was a
result of an emerging issue) and extensive research on the draft Taser policy, work on the Policy
Screening and Review Committee was scaled back. However, upon completion of these two
major projects, the commission devoted more time to policy review in June. Several policies
that the department will be revising were reviewed by the committee, including governance
policies, child abuse, and mental illness. The committee decided to focus on child abuse and
mental illness as those were of highest importance to community values.
The second theme revolved around how to better engage the public in the Police Commission’s
work and activities. To remedy this concern, the commission suggested the creation of a Public
Outreach Committee. As part of this committee, the commission hopes to hold regular public
forums and community events to work collaboratively with the public and encourage community
policing.
The Police Commission continues its commitment to maintaining a highly productive and
effective policy body that seeks continual improvement and addresses urgent issues affecting the
community as they arise. The commission has pledged to maintain its transparency as a public
body by soliciting public input at every meeting and while working on policy changes. As
described in this Annual Report, the commission has shown due diligence in meeting its work
plan objectives from FY08 and successfully contributed to policy recommendations that will
directly affect the community at large.
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ATTACHMENT B
City of Eugene
POLICE COMMISSION
FY 2009 Work Plan
Proposal to be Adopted July 28, 2008
777 Pearl St, Room 107 Eugene, Oregon 97401
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(541) 682-5852 FAX (541) 682-8395
?
www.eugene-or.gov/policecommission
Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
POLICE COMMISSION MEMBERS
Tamara Miller, Chair Ann-Marie Lemire
Joe Alsup, Vice Chair Tim Mueller
John Ahlen Marilyn Nelson
Councilor Mike Clark Mary Otten
Brooke Dodge Councilor Betty Taylor
Charles Hare Juan Carlos Valle
For more information on the Police Commission, please contact:
Randi Zimmer, Police Commission Analyst
Phone: (541) 682-5852 E-Mail: randi.m.zimmer@ci.eugene.or.us
www.eugene-or.gov/policecommission
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
Background
The Eugene Police Commission is a twelve-member volunteer body that acts in an advisory capacity to
the City Council, the Chief of Police and the City Manager on police policy and resource issues. The
commission’s enabling ordinance, adopted in December of 1998, requires that it develop a yearly work
plan for City Council review and approval. Work plans follow a July 1 – June 30 Fiscal Year (FY)
schedule. Major accomplishments over the past six years include:
?Media access policy recommendations (FY02)
?Recommendations for next steps in community policing implementation (FY02)
?Vehicle pursuit policy review (FY03)
?Recommendations to reduce speeding and red light running (FY03)
?Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and related policy review (FY04)
?Report on strategies to improve police and community interactions (FY04)
?Social Security Number policy development (FY05)
?Complaint handling and civilian oversight recommendations (FY05 - 06)
?Patrol In-Car Video policy development (FY06)
?Assistance with oversight model implementation (FY06 – 07)
?Recommendations for a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and related steering committee (FY08)
?Draft policy on Tasers (FY08)
The Police Commission went through several changes during the beginning of FY08. Several
members with a long-term history on the commission who served since its inception ended their terms,
leaving the new commissioners to complete projects that previous members created. In addition, a
change in staff added to the complexity of this fiscal year’s changes. However, with the help of
residing members, the new commissioners quickly jumped onboard and took ownership of the work
laid out for them.
The projects proposed for the commission’s FY09 Work Plan are described in more detail in the
following sections. A Gantt chart showing tasks associated with these projects and estimated timelines
is also attached. An annual report, documenting the group’s achievements and challenges encountered
in meeting its work plan commitments, is provided separately.
FY09 Work Plan Tasks and Procedural Objectives
Work Plan Objectives
The Police Commission’s work plan is divided into the following main components: a) Police Long-
Term Staffing Plan; b) Committee Projects; c) Work Sessions and Information Items.
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
A. Police Long-Term Staffing Plan
This item is carried over from the 2008 fiscal year’s work plan, however, much of the ground work has
been completed. An in-depth review of the Magellan Staffing Study by the Police Commission
occurred between February-June 2008. These discussions entailed assessing the assumptions made in
the study regarding the amount of staffing needed to maintain a basic policing service level. Several
police division managers presented information and statistics to the Police Commission during their
monthly meetings. During the May 3 Police Commission work planning session, the long-term
staffing plan was chosen as a possible topic to be continued through the FY09 Work Plan.
At the June 2008 Police Commission meeting (last meeting of the 2008 fiscal year) the Police
Commission focused on specific next steps to take with the long-term staffing plan. The
commissioners decided to aid in the facilitation of a community conversation on police service levels,
as well as formulate policy recommendations around ongoing staffing decisions.
The following tasks are suggested to assist the department in the development of a long-term staffing
plan:
?Develop a public report that summarizes the history of staffing at EPD to include draft
findings and options for future solutions
?Develop a public opinion survey to evaluate the root causes of low police staffing and
use as a recommendation to prioritize the FY10 budget
B. Committee Projects
Four main committees were suggested during the May 3 Process Retreat for inclusion in the FY09
Work Plan: Policy Screening and Review Committee, Special Needs Populations Committee, a Public
Outreach Committee, and the carried-over Use of Force Committee. The Policy Screening and Review
Committee (PSRC) was originally created as a ‘Policy Screening Team’ in FY08. This was designed
as a multi-year effort to assist in updating the police policy manual, utilizing the Lexipol structure as
the framework for a comprehensive policy review process. During the past fiscal year, the commission
reviewed the domestic violence policy and helped with the development of a Taser Pilot Project policy.
The newly transformed PSRC will review prioritized policies to be revised, as well as assist in the
development of new policy topics. During the last fiscal year, the Police Commission was briefed on
the policy development process and will use this protocol when working on this committee. Some of
the policies the Policy Screening and Review Committee has chosen to review in FY09 (from both the
May 3 process retreat discussion and from staff recommendations) include:
?Mentally Ill policy
?Crowd Control policy
?Missing Persons policy
?Child Abuse policy
?Medical Marijuana policy (new)
?Limited English Proficiency Services (new)
?Hearing-Impaired/Disabled Communications (new)
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
?Other Use of Force policies
Second, the Special Needs Population Committee was proposed following a scoping meeting that took
place in March 2008. Several Police Commissioners and members of the public participated in a
dialogue to assess the community’s interests in this topic, and what a full committee might entail for
FY09. Interest in this area was a result of the work completed by the Police Commission’s Mental
Health Crisis Response Committee from FY08. In addition, many of the new commissioners took an
interest in an effort to look at police interactions with people who have special needs or disabilities.
Activities for such a committee may include:
?Hold panels with stakeholders from various organizations to discuss issues
?Identify needs from different populations
???Develop recommendations and present findings to the Police Commission
?Strategize next steps to include possible work with other stakeholders to assist in the
implementation of recommendations
Third, a committee on Public Outreach was created with great interest by commission members. The
charge of this committee is to better engage the community with police operations and solicit public
input. The first meeting of the committee would be to identify outreach events that would be
beneficial to both the department and citizens. These events may include seminars, public education,
media opportunities and public forums.
Lastly, a carried-over committee on the review of force policies will continue in FY09, the Use of
Force Committee. Last fiscal year the commission spent significant time researching and
recommending findings on a policy for Tasers. With the pilot project underway, now the commission
will use this committee’s time to examine the other eight policies in the Police Operations Manual that
deal with use of force. Note: this is separate from the work of the Policy Screening and Review
Committee. The commission decided to devote a separate committee on this work due to the
complexity of the topic and the amount of work required.
C. Work Sessions and Information Items
Work sessions are scheduled periodically to provide opportunities for information sharing and
discussion of public safety issues that do not necessarily require Police Commission action. Issues the
commission has a continuing interest in will be included every year. The commission has limited the
number of work sessions to those of highest priority to conserve meeting time and enable some
flexibility to address emerging issues. The following work sessions are planned for FY09:
???Patrol facility recommendations
???Joint meeting with the Civilian Review Board (October/November)
?Participation in EPD's Prevention Convention (October)
?Recommendations for legislation on hate crimes ( January-June)
???One-year evaluation of Taser Pilot Project results (April/May)
?Joint meeting with the Human Rights Commission (February/March)
?Tour neighborhood safety stations (March-May)
?Police auditor annual report presentation (May/June)
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
?Internal Affairs case statistics (June)
?Hate Crimes Conference (partner with the Human Rights Commission and ongoing)
The commission intends to continue its review of quarterly strategic plan status reports and other
related activities to stay informed of the organizational changes underway to align department hiring,
supervision and management practices with contemporary industry standards.
Procedural Objectives
The Police Commission experienced a significant transition of its membership and staff last fiscal year.
The group welcomed six new members and elected a new Chair and Vice-Chair. Some specific
procedural objectives for FY09 are to:
???Support the leadership team with appropriate level of responsibilities
???Maintain a highly qualified, dedicated and balanced membership
?Identify opportunities for team-building to establish positive working relationships and
facilitate group cohesiveness (annual process retreat)
?Continue outreach, information sharing, and collaboration with the Human Rights
Commission and the Civilian Review Board on issues of mutual interest
?Utilize the roles of both commission liaisons (one CRB member and one HRC member)
to stay on track with other department business
As a result of the commission’s recent process session, the commission agreed to address a series of
procedural issues with suggestions for improvement. This work will take place in conjunction
with upcoming Police Commission meetings. One of the main objectives members shared an interest
in is to strengthen the relationship between the Civilian Review Board and the Police
Commission. Suggested actions include attending CRB meetings on a semi-regular basis, scheduling a
joint meeting close to the beginning of the fiscal year, and a regular, in-depth report of the CRB
meetings provided by the liaison. Another procedural issue of interest is the lack of follow-up to
public comment. Some suggestions for improvement include keeping better track of what is said
during public comment at the meetings and capture speakers' thoughts so they can be contacted at a
later time. Some of these issues can even be relayed to other pertinent City boards or commissions if
they extend beyond the Police Commission's purview.
Work Plan Outcomes
Increase communications between police and the community, leading to a
OUTCOME 1.
greater understanding of the preferred policing alternatives for the city.
In FY09, the Police Commission will:
?
?
Provide a forum for community dialogue on current issues in law enforcement, to include:
?[Tentative] A public discussion on the issues related to long-term police staffing and
offering a public survey for citizens in the community to address their needs
???Monthly Internal Affairs case summaries and annual complaint statistics reports
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
?Progress of the civilian oversight system via periodic status updates from the police
auditor and the Civilian Review Board liaison, and review of annual police auditor
reports
?Regular updates from the Human Rights Commission liaison and participation in joint
meetings/activities
?
Through open meetings and public forums:
?Solicit public input on proposed policy recommendations and involve interested
community members in the decision-making process
???Increase accessibility of police department staff to the community
?Inform the public on standard police practices and new procedures to increase the
transparency of police operations
OUTCOME 2. Identify police policy and resource issues related to preferred policing alternatives.
In FY09, the Police Commission will:
?
Determine best practices for police response to people with disabilities and special needs in our
community and specify the critical services needed to support improved police intervention strategies
?
Allow the public to be provided with a thorough analysis of the first year data collected from the
Taser Pilot Project, and ensure the community's input was considered by the department in the future
decisions of the Taser policy
Decrease misunderstandings regarding the nature of adopted police policies,
OUTCOME 3.
practices and approaches.
In FY09, the Police Commission will:
?
Assist the Police Department in a comprehensive review and update of its policy manual, ensuring
that policies under modification that may be of particular community interest are vetted in a public
meeting setting
??
Present the results of the commission’s analyses and recommendations to the community, using
news releases, the Web site, status reports to City Council, distribution of reports to stakeholders and
participants, and other mechanisms as appropriate
??
Respond to emerging issues by scheduling topic-specific work sessions and requesting information
updates from staff
??
Network with other organizations and constituencies to increase collaboration and information
sharing on topics of mutual interest
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
Provide input on police policies that reflect community values.
OUTCOME 4.
In FY09, the Police Commission will:
?
Review and make appropriate revisions on a mental illness policy that reflects the needs and values
considered by the Mental Health Crisis Response Committee
?
In conjunction with the Special Needs Populations Committee, recommend new policies related to
police response to people with disabilities
?
Monitor the application of policies that were previously amended by the commission through
annual reports and/or information requests to staff
Assist the City Council in balancing community priorities and resources
OUTCOME 5.
by advising it on police resource issues.
In FY09, the Police Commission will:
?
Continue its in-depth analysis of the department’s long-term staffing issues and facilitate a
community conversation about the study’s implications and priorities for police service levels
?
Develop recommendations to the City Council about a long-term staffing plan
?
Review and comment on the FY10 budget proposal to assist decision-makers in aligning resource
allocations with community priorities
As outlined above, the tasks proposed for this year’s work plan are clearly aligned with the Police
Commission’s role and objectives as described in its charter. The group has continued to be forward-
thinking in crafting its work plans while responding to issues of local interest. New projects including
police response to people with disabilities, ways to engage the public in a formal outreach process, and
the assessment of a long-term staffing plan are contemporary policing issues comparable to those
under review in other police agencies around the country. Also, a rigorous review and revision of the
POM will better incorporate changing community values that should be reflected in daily police
operations.
The projects detailed in this work plan are designed to help ensure a thorough, deliberative review of
important issues in our community that deserve the attention of the Police Commission. One major
carried-over activity, to assist the City Council in its consideration of a police long-term staffing plan,
is a significant undertaking as proposed. The commission hopes to work collaboratively with the City
Council, department staff, and community stakeholders in the best way possible to address this critical
public safety issue. The specific tasks suggested for this work plan item should better support the
interpretation of the Magellan Staffing Study to help guide informed discussions and develop an
appropriate recommendation to Council. These new and ongoing projects make for a full and
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Eugene Police Commission
FY09 Work Plan
ambitious work plan. However, the Police Commission will accommodate work plan changes as
directed by the City Council or as necessary to respond to emerging community concerns.
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