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Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
November 29, 2017
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka (via phone), Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark,
Greg Evans, Chris Pryor
Councilors Absent: Claire Syrett
Mayor Vinis opened the November 29, 2017, Work Session of the Eugene City Council.
1. WORK SESSION: 21A Century Policing
Interim Assistant City Manager Kristie Hammit introduced Charles Ramsey and Sean Smoot, with
21st Century Policing LLC who are working with the City of Eugene on community justice
strategies. They presented findings from the 21st Century Policing Task Force Report.
Council Discussion
• There are unique issues in Eugene, including homelessness and mental illness that increased
100 percent over the past decade.
• Creating a partnership with community when there are split community values is a dilemma.
• Emphasis should be on "just" procedures and the spectrum of what is fair and just. Desired
goal is that people are being treated fairly and with respect.
• Important to put more focus on helping officers understand the power and authority they
have been granted.
• Important for officers to know and understand the community, whether they reside in it or not.
• Policing in Eugene has improved dramatically, but additional work is needed. A more robust,
engaged partnership with communities of color and other marginalized communities is needed.
• Greater access to diversity and equity training for officers is needed.
• To make progress, need to see policing through the eyes of those being policed.
• For officers responding to an incident, it is important to not only be engaged in the event
itself, but also to address the reaction that comes after the incident.
• Explore outcomes of "can do" vs. "should do" and how to tangibly affect change.
• Have to make a plan to build on and continue to move forward.
• Engaging frequently with youth at every age is important,
The meeting adjourned at 1:34 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elen D mmgo
Deputy City Recorder
MINUTES — Eugene City November 29, 2017 Page 1
Work Session