HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2F:Approval of Police Commission Fy14-15 Work Plan
ECC
UGENE ITY OUNCIL
AIS
GENDA TEM UMMARY
Approval of Police Commission FY 2014 – 2015 Work Plan
Meeting Date: July 22, 2013 Agenda Item Number: 2F
Department: Eugene Police Department Staff Contact: Carter Hawley
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5852
ISSUE STATEMENT
Pursuant to Ordinance 20398, the Police Commission is submitting its work plan and proposed
mission for review and approval by the City Council for FY 2014 – FY 2015.
BACKGROUND
Annually, the City Council reviews and approves the work plan and mission for the Eugene Police
Commission. This work plan was transmitted to the City Council in its mail on July 3, asking for
questions or comments about the work plan. One question was received related to the process for
approval and has been answered. Because no substantive questions were received, the work plan
is scheduled to be considered and approved on the consent calendar for the July 22 meeting.
The attached work plan covers two years, which provides the Police Commission a longer time
frame to plan and accomplish its work. The commission will continue to provide annual reports
and seek approval from the City Council on an annual basis, and seek that approval in the context
of the attached two-year plan.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
Ordinance 20398 requires that the Police Commission submit its work plan and proposed mission
for review and approval by the City Council.
COUNCIL OPTIONS
The Council may:
1.Approve the work plan on the consent calendar.
2.Remove the item from the consent calendar and make changes to the Police Commission’s
work plan.
3.Defer action to a later date
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Police Commission work plan as submitted.
S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130722\S1307222F.docx
SUGGESTED MOTION
I move to approve the FY2014–FY2015 Police Commission Work Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
A. FY 2014-FY 2015 Work Plan
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Carter Hawley
Telephone: 541-682-5852
Staff E-Mail: carter.r.hawley@ci.eugene.or.us
S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130722\S1307222F.docx
ATTACHMENT A
CITY OF EUGENE
POLICE COMMISSION
FY 2014 – FY 2015 WORK PLAN
And FY 2013 ANNUAL REPORT
Police Commission Members
Kaitlyn Lange, Chair James Manning
Tamara Miller, Vice Chair George Rode
Mike Clark, City Councilor Claire Syrett, City Councilor
Jim Garner Joe Tyndall
Linda Hamilton Bob Walker
Jesse Lohrke Juan Carlos Valle
For more information on the Police Commission, please contact:
Carter Hawley, Police Analyst
Phone: (541) 682-5852
carter.r.hawley@ci.eugene.or.us
www.eugene-or.gov/policecommission
Police Commission Mission Statement
The Eugene Police Commission recommends to the City Council, the City Manager, the Eugene
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 between the community and the Eugene Police Department that helps
achieve safety, justice and freedom for all people in Eugene.
Police Commission Goals
As outlined in Ordinance 20398, the objectives of the Eugene Police Commission are to:
1) Increase communications between police and the community, leading to a greater
understanding of the preferred policing alternatives for this city;
2) Identify police policy and resource issues related to preferred policing alternatives;
3) Decrease misunderstandings regarding the nature of adopted police policies, practices and
approaches;
4) Provide input on police policies and procedures that reflect community values; and
5) Assist the city council in balancing community priorities and resources by advising it on police
resource issues.
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 five years include the following highlights:
Recommendations on several significant policies including Mental Health Crisis Response and
Communication with People with Disabilities (FY 2009)
Development of a Public Outreach Committee to strengthen the relationship between the
public and the Police Department (FY 2009)
Developed recommendations on all force-related policies including the Taser policy (FY 2011)
Reviewed and made recommendations on the downtown exclusion zone ordinance (FY 2011)
Worked with community around closure of Monroe Street Public Safety Station (FY 2012)
Conducted community survey to determine public perception of Eugene Police Department
(FY 2012)
Reviewed and made recommendations on police policies related to search and seizure, use of
canine, vehicle pursuits and holding facilities (FY 2012)
Developed Outreach Toolkit to document efforts taken with closure of Monroe Street Station,
and to provide template to facilitate community outreach on subsequent projects (FY 2012)
Conducted an anonymous survey of EPD employees to ascertain department’s understanding
of Police Commission and its work (FY 2013)
Held State of Public Safety Forum for the community (FY 2013)
Changes in the Police Commission Work Plan
Annual to Biannual Work Plan
At two successive Police Commission annual retreats, the commission discussed and ultimately
decided to develop a biannual work plan, covering the next two fiscal years. The Commission
recommends that it develops a two year plan to submit to the City Council for review, comment and
approval. This allows the Commission to identify work that is longer in scope than can easily be
conducted or described in a twelve month plan. Consistent with the Ordinance 20398, the Police
FY 2014 – FY 2015 Police Commission Work Plan
Commission will continue to submit to the City Council an annual report, drawn from the biannual
report created every two years.
Reduction in the Commission Committees
In the recent past there have been two committees that have effectively served as standing
committees, because their work has continued over numerous fiscal years. To increase the efficiency
and focus of the Commission, and to work within available staff resources, the Commission will be
eliminating these two committees. The changes in structure and the underlying work is described
below.
1) Outreach and Resources Committee: The work of this committee is largely project based,
developing the outreach strategies related to specific issues that arise within the commission.
When no project is imminent, the committee has sought to improve the outreach practices of
the Commission. Past work has included neighborhood outreach for the Monroe Street
Station, oversight of a community and department survey to assess trust and understanding
of the Police Commission and Department, development of an outreach toolkit, and
development and completion of a State of Public Safety Forum. If outreach efforts are
needed for a specific work item, an ad hoc, task- and time-specific committee may be sought.
2) Policy Screening and Review: This committee has worked with EPD staff in the review and
public comment process for a major review and update of the EPD internal policy manual.
While the department’s review is not complete, it was determined that this is a major piece of
work of the full commission. The Commission will be modifying its meeting schedule, similar
to City Council meetings, to provide time during their monthly meeting to serve as a work
session, to review and comment on the policies. This change is proposed to increase the
input and engagement from the full Commission on this important work, and to provide the
public and staff in attendance at the full Commission meetings better access to the full
breadth and depth of the discussion on the policies being reviewed.
Shift in Focus
The Commission is seeking to shift the focus of the Police Commission. The intent is to focus more
on the issues related to the Police Department that are of the greatest community concern. At its
retreat in May 2013, a list of issues was raised that are of great community concern. To allow for the
most meaningful issues to be addressed by the Commission, the Commission intends to quarterly
review its upcoming work and select items from its list of community issues to address in the
upcoming quarter. The work specific tasks related to any issue may differ, but in all cases the work
will be designed to meet the Commission’s goals, as listed above. The work on a specific issue may
involve community forums, panels, a review of relevant policies or practices, or presentations from
subject-area experts. In all cases, a specific desired outcome will be identified at the outset to assure
the Commission remains focused on the goals of the specific work item.
Shift in Structure
In order to accommodate the work previously done by the Policy Committee, the Commission will hold
a work session at the beginning of each meeting, to review and provide comments on the internal
EPD policies. The balance of the meeting will be dedicated to the community issues identified in this
plan, and scheduled quarterly, to assure the Commission is addressing the most relevant community
issue as possible.
FY 2014 – FY 2015 Police Commission Work Plan
Community Issues to be Considered
Listed below is a preliminary list of issues to be considered by the Police Commission for further work.
After each item is a brief summary of the kinds of information that will be considered and discussed.
Further details will be developed as the items are scheduled and a more thorough work plan is
developed.
1) Information on police contacts with different demographics and the data needed to assess
2) Serving immigrant populations
3) Services and public safety issues related to homelessness
4) Police services in light of budget
5) Crime reduction in light of jail, prison and court cuts
6) Use of force
7) Constitutional privacy – drones and automatic license readers
8) Eugene Police Department policies
9) Advocacy for public safety resources
10) Police budget allocation and grants
11) Strategy public safety funding
12) Police training manual
13) Responding to emerging issues
Quarterly, the Police Commission will discuss these issues and any emerging issues and determine
which issue will be addressed next, what the specific goal for the Commission’s involvement, and
work plan to accomplish the goals for that work item.
Attached to this work plan is a report of the Commission’s activities and achievements during FY
2013.
FY 2014 – FY 2015 Police Commission Work Plan
FY 2013 Year End Report
Police Commission Goals
As spelled out in the adopted bylaws, the Police Commission has five goals, which guide the
Commission’s annual work activities. The FY 2013 work plan is organized along the goals. Under
each goal are the proposed work plan items that the Commission will work on during FY 2013.
Following each objective, a status is listed recounting the Commission’s work on that item
through June 30, 2012.
Goal 1 – Ensure that the policies and procedures of the Eugene Police Department protect the civil
rights and liberties of everyone in Eugene.
Work Plan Objective 1.1 – Through continued Policy Screening and Review Committee,
review policies to assure policies protect civil rights and liberties of everyone, including
development of policies to address the safety of people in custody, and what to do with people
in custody turned away from the Jail. Status: Reviewed policy of safety of people in
custody. Department has not developed policy related to what to do with people turned
away from the jail.
Work Plan Objective 1.2 – Convene community groups to review domestic violence policies to
assure the policies are effective, and protect the rights and liberties of everyone. Status: Held
discussion at January and March Police Commission meetings. Received
recommendations on changes.
Goal 2 – Promote policing that respects and reflects Eugene’s rich culture and diversity
Work Plan Objective 2.1 – Hold a student forum on the campus at the University of Oregon to
solicit ideas and input from students. Status: University of Oregon requested that the
forum be deferred, as the timing conflicted with forums held by UO regarding the
arming of the new police department. Alternatives have been considered for next year.
Work Plan Objective 2.2 – Through continued Policy Screening and Review Committee,
review proposed EPD policies as they are converted to the new LEXIPOL format, to assure
they reflect and respect Eugene’s rich culture and diversity. Status: The Policy and Review
Committee has reviewed and provided comments on the following policies: Code of
Conduct, Social Security, Park Use Regulations, Civil Disputes, Person Stops, Trespass
Letters.
Goal 3 – Increase communications, understanding and trust between police and the people in Eugene
Work Plan Objective 3.1 – Through forums and panels proposed for FY 2013, increase
communication and understanding and trust between police and the people in Eugene.
Status: A State of Public Safety Forum is scheduled for June 27.
Work Plan Objective 3.2 – Develop better way to respond to public comments in meetings, to
improve sense of Commission engagement and response to public comments.Status: The
topic has been referred to the Public Outreach Committee.
FY 2014 – FY 2015 Police Commission Work Plan
Work Plan Objective 3.3 – Coordinate joint meetings with the Citizen Review Board and
Human Rights Commission to increase mutual understanding and trust. Status: A joint
meeting was held with the Civilian Review Board in September. A joint meeting is
scheduled for May 29 with the Human Rights Commission to discuss alternatives to the
Downtown Public Safety Zone.
Goal 4 – Encourage problem solving and partnerships between people, neighborhoods and other
agencies and police
Work Plan Objective 4.1 – Organize and hold a community panel on the State of Public
Safety. Status: This Panel will be held June 27. Invited panelists include the District
Attorney, Municipal Court Presiding Judge, Eugene Police Chief, Director of St. Vincent
de Paul’s, Police Auditor, and Lane County Sheriff.
Work Plan Objective 4.2 – Pursue including hate crimes work in with Gang Symposium
scheduled in Fall 2012. Status: Met with planners of the Gang Symposium in July, and
due in part to feedback from the Police Commission, the Symposium facilitator selected
had significant expertise and experience in hate crimes. The definition of “gang” was
created to include gangs which engage in hate crimes.
Goal 5 – Provide fair opportunities for the public and criminal justice professionals to comment and
participate in the commission’s work recognizing the interconnectedness of the criminal justice system
Work Plan Objective 5.1 – Coordinate and organize a panel to discuss the State of Public
Safety, to garner community support Status: This Panel will be held June 27. Panelists
include the District Attorney, Municipal Court Presiding Judge, Eugene Police Chief,
Director of St. Vincent de Paul’s, Police Auditor, and Lane County Sheriff.
Work Plan Objective 5.2 – Through community discussions about domestic violence, and
participation in the gang symposium, provide opportunities for the public to comment about
these aspects of criminal justice. Status: Held discussion at January and March Police
Commission meetings. Received recommendations on changes.
An additional priority objective was developed regarding reviewing resources, meeting schedules and
balancing the priorities of the Commission. While this does not fit in the adopted Commission goals,
in FY 2013 it will be critical for the Commission to continually review and assess its priorities and
resources. The Police Department has redirected staff resources from the Police Commission to
perform duties formerly completed by vacant positions. Up to approximately 510 hours of staff time
are available and can be contributed to the Commission’s work plan. Status: Fewer committee
meetings and abbreviated minutes have helped reduce the staff time demands for the Police
Commission. Continued review and assessment of commission priorities and resources will
remain critical.
FY 2014 – FY 2015 Police Commission Work Plan