Title
Recommendation to Develop a Work Plan, including Community Dialogue, to Address the Following: 1. Unbundling Services Currently Delivered by the Police Department; 2. Systemic Racism; 3. a Review of Police Department Policies and Practices; 4. Police Department Accountability and Oversight; 5. a Review of Laws that Criminalize Survival; and 6. Other Matters which may be Pertinent, including Vacancies. (City Manager 2110)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In response to recent national and local events involving police, the City Council is developing a Work Plan to address: 1. unbundling services currently delivered by the Police Department; 2. systemic racism; 3. a review of Alameda Police Department policies and practices; 4. Alameda Police Department accountability and oversight; 5. a review of laws that criminalize survival; and 6. other matters which may be pertinent. The Special Meeting is an opportunity for the City Council to continue to discuss these issues, request additional information from staff, and provide direction on the City of Alameda’s (City) approach to addressing these topic areas.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City Council provided specific direction to the City Manager regarding the Police Department’s budget at the June 17 City Council meeting. On the following day, the City Council held a Special Meeting to discuss recent national and local events in the context of policing and systemic racism, and to provide direction regarding Former President Obama’s Mayor’s Pledge and the “8 Can’t Wait” initiative. At the June 18 Special Meeting, City Council also endorsed a framework for future discussions with the community, including the following topic areas:
1. Unbundling Services Currently Delivered by the Police Department
2. Systemic Racism
3. A Review of Police Department Policies and Practices
4. Police Department Accountability and Oversight
5. A Review of Laws that Criminalize Survival
6. Other Matters which may be Pertinent
In order to provide the City Council with optimal flexibility in this discussion, staff has added a sixth topic to the title and body of the report (“Other Matters Which May Be Pertinent”).
Staff is prepared to provide additional information and otherwise support the City Council’s direction in developing the Work Plan, including by not limited to the possibility of creating subcommittees and addressing vacancies.
ALTERNATIVES
Staff recommends that the City Council continue to develop a Work Plan to address, in collaboration with the community, the five topic areas referenced in the report.
The City Council may also consider:
1. Modifying the topics included for discussion in the report;
2. Assigning all (or portions of) the work planning process to staff to bring back to the City Council for discussion/approval; and/or
3. Directing staff to approach these topics differently.
4. Provide clarification on June 16, 2020 budget motion, including staffing.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Since the Work Plan is still being developed, there is no direct financial impact at this time. As the Work Plan takes shape, staff will return to the City Council to request authorization for budget if the funds necessary to implement the Work Plan exceed the City Manager’s signing authority and/or there are insufficient funds available within existing budgets to cover the costs.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Article 7 of the City Charter outlines the City Manager’s authority and responsibility, including oversight of “all officers and employees of the City under his or her jurisdiction” and “administer and execute policies and undertakings formulated by the Council.”
CLIMATE IMPACTS
No climate impacts are anticipated from this action.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15061(b)(3) (common sense exemption).
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council develop a Work Plan, including community dialogue, to address the following: 1. unbundling services currently delivered by the Police Department; 2. systemic racism; 3. a review of Police Department policies and practices; 4. Police Department accountability and oversight; 5. a review of laws that criminalize survival; and 6. other matters which may be pertinent, including vacancies.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager seeks direction on the development of a Work Plan. There was discussion at the City Council meeting regarding potential creation of a specific subcommittees for each area identified with posting to allow for all Council Members the ability to attend to listen to the discussion. If the Council moves forward with that concept, I recommend that we may need to contract out part of that work to ensure that we have adequate staffing for the individual subcommittees.
By: Gerry Beaudin, Assistant City Manager
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager