Title
Recommendation to Approve Staff's Approach to Developing a City of Alameda Race and Equity Action Plan for the Organization, including Joining the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). (City Manager 2110)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At the July 28, 2020 City Council meeting, City Council adopted a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. This resolution included direction to staff to develop initial and ongoing actions to address this crisis. Staff has initiated a proposed process to develop a comprehensive Race and Equity Action Plan for the City of Alameda (City) including joining the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) and working with the organization, Fair and Impartial Policing, LLC (FIP). Further, Staff is exploring the possibility of joining the Alameda County District Attorney's 3-D Alternative to Arrest Pilot Program, which is designed to provide law enforcement the ability to link applicable individuals to behavioral health services as an alternative to arrest. Staff will continue to develop partnerships as well as work with the newly formed community-led Steering Committee and taskforce committees to develop and implement the Race and Equity Action Plan.
BACKGROUND
Since June 2020, the City Council and a City Council committee have met several times to discuss issues related to systemic racism. At the July 28 2020 meeting, City Council adopted a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis.
This declaration recognizes that racism causes persistent discrimination and disparate outcomes in many areas of life, including housing, education, employment and criminal justice and can be a social determinant of health, including possible worsened health outcomes. The resolution also acknowledges that communities of color and specifically Black communities have borne the burden of inequitable social, environmental, economic, and criminal justice systems and th...
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