HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Workshop Agenda Packet 5-03-17SupMay 3, 2017
Falcon Heights Mayor and Council Members,
Since the tragedy of Philando Castile’s death on July 6 2016, our city was awakened to a deeper problem.
Thank you for having the humility to recognize that we needed to do deeper work and creating the task force. Thank
you for your courage to empower 9 individuals with diverse opinions and experiences to investigate and thoroughly
discuss the issues around policing and inclusion. This is a noteworthy charge.
And I also want to thank the task force members, the volunteer co-facilitators, the design team, the note takers and
gatherers of data, the circle keepers, child care volunteers, FH Elementary, FH UCC, city staff, subject matter expert
panelists, and all of the participants of this process. These individuals have served beyond tirelessly.
We’ve explored issues that are challenges being faced throughout the country. What we’ve done here is to attempt
to focus it on how to bring this home to what we can manage in our own city.
You have charged us with the following:
“To articulate, affirm and operationalize our values as a community to be an inclusive and welcoming environment for
residents and guests of Falcon Heights, with an emphasis on policing values, policies and procedures.”
We recognize a need for greater personal responsibility that each community member has to practice our values and
increase inclusivity. This is a vision of mutual transformative change. In the coming weeks you will hear more about
the opportunities to increase inclusivity. I personally call this creating a culture of unity with diversity.
This vision is long term, and the details of how Falcon Heights continues to make this transformative change will be
the work of other community members. We know that growth, understanding, and change can and does happen. A
quick look at what steps the St. Anthony Police Department has taken since last July include the following:
•They and all of Ramsey County agencies have been documenting race data on all stops. All stops reference all
police initiated stops of vehicle, bicycles, pedestrians, etc... In addition to race data, they have included gender,
was a person searched and/or was a vehicle searched.
•They, along with all city staff have completed Anti-Bias Awareness training sponsored by Racial Equity Minnesota
Network. As you are aware, our Falcon Heights and the Lauderdale Cities staff joined in this training.
•This month they will be working with the DOJ and a local police department in bringing Procedural Justice training
as it relates to Use of Force and Officer Safety to our Police Officers.
•In September all police personnel will attend Fair and Impartial Police training. The Office of Community Orientated
Policing Services (COPS Office) has announced they will support the implementation of Fair and Impartial Policing
(FIP) training for the St. Anthony Police Department. The "Fair & Impartial Policing" training program applies the
modern science of bias to policing; it trains officers on the effect of implicit bias and gives them the information
and skills they need to reduce and manage their biases. The curricula addresses, not just racial/ethnic bias, but
biases based on other factors, such as gender, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status and so forth.
•As you know, they have worked with our City Administrator to assess all complaints and stories of police
misconduct lodged by individuals from the broader community.
•They will be rolling out a social media public communication platform in the coming months and have received
technical assistance from the DOJ.
•They are also looking at “lunch with a Cop” opportunities at local schools.
•Police Chief Mangseth has stated that he would like to encourage future community conversations, within Falcon
Heights, that include local law enforcement and the Falcon Heights community leaders, residents and staff. He
believes there has been great value in the community conversations.
Change does happens. We are on that path.
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The recommendations of the task force being presented to you set a direction that seeks to align policing with
community values. These recommendations are not prescriptive detailed proposals, rather they are presented as end
goals with some ideas of how they could be implemented. To better understand these recommendations it is
important to review the Statement of Community Values as they are the fabric of our community.
Sincerely,
Inclusion and Policing Task Force Co-Chairs
Melanie Leehy
Council Member Randy Gustafson
Attachment: Statement of Community Values
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Statement of Community Values
We assert and uphold these values for our community, including residents and guests, in
our relationships with one another and in leadership, service, and policies of city
government (including, but not excluded to, policing on behalf of the city).
Leadership. We aspire to become known for our leadership in creating community
relationships of mutual respect and welcome, for equity in service and responsiveness to
the community, and for working to recognize and heal historic patterns of disparity and
exclusion.
Trust, transparency, and accountability. We value relationships of mutual trust and
honesty in communication among community members and city government. We value
transparency, communication, and respecting diverse perspectives in governance.
Equity and justice. We value protecting and treating all residents and visitors equally and
fairly under the law. We value equity in the provision of public services and in the city’s
response to concerns. We recognize the persistent work we must do, individually and
collectively, to reject and remedy prejudice, bias, and discrimination within individuals, the
community, and in our government and policing.
Welcome and inclusion. We value diversity, welcoming all people with respect and dignity,
and creating authentic relationships that honor our shared humanity despite our
differences. We work to harmonize the needs of all while understanding varied individual
needs. We recognize the need to work together to heal and strengthen our community.
We work to forge strong relationships and have meaningful communication to ensure all
feel welcome.
Educate Selves and Seek Diverse Perspectives: We continually seek out other perspectives
and listen with an open mind. We take time to learn from others and recognize our own
individual implicit biases. We work to think beyond individual values and create a
community beyond oneself.
Take Courageous Action. We value taking individual and collective responsibility to uphold
these values, including having the courage to name and confront problems and to pursue
solutions and healing when these values are not upheld. We recognize that everyone has
the responsibility for being engaged and challenge others when we see or hear hurtful
actions or comments.
Safety: We value safety, including protecting residents and guests from personal harm and
protecting groups from prejudice, discrimination, and hostility.
Drafted by the Falcon Heights Inclusion and Policing Task Force for community discussions in April
and May 2017.
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