Agenda Packets - 2020/06/22 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• Specialty training related to discipline such as the School Resource Officer, Community Outreach Officer, etc. Mounds View takes tremendous pride in our efforts to address racial diversity issues given nearly 30% of our community is comprised of non-white individuals. The Mounds View Police Departments has led this effort thru unprecedented outreach over the past 4 years engaging in more than 30 outreach events each year. New programs include; Daddy Daughter Dance, New Americans Academy, Rock Wall, a Nite to Unite Pre-Party, developing robust relationships with our faith leaders and non-profits, establishing a new position within North East Youth and Family Services providing diversion and mental health versus criminal justice, and hosting Ghana Fest and Ghana Independence Day Celebration. Existing programs include shop with a cop, coffee with a cop, cone with a cop, bowl with a cop, and Nite to Unite; all which continue to provide opportunities for community interaction and relationship building. Additionally, the Mounds View Council has taken the following actions specific to improving community diversity and relationships; 1. Elevated Community Outreach to a primary duty in the Police Chief’s Job Description four years ago. 2. Supported creation of a permanent Community Outreach position in Police Department one year ago with a focus on outreach to multi-family housing where a large portion of our diverse population resides. 3. Support and funding of a second School Resource Officer resulting in outreach programs in both Pinewood Elementary and Edgewood Middle schools. Moving forward we are committed to continuing this leadership. Mounds View PD has a very robust hiring process that includes extensive background checks, a highly rigorous field training officer program, ongoing substantive training, and a zero tolerance for policy violation. The Mounds View Council receives a quarterly verbal and written report from the Police Chief. We are proud of our Police Department. We are outraged at the actions of Derek Chauvin for his senseless act and also for the enormous harm his action has cast upon the extraordinary men and women who make up the Mounds View Police Department and the thousands of officers across this nation who are just like them. In closing, as the discussion turns to reform, the City does not support reactive reform, rather deliberative reform that is evidenced based and contemplates the tremendous diversity of organizations and communities. Meaningful reform provides the requisite tools needed yet provides flexibility to accommodate as the situation warrants determined by the locally elected policy makers.