HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/23/2020 - RESOLUTION 2020-060 ESTABLISHING AN AD HOC COMMUNIAgenda Item 3
Item # 3 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY June 23, 2020
City Council
STAFF
Ginny Sawyer, Policy and Project Manager
SUBJECT
Resolution 2020-060 Establishing an Ad Hoc Community Impact Committee to Develop Policy, Funding and
Program Recommendations to Ensure a Safe and Equitable Community for All.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to establish a Council Ad Hoc committee to address recent national and local
concerns and initiatives calling for reallocation of budget dollars from traditional police services, consider
desired trends for the 2021 budget, and ensure the City is creating an environment that provides safety and
equality for all residents. The Committee’s scope of work will be determined and defined in initial meetings.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
A desire to ensure and maintain equitable and inclusive policing has been expressed by community members
particularly concerned about systemic racism and the unique role Police Services plays in interfacing with
community members.
As part of that effort, some residents have stated a desire to analyze the City’s overall budget for opportunities
to potentially shift some police services funding to support community engagement, programming, and social
health initiatives.
Council is receiving hundreds of emails requesting a review of police use of force policies and accountability as
well as questioning the proper role and responsibility of the police department versus other departments.
Utilizing an ad hoc committee would lend additional focus to:
• Determine the best way to achieve a safe community for all.
• Provide recommendations to Council for the 2021 budget cycle.
• Review Police Department higher-level performance indicators.
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RESOLUTION 2020-060
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ESTABLISHING AN AD HOC COMMUNITY IMPACT COMMITTEE
TO DEVELOP POLICY, FUNDING AND PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE
A SAFE AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY FOR ALL
WHEREAS, a safe community requires open communication, diverse perspectives, and
a foundation built on trust; and
WHEREAS, the recent deaths of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and
Ahmaud Arbery are part of a long history of violence perpetrated against black individuals in this
country, including by law enforcement officials who dishonored their oath to protect all people;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the role local government has played in
contributing to systemic racism and the responsibility of local government to partner with others
to dismantle it; and
WHEREAS, thousands of people locally and nationally are protesting the patterns of
systemic and institutional racism that are all too often a matter of life and death for black and
indigenous people and other people of color; and
WHEREAS, that national attention is focusing on this issue against the backdrop of a
global pandemic that is disproportionately affecting people of color, especially black lives, in
terms of infection rates, fatalities, unemployment, housing stability, and more; and
WHEREAS, the United States Constitution ensures the right of peaceful assembly, and
forms of protest have served as powerful calls to action and have effected meaningful change
throughout our nation’s history; and
WHEREAS, the Council and the City of Fort Collins organization, including Fort
Collins Police Services, share the desire for an end to police brutality, to foster a police culture
invested in trust and accountability, and to create an equitable, inclusive community where
people of color feel safe; and
WHEREAS, everyone who lives in Fort Collins deserves a police department that is
caring, professional and that listens and responds to the needs of its community; and
WHEREAS, every community member has the opportunity and responsibility to listen
to, learn from, and act in support of those in our community who are most impacted by racial
inequities; and
WHEREAS, in light of the shared concern that has been expressed by community
members and City officials alike about systemic racism and the unique role Police Services plays
in interfacing with community members, the Council desires to take intentional action to ensure
and maintain equitable and inclusive policing, community engagement, programming, and social
health initiatives through community services; and
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WHEREAS, the Council desires to create an ad hoc Council Committee to carry out the
following efforts:
• Develop recommendations for ways to enhance and achieve a safe and equitable
community for all through examining policy initiatives, police operations and
other municipal programs and services;
• Provide recommendations to Council for the 2021 budget cycle in furtherance of
these objectives; and.
• Review higher-level performance indicators for Police Services and other related
programs and services to improve the measurement of success in providing a
safe and equitable community for all; and
WHEREAS, the Council acknowledges that prompt action by the Committee will be
required in order for the Committee’s work to inform budget decisions by the City Manager and
City Council for the 2021 budget.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the City Council hereby appoints ________________,
_______________ and ____________________ to serve as the ad hoc Community Impact
Committee.
Section 2. It is Council’s intent that the ad hoc Community Impact Committee will
develop and carry out a work plan to accomplish the purposes set forth in this Resolution, with
staff assistance and informed by input from the Citizen Review Board, Human Relations
Commission, and other City and community advisory bodies as appropriate, as well as by input
from throughout the community, especially people of color.
Section 3. The foregoing Committee appointments shall extend through [date],
unless sooner terminated by Council action or vacation of office.
Passed and adopted at an adjourned meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins
this 23rd day of June, A.D. 2020.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk