City Council receives recommendations made by Law Enforcement Policy Task Force and Community Policing Working Group
03/1/2022
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Oklahoma City Council received a report today that includes 39 recommendations focused on de-escalation, community engagement and accountability.
The 85-page report, prepared by consultant 21CP Solutions, is a product of the Law Enforcement Policy Task Force, the Community Policing Working Group and extensive community engagement, including a scientific survey on police services conducted in 2021 by ETC Institute.
The report focused on recommendations on eight topics:
- Law enforcement de-escalation policy
- Independent law enforcement accountability to the community
- Law enforcement training in crisis response
- Alternative response to mental health calls
- Law enforcement focus on youth outreach
- Creation of a neighborhood safety/violence interruption program
- Police officer access to mental health services
- Expansion of law enforcement homeless outreach initiatives
Criminal justice and police reform expert Ganesha Martin with 21CP Solutions has been retained to help guide and implement the recommendations on behalf of Oklahoma City.
“These recommendations will bring significant changes to the Police Department that benefit both the community and our officers,” said Assistant City Manager Kenton Tsoodle. “I am deeply appreciative to the task force and working group that volunteered many hours over the past two years to improve police policies in Oklahoma City. We look forward to the implementation phase.”
The task force’s work is in addition to the law enforcement reforms unanimously adopted as priorities by the Council in a resolution authored by Ward 2 Councilman James Cooper.
Background
Mayor David Holt announced the creation of a Law Enforcement Policy Task Force in 2020, following up on his previous commitment made in response to community concerns about current law enforcement policies
Law Enforcement Policy Task Force and Community Policing Working Group
The members of the Law Enforcement Policy Task Force are:
Members of the Community Policing Working group are:
- Maj. Ron Bacy
- Maj. Vashina Butler
- Pastor James Dunbar
- Grace Franklin
- Police Chief Wade Gourley
- Pastor Michael McDaniel
- Garland Pruitt
- Paula Schonauer
- Tim Tardibono
- Municipal Court Administrator LaShawn Thompson
- Assistant City Manager Kenton Tsoodle (group facilitator)
21CP Solutions
21CP Solutions is a company that helps communities transform the delivery of public safety services. They are former police chiefs, lawyers, social scientists, academics and community leaders who have turned around troubled police departments and renewed the community’s confidence in their agencies.
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Media Contact: Kristy Yager, (405) 297-2550, kristy.yager@okc.gov
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