pages: CityCouncil/2020-09-15.pdf, 14
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CityCouncil | 2020-09-15 | 14 | Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the proposal hampers or precludes the public process put in place. The City Manager responded the committees are working to bring an interim report back to Council in December; stated assembling the committees took time; one option would be to proceed forward with GARE and research the District Attorney's program; it is not a lengthy time between now and December; a change in dynamic going forward is being created for the organization as a whole; the fair implicit bias training could wait until December and be reviewed by the committees. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft discussed a meeting with District Attorney (DA) O'Malley; stated the training is similar to the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) program; expressed support for Alameda's participation. Councilmember Vella stated that she is generally supportive of the GARE program; expressed concern about the implicit bias training; outlined a National Public Radio (NPR) article related to an implicit bias study at New York University (NYU); stated the training does not necessarily change behavior; a common response in cities looking to change is implicit bias training; outlined concerns stemming from studies; stated implicit bias training can often displace other types of effective training; some Cities can ignore factors, which are external to policing but have greater impacts in overall results; the suggestion has been to find levels of intervention relative to overall office culture and for understanding reasons certain communities have more negative encounters with Police, such as poverty or housing policies that concentrate specific ethnic groups into designated areas becoming crime prone; outlined the bias which exists in the community; stated there are additional policies to review that cause a criminalization of survival; expressed support for holding back on the FIP and allowing the community process take place; stated there is value to GARE specifically because it is more geared at the overall cultural approach; noted that she will need to recuse herself should Council partner with the DA's Office; outlined her experience in representing law enforcement; stated items like the FIP takes away from broader goals; expressed support for the matter being brought forth for Council consideration; stated the timing is Council driven; program specifics can be worked out in the community led process; expressed support for input and feedback from the community led process relative to the types of public meetings being held. Councilmember Oddie stated that he is fine with the GARE program; the process helps center communities of Color on the solutions and bringing forward suggestions; staff has brought forth suggestions for the DA's office and the FIP, which centers institutionalized law enforcement; expressed support for the committee task force solutions being presented instead of Council choosing; stated the Center for Policing Equity looks like a supportive process; Council must take community concerns seriously. Councilmember Daysog stated Police are especially implicated in the discussion about race and equity in Alameda and across the nation; the process leading to the race and Regular Meeting Alameda City Council 11 September 15, 2020 | CityCouncil/2020-09-15.pdf |