Title
Reimagining Public Safety Process Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Information only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive briefing on the Reimagining Public Safety process.
Staff Contact:
Stacey Ray, Strategic Planning and Performance Manager, Office of Performance and Innovation, 360.753.8046
Presenter(s):
Stacey Ray, Strategic Planning and Performance Manager
Background and Analysis:
In February 2021, the Olympia City Council approved a community-led process to reimagine public safety for the City, with a goal of producing a public safety system that community members trust is just, equitable, and without bias.
The City launched this process in July 2021 to evaluate and make recommendations for enhancing its public-safety system. While recognizing that many far-reaching societal factors can influence public safety in general, this process looks specifically at the City’s public safety system, including areas like policing, corrections, prosecution, defense, courts, and medical and fire response.
The process is being led by a Community Work Group made up of nine community members who represent a cross-section of Olympia’s demographics, expertise, and experiences. They are dedicated to listening deeply, working collaboratively with each other, and reflecting what they hear from the community.
Continuing through August 2022, the reimagining process will culminate with the Community Work Group delivering a set of recommendations to the City Council for how to ensure the City’s public safety system is based on trust, justice, equity and without bias.
To develop their recommendations, the Community Work Group has been gathering input on how community members experience connecting to the City’s public-safety system, how the system responds to the needs of community members, and how it supports those who are navigating through it and transitioning into the community.
They have been hearing from community members through a series of listening-and-learning sessions, a survey on Engage Olympia, and small focus groups co-hosted with community partners. The project consultant team has also been facilitating a series of listening-and-learning sessions with City staff who work in the public safety system.
The purpose of this agenda item is for staff to provide an and overview and update on the Reimagining Public Safety public engagement process, including an overview of the approach used, early learnings from input gathered thus far, and next steps in the process.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There is broad community member interest in the City hosting a community engagement process to reimagine public safety in Olympia.
Options:
1. Receive the briefing.
2. Do not receive the briefing.
3. Receive the briefing at another time.
Financial Impact:
The City’s approved 2021 Operating Budget included $100,000 to support the Reimagining Public Safety process. Additional funds were not appropriated in the 2022 Operating Budget.
Attachments:
Project Overview
Engage Olympia Hyperlink