Title
Receive and Discuss Reimagining Public Safety Recommendations from the Community Work Group
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Community Livability and Public Safety Committee recommends receiving and discussing the Reimagining Public Safety Recommendations from the Community Work Group.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive and discuss the Community Work Group recommendations for Reimagining Public Safety.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive and discuss the Community Work Group recommendations for Reimagining Public Safety.
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
Chris Belton, Community Work Group Member
Christina Daniels, Community Work Group Member
Larry Jefferson, Community Work Group Member
Malika Lamont, Community Work Group Member
Vanessa Malapote, Community Work Group member
Todd Monohon, Community Work Group Member
Ally Upton, Community Work Group Member
Wade Uyeda, Community Work Group Member
Background and Analysis:
In February 2021, the Olympia City Council approved a community-led process to reimagine public safety, with a goal to ensure the City’s system is just, equitable and without bias. The process launched in July 2021, led by a Community Work Group (Work Group) whose role it was to learn about the City’s public safety system, hold listening sessions with the community, and reflect what they learned in a set of recommendations to the City Council.
The Work Group hosted extensive public engagement opportunities, made shifts to their approach and timeframe, and worked to remove barriers to community members participating and feeling safe to share their honest input. They gathered input by hosting surveys on Engage Olympia and listening sessions with the general public, people of color, faith communities, business and property owners, neighborhoods, non-profits, and community organizers. They or a community partner also held small focus groups and listening sessions.
Specific populations engaged through focus groups and listening sessions included:
• Transgender women
• Downtown Mitigation (now Quince Street Village) site residents
• Community members receiving rental assistance
• Drexel House transitional housing residents
• LGBTQ+ community members
• Peer Navigators and Case Managers
• Asian and Pacific Islander community members
• Black community members
• Muslim community members
• Latinx and immigrant community members
• Public safety system staff
Throughout the process, the project consultant, The Athena Group, collected and analyzed the community input to help inform the Work Group. The final community input report is included as Attachment B.
The purpose of this work session is for the Work Group to share and discuss with City Council their principles (Attachment C), recommendations (Attachment D), and priorities. Staff will provide a brief overview of the process and community input on the draft recommendations, including highlighting changes made since the Work Group’s Nov. 9 work session with the Community Livability & Public Safety Committee. That will be followed by a facilitated panel discussion with the Work Group, including time for members to share their experience and how what they’ve learned is reflected in their recommendations and priorities, and for Councilmembers to respond and ask questions.
No action is being requested at the work session. City Council’s consideration to accept the Work Group’s final recommendations is included on the Dec. 6 Consent Agenda, and the Work Group members will be recognized for their leadership in this process under Special Recognition.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There has been broad community member interest in a community engagement process to reimagine public safety in Olympia. After the Work Group completed their recommendations, staff notified community partners who supported listening sessions and focus groups and launched an Engage Olympia survey that resulted in feedback from over 65 respondents.
Options:
1. Receive and discuss the Community Work Group recommendations for Reimagining Public Safety.
2. Do not receive and discuss the Community Work Group recommendations for Reimagining Public Safety.
3. Receive and discuss the Community Work Group recommendations for Reimagining Public Safety at another time.
Financial Impact:
The City’s approved 2021 Operating Budget included $100,000 to support the Reimagining Public Safety process.
Attachments:
Project Overview
Community Input Report
Guiding Principles
Recommendations
Engage Olympia Site