From a sleepy committee that did nothing, to a committee with so many things to talk about it has to form subcommittees and schedule extra meetings . . . late to the game, will it make a difference?When I said I wanted to be on the Public Safety Review Committee about a year ago people (alders, mayor, etc) thought I was crazy. I ended up chair of the committee at my first meeting. I went into it knowing full well why they thought I was crazy. The police department that staffs the committee stonewalls the committee regularly, doesn’t share information, works around the committee. The Fire Department just tries to fly under the radar. The council didn’t refer anything there. The committee members had no training or support. Every time a policing issue comes up the council handles it themselves or creates a new committee. It was a mess.
WHAT IS PSRC WORKING ON?
A year later . . . well . . .
- We have determined there is nothing wrong with the mission of the committee. Our mission is to:
- The com. shall be advisory to the mayor and Common Council to assist them in the performance of their statutory duties. The com. may review and make recommendations concerning departmental budgets; review service priorities and capital budget priorities of the Police and Fire Departments; serve as liaison between the community and the city on public safety issues; and review annually and make recommendations to the Common Council regarding the annual work plans and long-range goals of the departments.
- We think the PFC, Independent Auditor and Civilian Oversight Board and Public Safety Review Committee have more than enough work to exist side by side without overlap.
- We have a subcommittee on budget that is meeting every other week and are working on a report to the council and mayor on options for cutting (or adding to) the police department budget.
- We have a subcommittee working on protest policies and will make recommendations for changes to policies in a report to the police chief and Common Council.
- We are reviewing the Police Department information on the 177 recommendations from the Ad Hoc Police Policy and Procedure Committee for completeness and priorities.
- We are getting regular referrals to the committee from the Common Council and they have even designated us lead on many items.
OUR NEXT AGENDA?
This was a nightmare to put together. It’s clearly too long and that is why so many things are suggested to be referred. Committee members have different priorities and haven’t yet agreed to a second meeting in August
See agenda for links to these items
- 61226 Input from Professor Keith Findley and Co-Chair Tom Brown of the Ad Hoc Committee to assist the committee with reviewing “8 can’t wait” and also input on the items from the Police Chief’s report that were marked complete but are items the Ad hoc committee believes needs more work.
- 61570 “8 can’t wait policy review”
- 61227 Report from Anglim and Amoah on further research efforts – Our response to other community demands and initiatives (Breonna’s law, 8 to abolition, NAACP and WSJ article)
- 60777 Creating Section 3.03(4) of the Madison General Ordinances entitled Police Auditor. Recommend to place on file, see items 7, 10, 15 and 16
- 60778 Amending the 2020 Mayor’s Office and Direct Appropriations Operating Budgets and creating of the position of Independent Police Auditor, in the Mayor’s Office as a 1.0 FTE in CG21, Range 18, in response to the recommendations of the Madison Police Department Policy and Procedure Review Ad Hoc Committee. Recommend to place on file, see items 7, 10, 15 and 16
- 61151 Madison Police Department’s Response to OIR/Ad Hoc Committee Reports (7/13/20) – Interim MPD Chief, Vic Wahl Action step: Create a subcommittee to meet in September to start review of items? Madison Police Department’s Response to OIR/Ad Hoc Committee Reports. Action step: Assign portions of the report to individual PSRC members for review?
- 60617 Amending the 2020 Operating Budget, creating the Office of the Independent Police Monitor and creating of the position of Independent Police Monitor as a 1.0 FTE position in CG21, Range 18, and other positions, providing funding for a Police Civilian Oversight Board, and establishing funding support for individuals bringing complaints before the Police and Fire Commission in response to the recommendations of the Madison Police Department Policy and Procedure Review Ad Hoc Committee. To be taken up with items 10, 15, and 16
- 61265 Prohibiting the use of tear gas as of November 17, 2020 and requesting a study of alternatives by the Madison Police Department. PSRC is lead, EOC is meeting on 8/13/20, CCEC motion to approve at 8/4/20 CCEC meeting failed on roll call vote. Item is on agenda for referral and for staff on questions committee members would like answered at the next meeting.
- 61366 Authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to sign a five (5) year non-competitive
service contract for up to $60,000 annually with Domestic Abuse Intervention
Services, Inc. for the Law Enforcement Advocate Partnership (LEAP) Due back to the Madison City Council on September 1, Finance Committee recommends adoption. - 61667 Adopting the Final Report of the Alder Workgroup to Develop Logistics &
Operational Details for Madison Police Department Independent Civilian
Oversight. To be taken up with items 7, 15, and 16 - 61562 Amending the Police Department’s 2020 Operating Budget; and authorizing the Chief of Police to apply for and the Mayor to accept the FY2020 USDOJ Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant award in the amount of $83,389 and to utilize these funds to support several law enforcement initiatives.
- 61250 SUBSTITUTE – Creating Section 5.17 of the Madison General Ordinances to prohibit the Madison Police Department from using tear gas, mace and impact projectile devices as crowd control measures. PSRC is lead, EOC meets on 8/13/20, CCEC referred to special meeting in August. Item is on the agenda for referral and for committee members to advise Police Department staff on questions committee members would like answered at the next meeting.
- Creating Section 5.18 of the Madison General Ordinances to prohibit the Madison Police Department from obtaining any property from the Defense Logistics Agency under the 1033 Program. PSRC is lead, EOC meets on 8/13/20, CCEC referred to special meeting in August. Item is on the agenda for referral and for committee members to advise Police Department staff on questions they would like answered at the next meeting.
- Creating Section 5.16 of the Madison General Ordinances to prohibit Madison Police Department employees from intentionally using carotid or neck restraints. Due back to the Madison City Council on September 1
- 61593 An Ordinance creating Sections 5.19 and 5.20 of the Madison General Ordinances establishing the Office of the Independent Police Monitor and the Police Civilian Oversight Board. To be taken up with items 7, 15, and 16
- 61595 Amending MGO 3.54(9)(b) to add the position of Independent Police Monitor as a Compensation Group 21 level employee. To be taken up with items 7,15, and 16
- 61572 Presentation on Police Operating and Capital Budget requests for 2021 (Finance Committee Hearings September 8 and 9, Finance Committee Amendments due Week of September 14-18)
- 61573 Presentation on Fire Department Operating and Capital Budget requesrs for 2021 (May be referred to second meeting in August)
- 61575 Mental Health Ambulances presentation on costs and recent discussions (May be referred to second meeting in August)
- 61584 Emergency Operations Center presentation and debrief. Is there a need for an office of Emergency Management? May be referred to second meeting in August
- 61715 Recent gun violence May be referred to second meeting in August
- 61537 Police Officer Emily Samson from the Madison Police Professional Officer Association to share the climate of the Police Department. May be referred to second meeting in August
- 61538 Report from the Madison Police Department
- 61533 Report from the Fire Department May be referred to second meeting in August
- 61534 Report from the Chair of the Budget Subcommittee
- 61585 Report from Chair of the Policy Subcommittee
- 61535 Report from the Alders
- 61536 Report from Chair/Co-Chair
OBSTACLES
In addition to the obstacles I noted above, some real concrete problems are also making things difficult.
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- We have asked to have our subcommittee be in legistar so we can have attachments on the agendas and the information we are working on can be easily available (and linked to) for the public. That hasn’t happened.
- We have asked for a website where we can put the information from our subcommittees on protest policies and budget if we can’t be in legistar, so the public has access to the information we are working on. That hasn’t happened.
- We are overburdening out staff with additional work. This committee used to have 1 meeting a month. We now are looking at 6 meetings a month for the next three months or so.
- If we do ask for reports they police department tells us they don’t have time, they don’t have the information or they use it as a PR opportunity and don’t really answer our questions, but instead tell us what their latest spin is.
- Our meetings used to be 2 hours or less, and that was the commitment of the alders and committee members appointed to the commission, there is much more work than that now.
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WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
I have no clue. But my hope is that if we produce four reports (8 can’t wait, budget, protest policies, Ad hoc committee recommendations concerns) some change can happen in this moment in time – before this moment slips away and we “return to normal”. It won’t be as progressive as I would like, of that I am certain. I do hope it will at least turn the dial a bit.
ARE WE GETTING THIS RIGHT?
It’s so hard to choose priorities in this moment in time. There are tons of demands out there, each one could be its own subcommittee. And those new questions at the top of the agenda are haunting me a bit. When we make decisions will we consider: Who benefits? Who is burdened? Who does not have a voice at the table? How can policy makers mitigate unintended consequences? And, are we working on the right priorities? Input welcome at pdpsrc@cityofmadison.com (email will go to all committee members)
