12-08-14 Amended Council Agenda, Packet & Committee Meetings

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RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ENCOURAGING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO ESTABLISH A MINORITY HIRING PROGRAM FOR THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROACTIVE POLICIES IDENTIFYING OFFICER BEHAVIOR INCONSISTENCIES AND TO LOOK INTO THE NEED FOR POLICE BODY CAMERAS AND A CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD 91fema, the South Bend Common Council recognizes that for the past several years the Council has had discussions with the City Administration on the need to develop viable programs in both the South Bend Fire Department and the South Bend Police Department which prioritize minority recruitment and retention for both of these public safety departments; and CA(f.. the Common Council further recognizes that the neither the Fire Department or the Police Department currently reflect the demographics of our City; and that the Police Department currently has many openings which need to be filled in order to reach the budgeted number of sworn members; and Q(fmm, on November 24, 2014, President Obama addressed the nation and noted in part that "...we need to recognize that the situation in Ferguson speaks to broader challenges that we still face as a nation. The fact is, in too many parts of this country, a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color... the good news is we know there are things we can do to help. And I've instructed Attorney General Holder to work with cities across the county to help build better relations between communities and law enforcement... "; and the last week in November, 2014, Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. launched the Department of Justice's "National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice" which will study five (5) cities and will focus on "training to reduce bias and ensure fairness in law enforcement "; and QhC-,-d, on August 18, 2014, a "Unified Statement of Action to Promote Reform and Stop Police Abuse" was issued after convening fourteen (14) national civil and human rights organizations and leaders which recommended in part, in response to the events in Ferguson, Missouri: "...use of body -wom cameras by police officers "...the need for diversity across police departments..."; and QhC—d, the City of South Bend, Indiana, has the opportunity to be a leader by moving forward on discussions to address and improve many programs in these critical areas which affect our entire community. Section I. The Common Council believes that the Fire and Police Department of the City of South Bend are the backbone of our community who provide public safety services on a 24/7 basis. Section II. In order to assure that the best practices are being implemented, especially in both of our public safety departments, the following topics should be timely studied, prioritized and discussed for