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City Council receives recommendations made by Law Enforcement Policy Task Force and Community Policing Working Group
Oklahoma City Council received a report on March 1, 2022 that includes 39 recommendations focused on de-escalation, community engagement and accountability.
The 85-page report, prepared by consultant 21CP Solutions, is a product of the Law Enforcement Policy Task Force, the Community Policing Working Group and extensive community engagement, including a scientific survey on police services conducted in 2021 by ETC Institute.
The report focused on recommendations on eight topics:
- Law enforcement de-escalation policy
- Independent law enforcement accountability to the community
- Law enforcement training in crisis response
- Alternative response to mental health calls
- Law enforcement focus on youth outreach
- Creation of a neighborhood safety/violence interruption program
- Police officer access to mental health services
- Expansion of law enforcement homeless outreach initiatives
Criminal justice and police reform expert Ganesha Martin with 21CP Solutions has been retained to help guide and implement the recommendations on behalf of Oklahoma City.
The task force’s work is in addition to the law enforcement reforms unanimously adopted as priorities by the Council in a resolution authored by Ward 2 Councilman James Cooper.
The Oklahoma City Law Enforcement Policy Task Force was announced by Mayor David Holt in 2020, following up on his previous commitment made in response to community concerns about current law enforcement policies.
The task force is revisiting and revising the Police Department’s de-escalation policy. It also reviewed the structure in place designed to provide credible and independent accountability back to the community, a responsibility currently belonging to the Police Department’s Citizens Advisory Board.
The task force also considered other policies to accomplish improvement in the two priority areas.
Serving as special advisor and facilitator for the task force was M.T. Berry, retired Police Chief and Assistant City Manager.
21CP Solutions was hired by the City of OKC to provide recommendations to the Law Enforcement Task Force and Community Policing Working Group. The organization is led by former police chiefs, lawyers, social scientists, academics and community leaders who have turned around troubled police departments and renewed the community’s confidence in their agencies.
2021 Police Services Survey
During the fall of 2021, ETC Institute administered a police survey to residents living in Oklahoma City. The purpose of the survey was to gather input and feedback to better understand the expectations residents have regarding the Police Department and police interactions. The results will help inform recommendations to the City Council on how police officers should respond to 9-1-1 calls and other situations that may arise in Oklahoma City.
Taskforce Members
- Sarah Adams-Cornell
- Kitti Asberry
- Ron Bacy
- Janienne Bella
- MT Berry
- Michael Brooks-Jimenez
- Jasmine Brown-Jutras
- Darla Cheek
- James Cooper
- Lee Cooper
- Rodney Cox
- Joanne Davis
- T. Sheri Dickerson
- Chaya Fletcher
- Raul Font
- Grace Franklin
- Craig Freeman
- John George
- Wade Gourley
- Joshua Harris-Till
- Joshua Higginbotham
- Reggie Hines
- Rachel Hollis
- Major Jemison
- Ed Konieczny
- Jason Lowe
- Sidna Madden
- Jon Middendorf
- Dexter Nelson
- Mark Nelson
- Millicent Newton-Embry
- Nikki Nice
- Ajay Pittman
- Garland Pruitt
- J.A. Reed
- Lee Roland
- Emily Scott
- Todd Stone
- Mark Stonecipher
- Tim Tardibono
- Nate Tarver
- Donna Thompson
- Valerie Thompson
- Gloria Torres
- Kenton Tsoodle
- Kendra Wilson-Clements
- Gary Woods
- George Young
Oklahoma City Police Working Group
The City Council voted June 16 to create the the Oklahoma City Community Policing Working Group based on a resolution authored by Ward 2 Councilperson James Cooper. The group is studying how to expand and increase effective programs for alternative responses, youth outreach and more. Learn more
Oklahoma City Police Department
OKCPD Citizens Advisory Board
The Citizens Advisory Board was created to facilitate interaction between the Police Department and a committee of citizens, representative of the various ethnic and cultural groups, within our community. Learn more
21CP Solutions
21CP Solutions is a company that helps communities transform the delivery of public safety services. They are former police chiefs, lawyers, social scientists, academics and community leaders who have turned around troubled police departments and renewed the community’s confidence in their agencies. We have overseen some of the country’s most successful reform efforts to drive safe, fair, equitable, and inclusive public safety. Learn more