DATE: May 18, 2021
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager
SUBJECT
Update on Community Public Safety Workshops and Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Funding for the Public Safety Workshop Projects Recommended for Immediate Implementation
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing funding for the Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshop projects recommended for immediate implementation.
SUMMARY
In response to community concerns around policing and public safety following the murder of George Floyd by an officer of the Minneapolis Police Department, Council directed staff to conduct community engagement efforts, including community conversations and a community survey about public safety and policing in Hayward. After receiving the results of the community engagement work, Council directed staff to convene a Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshop inclusive of community members and City staff to recommend public safety policy and programmatic changes for Fiscal Year 2022.
This report and its attachments detail the work completed by the workshop participants and their recommendations for addressing four key problems community members identified from the community engagement work:
1. There is a lack of trust between the community and government, including City Hall and Hayward Police Department (HPD), stemming from a lack of communication and relationship building and an inadequate recognition of the long-term negative impacts of systemic racism.
2. Systemic health inequities for the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community, inadequate cultural responsiveness, and a lack of resources have led to limited and/or uncoordinated response options for mental health crises.
3. There are inadequate shelter and outreach resources to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. In addition, the current outreach model and resource options are not meeting everyone's needs, and s...
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