City Council Work Session

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10.

Meeting Date:	09/08/2020
From:	Dan Musselman, Deputy Police Chief

TITLE

Flagstaff Police Presentation to City Council

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Provide the City Council with knowledge about current police practices and procedures.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Flagstaff Police Department strives to police consistently, correctly, constitutionally and with compassion. Racial profiling is strictly prohibited and every member of this department is required to perform his/her duties in a fair and objective manner and is responsible for prompt reporting of any suspected or known instances of bias-based policing to a supervisor; and should intervene to prevent any bias-based actions by another member.

Citizen complaints are investigated immediately, and a finding is reported within 30 days when practicable; with updates provided to the complainant. Citizen complaint data and statistics are available in the Flagstaff Police Department’s Annual Report which is published each year.

The officers we hire have to pass a rigorous background process, which includes a written and physical fitness test, interviews with family, previous employers, review of social media interactions, a psychological test and polygraph examination.

Police Officers are trained, starting in the Police Academy to de-escalate incidents as quickly as possible once control has been established. Upon our initial response we are allowed and authorized to respond to resistance to gain compliance. Once compliance or custody is established, we de-escalate. Our training is continual, ongoing and constantly updated with an emphasis on preserving life and safety. Finally, we believe in community policing and outreach, we hope you find the attached information and references helpful.

INFORMATION:

Recent events have resulted in this request by the City Council for information on how the Flagstaff Police Department operates. It was requested the Police Department provide information on policies and procedures related to racial profiling, de-escalation training, use of force, community complaints, and the police background process. Part of this dialogue at a future meeting will include discussions about alternate response models that could respond to non-violent mental health and/or public intoxicant related calls, as well as information on Public Safety Commissions. These discussions are in line with the Mission of the City of Flagstaff to protect and enhance the quality of life for all.

Attachments
Presentation