Citizen's Review Board

Wichita Citizen Review Board Minutes August 27, 2020 4 p.m. City Council Board Room 455 N. Main St, Wichita, KS 67202 Present: Jay Fowler, Odell Harris, Jr., Dennis Bender, Paul Kitchen, Shaun Rojas, Timothy Sims, Sharon Ailslieger, Robert Thompson City of Wichita Representatives Present: Captain Wendell Nicholson, Chief Gordon Ramsay, Jennifer Magaña, Keely Bean 1. Call to Order – Chairperson Fowler The meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes Sims made a motion to approve the July 23, 2020 minutes. Second by Harris. The motion passed unanimously. 3. Public Agenda - 15 minutes is set aside for this portion of the meetings. No one signed up or appeared to present at the meeting for the public agenda. 4. Staff Report Update – Captain Nicholson Nicholson stated from July 9 to August 17, 2020, there were 29 external complaints and 10 internal complaints. Classification type: 2 excessive force, 19 improper conduct, 17 procedural and 1 unnecessary force. Sims asked if the report given was for complaints received or completed. Nicholson responded that the report was for complaints received during the time period. A list of complaints closed was provided to the committee. An amended version of what was opened and closed was distributed to the committee the day prior. Community Support Specialists Y’Teva Robinson and Ally Angle gave a brief overview of their roles with the Wichita Police Department. The overarching goal of the program is to keep kids safe in the home, and to reduce the need for DCF interventions and WPD contacts. They meet with families to see what type of resources and services are needed to provide a supportive environment (e.g. food, clothing, counseling, parenting classes). Follow-up is conducted until families feel the Community Support Specialists are no longer needed. Once the case is concluded, the families are welcome to make additional contact in the future. Community Support Specialists also serve as a liaison between DCF and WPD, having limited access to DCF records and the ability to notify officers on scene if there is an open DCF case. The program has been in existence for three months. In the first month, the Community Support Specialists spent time reaching out to community partners and agencies to build connections. Fowler asked about the logistics of deploying to a case. Robinson explained that during regular working hours, the Community Support Specialists actively monitor Mobile CAD, which is the Wichita Citizen Review Board August 27, 2020 Page 1 of 3 same system used by WPD officers, and are able to self-dispatch to cases. Officers may also contact the Community Support Specialists directly. If outside of regular working hours, they may follow up next business day. They also review a daily report from officers with children listed. Fowler asked for examples of interactions with families. Angle described a domestic violence call where an 18 month old was present. The Community Support Specialists contacted community partners to relocate the mother and child. They followed up last week and learned she is now living in her own apartment, and are making sure she has furnishings for her new home. Robinson described another case involving a family with a 7 year old non-verbal autistic son with a history of leaving the home unsupervised. They assisted with equipping the home with alarms and connecting with other resources such as the Mental Health Association and Respite Care. Chief Ramsay asked Robinson and Angle to discuss their involvement with child abuse cases. Angle explained that if they are notified of concern of abuse in family, the Community Support Specialists try to work with the parents to determine what is needed and suggest additional options. Knowing that sometimes resources are limited or end, they try to build the community up around the family by engaging churches and local resources. Nicholson asked Robinson and Angle to state the number of families and community partnerships. Angle said since the end of July, they have had contact with 250 families in person or by phone or letter. Some cases were traffic accidents, where families needed a replacement car seat. All families had children under the age of 10. They have established good working relationships with 53 community partners. Bender asked if the program started this year. Nicholson explained that the program is grant funded in partnership with Department for Children and Families (DCF). DCF provides the salaries, training and equipment. Duration is one year with an option to extend. Sedgwick County has a similar program which began earlier than the one with WPD. Chief Ramsey said the programs like this one were initiated approximately 18 months prior, in recognition of identified need. In the past four years, WPD has also sought other grants to help with mental health outcomes and embed social workers focusing on families, homelessness and mental health. A pilot project with Comcare is nearing launch, which will embed a social worker at the Patrol South Station to assist with issues such as suicidal intention calls, often multiple calls from the same individual. Mental health case workers are intended to help individuals and families lost in the cracks of society. Sims noted the informational video on WPD website, and asked about students attending school through remote options but lacking computers and/or internet access. Robinson described recent work to partner with the Urban League for use of the computer center. Additionally, they will work with Neighborhood Resource Centers (Atwater, Colvin, Evergreen). They met with USD 259 representatives to establish a direct connection and determine what services can be offered for students. 5. Executive Session Motion by Fowler to move to Executive Session until at least 5:30 p.m. to receive information on the following cases: Wichita Citizen Review Board August 27, 2020 Page 2 of 3  a. 20PSB-1088: It was alleged by the complainant that on March 12, 2020 officers were rude to him and would not listen to his side of the story when he was talking and then was tased for no reason. b. 19PSB-2391: It was alleged by the complainant that on August 6, 2019 an officer stopped him for not signaling his turn into his driveway. The complainant exited his vehicle and was asked to get back inside the car by the officer and when he didn’t he was alleged to be kicked and hit by the officers and taken into custody. c. 19PSB-2140: A supervisor with the Wichita Police Department requested an internal investigation be conducted by the Professional Standards Bureau on an Officer for Conduct Unbecoming an Officer. On July 7, 2019 an officer had taken someone into custody and was transporting him to investigations to be interviewed when the officer allegedly made an unprofessional comment towards this person. Executive Session is necessary, as the discussion will include information involving personnel matters of non-elected personnel, and matters that have a privacy interest which are protected under the KOMA rules. Second by Bender. Motion passed. Executive Session began at 4:23 p.m. Returned from Executive Session at 5:57 pm. In the matters of 20PSB-1088 and 19PSB-2140, the Board took no action and made no recommendations. In connection with the review of 19PSB-2391, the board believes the department should consider all actions of an officer in connection with an incident should be considered in the evaluation of potential discipline. The board recommends further review to determine appropriate policy guidance in situations where officer conduct is questioned. Matter is set as an agenda item at the next meeting. Sims moved to adopt the statement, Harris second. Motion passed. 6. New Business – Chairperson Fowler No new business was presented. Sims referred back to the staff reports agenda item and the written reports presented for the meeting. He stated that parts of the allegation for 20PSB-1214 in the summary portion were incorrect. Specifically, there was no allegation of rude conduct nor failure to comply with WPD policy and procedures. Instead, the allegation was of wrongful or unlawful arrest and then procedural violation of the WPD compliment and complaint process. Specifically, he was referencing the amended report distributed to board members. 7. Adjourn Ailslieger made a motion to adjourn. Second by Harris. The motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m. Minutes respectfully submitted by Tina Payne, Administrative Aide II, City Manager’s Office. Wichita Citizen Review Board August 27, 2020 Page 3 of 3