HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-06-09 Council minutesI r
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CITY OF IOWA CITY
MEMORANDUM
Date: June 18, 2020
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Kellie Fruehling, City Clerk
Re: Electronic Council Work Session, June 9, 2020, 2:00 PM, Zoom Meeting Platform
Council: Bergus, Mims, Salih, Taylor, Teague, Thomas, Weiner
UISG: Longnecker
Staff: Fruin, Dilkes, Fruehling, Havel, Hightshoe, Ford
(A transcription is available in the City Clerk's Office and the City website.)
Electronic Meeting (Pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.8)
An electronic meeting was held because a meeting in person was impossible or
impractical due to concerns for the health and safety of council members, staff and the
public presented by COVID-19.
Mayor Teague made opening comments regarding the Black Lives Matter movement throughout
the nation and in the community.
Raneem Hamad, Iowa Freedom Riders representative, noted emergency actions/immediate
demands such as renaming of City parks, changing the basis of the annual Jazz Festival to reflect
the roots in black culture, and the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Hamad
also discussed the 12 Iowa Freedom Riders' demands as follows:
Drop all charges against protestors; including citations, tickets, etc.
2. Strong statement from ICPD in favor of protests including deprioritization of law and order;
and property damage. Instead a prioritization of police accountability for racism while also
addressing issues of systemic racism and inequality.
3. The FULL publication of the ICPD budget, and specifically on budget spending.
4. Every Iowa City department should have at least 30% of its staff dedicated to diversity and
inclusion.
5. Every institution and business must not only have but also is required to implement an
equity tool kit.
6. A clear and sensible plan for affordable housing. If this is not met those involved must
have consequences.
Council Work Session
June 9, 2020
Page 2
7. Johnson County Sheriffs/ICPD may not enforce evictions.
8. Iowa City provides funds for the Special Populations Involvement [SPI program](lowa City
Parks and Recreation Department)
9. The curfew must be lifted in Coralville.
10. A plan to restructure ICPD towards community policing. Similarly what is happening in
Minneapolis, MN; Camden, NJ; and Los Angeles, CA.
11. Reforming the Iowa City Community Police Review Board [CPRB] so that it has real
power, including, but not limited to, the ability to subpoena officers. The reformed CPRB
must also have the ability to enact and enforce measurable consequences when the board
recommendations are not followed or implemented.
12. ICPD divestment from and, removal of, military grade equipment and contracts from the
Federal government.
Hamad also noted the need to provide space, City and business spaces, to have murals for Iowa
City to show its pride for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mayor Teague read through the 8 Can't Wait:
Require Use Of Force Continuum
Establish a Force Continuum that restricts the most severe types of force to the most
extreme situations and creates clear policy restrictions on the use of each police weapon and
tactic.
Requires Exhaust All Alternatives Before Shooting
Require officers to exhaust all other alternatives, including non -force and less lethal
force options, prior to resorting to deadly force.
Require Comprehensive Reporting
Require officers to report each time they use force or threaten to use force against
civilians. Comprehensive reporting includes requiring officers to report whenever they
point a firearm at someone, in addition to all other types of force.
Ban Chokeholds & Strangleholds
Allowing officers to choke or strangle civilians results in the unnecessary death or serious
injury of civilians. Both chokeholds and all other neck restraints must be banned in all cases.
Require De-escalation
Require officers to de-escalate situations, where possible, by communicating with
subjects, maintaining distance, and otherwise eliminating the need to use force.
Duty To Intervene
Require officers to intervene and stop excessive force used by other officers and report
these incidents immediately to a supervisor.
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Council Work Session
June 9, 2020
Page 3
Ban shooting at moving vehicles
Ban officers from shooting at moving vehicles in all cases, which is regarded as a
particularly dangerous and ineffective tactic. While some departments may they restrict
shooting at vehicles to particular situations, these loopholes allow for police to continue
killing in situations that are all too common. 62 people were killed by police last year in these
situations. This must be categorically banned.
Require Warning Before Shooting
Require officers to give a verbal warning in all situations before using deadly force.
And the Obama Foundation Commit to Action:
Failing to require officers to de-escalate situations, where possible, through
communication, maintaining distance, slowing things down, and otherwise
eliminating the need to use force.
2. Prohibiting officers from using maneuvers that cut off oxygen or blood flow, including
chokeholds or carotid restraints, which often result in unnecessary death or serious
injury.
3. Failing to require officers to intervene and stop excessive or unnecessary force used
by other officers and report these incidents immediately to a supervisor.
4. Failing to restrict officers from shooting at moving vehicles, which is regarded
as a particularly dangerous and ineffective tactic.
5. Failing to limit the types of force and/or weapons that can be used to respond to
specific types of resistance and specific characteristics such as age, size, or
disability.
6. Failing to require officers to exhaust all other reasonable means before resorting
to deadly force.
7. Failing to require officers to give a verbal warning, when possible, before using
serious force such as shooting, tasing, or pepper spraying someone.
8. Failing to require officers to report each time they use force or threaten to use force
(e.g., pointing a gun at a person).
Individual Council members expressed their views.
list of traffic stops for the June 161 meeting where
continue.
Adjourn 4:08 p.m.
City Manager Fruin offered to provide information a
discussion of the Black Live Matter movement will