CC MIN 06072022 - Laserfiche WebLink

In response to Mayor Brown, Lt. Stocking clarified the ARV does not have a bottom hatch but it can be positioned to allow an injured person to be loaded from the rear. He also confirmed the PPD does not have a drone but will occasionally use the County Sherriff's drones. In response to Mayor Brown, Chief Swing confirmed some of the equipment is used in regular training exercises. He also confirmed the PPD's goal is to find the safest least-intrusive ways to take suspects into custody. He gave an example of bean bags as less lethal methods of apprehension. Mayor Brown opened the public hearing Henry Vogt opposed the ordinance and expressed his opposition to the use of military equipment in a civilian setting. He advised military equipment does not reduce crime or protect officers but rather increases violence. He explained the language around permissible usage is ambiguous and does not instill confidence it will be used properly. John Lindsay-Poland reported militarization has already occurred and been normalized. He advised the City has a less than average violent crime rate and a higher than average rate of officer-involved deaths. He discussed AB 481 clarifying what is an appropriate use of chemical agents and kinetic impact devices and is not included in Policy 308. Mayor Brown closed the public hearing. Councilmember Testa advised Mr. Lindsay-Poland's comments are compelling and concerning. She called for Policy 308 to incorporate language from AB 481 to ensure compliance. City Attorney Sodergren reported Policy 308 mentions the use of chemical agents and kinetic impact devices are governed in part by state law. He recommended including the citations to the specific penal codes and not the entire language because otherwise, the policy would become too lengthy. Mayor Brown agreed and advised it would be easier to find the relevant codes this way than with no citation. Councilmember Testa advised she would appreciate adding at least references to applicable penal codes. In response to Councilmember Arkin, Lt. Stocking clarified page six of the staff report discusses the purchase of the 25 new 40-millimeter impact launchers to replace shotgun and beanbag rounds. Councilmember Arkin reported she would like to see information on how regularly the equipment is used. She also noted statistics like those cited by Mr. Vogt would be helpful to know. She questioned if they will be discussing instances where deployment is either appropriate or inappropriate. City Manager Beaudin clarified the matter of when not to use the equipment is abstract and removes real-world situations. He encouraged solid use policies like those presently existing and relying on the mandatory annual reports from there to show how frequently or effectively the equipment is deployed. In response to Councilmember Arkin, City Attorney Sodergren confirmed staff will reference the relevant penal code sections in the policy. Councilmember Arkin called for not using the ARV as a promotional tool around children. Mayor Brown advised she is uncomfortable because the PPD may not be able to defend the community without the right tools. She expressed hopes the equipment is never used. She questioned what the City would do if faced with a catastrophic situation without the equipment and inability to request help City Council Minutes Page 9 of 11 June 7, 2022