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PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE HEARING -October 7, 2015, 7:00 pm
From:Watertown Citizens for Peace,Justice and the Environment
Re: Police Chief Selection Process
Thank you for responding positively to our request last month for public input into the process of selecting
Watertown's next Chief of Police. Please accept this further clarification of the 4 recommendations we made
in our previous letter.
Demonstrated commitment to community policing
Events of the past year have brought to light both intentional and unintentional police practices throughout
the country that have been harmful to minority communities and, by extension,to the larger community.We
need a police chief who is committed to strategies that address institutional and cultural biases, de-escalate
conflicts, promote restraint, and value the lives and dignity of all our citizens, particularly the most vulnerable,
including immigrants, foreign nationals, people of color and people of different gender identities.
Community policing as an approach holds the key to establishing good relationships with the many
constituencies that make up Watertown.The new chief should promote examination, evaluation and, if
necessary,changes to current practices. Given the pressures and sensitivities arising on a national scale
regarding law enforcement practices,we will need a police chief with understanding,conviction and the
leadership ability to provide our officers with the tools and training necessary to implement the best practices
in community policing.
History of connecting to minority and other marginalized communities.
The issue of how Watertown reacts to requests from ICE to detain individuals remains unresolved and can
stand as a barrier between immigrant communities and the local police. We have heard about people who are
afraid for their own safety but reluctant to call the police out of fear regarding immigration status or distrust of
the police. Reaching out to such communities requires active leadership and attentiveness for opportunities
to make positive connections.
Ability to work well with schools and social service agencies,and to provide leadership in
inter-departmental initiatives such as the current opiate crisis
The Watertown police are known to have strong and productive relationships with local organizations and
institutions such as the Schools,Youth Coalition, Housing and Social Services. Preserving and protecting these
relationships has been hard given budget cuts and will require continued leadership and attention.
Ability and commitment to implement non-violent and non-militarized intervention
After the Watertown Lockdown,Watertown Citizens and other groups raised questions about the level of
military hardware and heavily armored personnel in the city. Two of the many lessons learned were that this
level of armament is frightening and sometimes traumatizing to local residents; and that relying on armed
responses raises the possibility of escalating violence rather than diminishing violence. It is essential that the
next police chief be well versed in alternatives to militarized responses, and demonstrate commitment to such
alternatives.
watertowncitizens@(J mali.com
www.facebook.com/WatertownCitizensPJE
httns.//twilter.comfWC PJ E
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Suggestions for Public Safety Committee
• Watertown is becoming increasingly more diverse. The new
Watertown Police Chief should be committed, in conjunction with
the World in Watertown, to training officers regarding the different
ethnic groups they will be encountering during their career. It is my
understanding that this is already planned or in the planning stage.
• Advocate for increasing the age limit for details for retired
Watertown Police Officers above 65 provided that they can pass all
of the required health examinations. A 68 years of age retired
Billerica Police Officer was conducting numerous details in
Watertown.
• As a member of the Traffic Commission, support requests from
funeral homes for cross walks in front of their parlors to assist
pedestrian crossing when there is not a detail provided.
• Since we entrust Civilian Traffic Guards for our children, place the
Civilian Traffic Guards (in uniform) in key intersections of the town to
expedite traffic and prevent drivers from blocking intersections at
traffic lights so that other cars crossing through the intersection are
not unnecessarily required to sit through several traffic lights
because of blocked/stalled traffic. (I realize this may require
negotiations with the Patrolmen's Association.)
• On the Traffic Commission, consider four way stops in areas where
there are numerous reports of accidents. (e.g. Summer and Spring)
• Additional points should be considered by the assessment team for
an applicant who has worked at the highest level within the
department; possesses a varied level of experience and has carried
out greater responsibilities.
October 1, 2015
To: Mr. Michael Driscoll, Town Manager
Members of the Town Council
From: The World in Watertown
35 Church Street
Watertown,MA 02472
Dear Friends:
Thank you for inviting citizen input into the process of selecting a new police chief for our community.
This is an extremely important decision that will have a lasting effect on the future of Watertown. We
appreciate your consideration of our thoughts.
As a volunteer organization dedicated to the celebration of diversity and the fair and equal treatment of
all,we have had the privilege of working with the Watertown Police Department on a number of
initiatives over the years. At our suggestion, after the terrorist attacks of 9-11-2001, Chief Deveau
designated two officers as special liaisons to the MiddleEastern residents of the town, in case any of
them felt threatened or harrassed. We have jointly sponsored a public program on hate crimes with the
police department, and have been in close contact on a number of other initiatives. We are currently
exploring the possibility of working together on an anti-bias training program. In short, over the past
15 years, the World in Watertown has enjoyed a very cordial,cooperative, supportive relationship with
the WPD.
Looking ahead,we hope that the department's new chief will:
• Be a strong advocate for the continuation and expansion of all aspects of community policing,
especially endeavors that build positive relationships with people of varied races and ethnic
backgrounds.
• Provide effective, in-depth diversity and anti-bias training to all officers on a regular basis, to help
them to be better prepared to serve all residents of an increasingly heterogeneous community.
• Fully support the placement of School Resource Officers in the public schools. We believe their
presence is critical in developing positive relationships between the police and youth in the
community.
• Encourage patrol officers to interact with the residents of their route neighborhoods as much as
possible,participating in community events (such as block parties,the Unity Breakfast, etc.).
• Welcome opportunities to partner with community organizations to present educational events and
programs promoting non-discriminatory practices, mutual respect, and positive police/community
relations.
Again we thank you for considering our recommendations in the selection process.
Sincerely,
V Vw �
On criteria for a new Watertown police chief...
Reacting from what constituents have shared with me from outside and from within the police department
and from my own personal vision for our town, here are my thoughts on most important qualities that our
next police chief will possess.
1. Our new chief should be aware of the current statewide and national discussions on mental health
and substance addiction which often co-occur and lead to criminal behaviors. In his career to-date,
the candidate should be able to point to ways that they demonstrated a commitment to this issue and
should be prepared to embrace new preventative policies that seek to connect victims of these
debilitating conditions to much-needed recovery programs. Watertown's legislators have been
working at the statewide level on these issues and the chief here should be prepared to lend a hand
and stay abreast of the most current trends and assist in this advocacy when called upon.
2. The new chief should examine current policy and find ways to get WPD officers out of their vehicles
and walking the streets. Regular and systematic walking or biking routes through town should be
programmed to include stops in the schools without the presence of school resource officers.
3. The new chief should be prepared to sit on the side of the town through negotiations with the police
department's labor unions and provide critical information about law enforcement trends that will
keep our town on the cutting edge. The chief should be able to be a do this while also giving fair and
respectful consideration for the concerns of the unions. Outside of contract negotiations,the new
chief should be a strong leader who will maintain the ethical integrity of the department and not be
susceptible to coercion from within the ranks or from above.
4. The new chief should be prepared to innovate and think proactively about his role as the chair of the
town traffic commission. While this body does serve to react to specific resident concerns,forward-
thinking ideas should be emerging from within this commission to address a very real situation of
deteriorating transportation conditions in this town. The new chief should demonstrate a
commitment and vision for such matters.
5. The new police chief should be qualified to work in a highly-politicized situation where he will often
need to respond to the town's leadership, residents, civic groups and the media in ways that
demonstrate a willingness to listen and react decisively to complaints.
6. The new chief should demonstrate an ability and desire to communicate decisions made to the
general public and the leadership of the town.
7. The new chief should be committed to training of his officers and patrolmen to keep them abreast of
emerging techniques and technology while also keeping them sharp on the old things that may not
happen in the field every day. On the topic of training,the new chief should also be willing to engage
the youth of our community in educational and recreational opportunities.
LASTLY and most importantly, if the new chief does not share each and every one of the specific qualities that
I have outlined above,the department and the town would still be well-served if the candidate chosen was
able to demonstrate any kind of compelling vision for a future Watertown Police Department. The candidate
should be able to say in convincing fashion what he would like this department to look like in 5 years under his
leadership and why that would be a good thing for the residents of Watertown.
-Aaron Dushku,Town Councilor At-Large
10/7/2015
Hey Tony,
As I mentioned the other day,I'm not going to be able to make it to Wednesday's meeting ,but fin
interested in knowing whether/how Watertown's future police chief might implement Crisis Intervention
Training(CIT)in Watertown.Some info below:
The Crisis Intervention Team model typically provides 40 hours of
comprehensive mental health training to local police officers and pairs
them with local mental health professionals and programs to help de-
escalate potentially threatening situations and to avoid the use of
excessive force and avoidable incarcerations. Over 2,700 cities and
localities have adopted CITs.
Benefits include:
Less need for the use of lethal force and reductions in violence to both
police and people with mental illnesses
• Less need for the use of lethal force and reductions in violence to
both police and people with mental illnesses.
• Reduction in Officer Injuries: Average reduction in officer injuries is
85%.
• Reduction in injuries to people with mental illness: Reported
injuries to people with mental illness are reduced an average of
40%.
• Other benefits include: the reduction in time officers spend "off
patrol", a reduction in ER recidivism rates, a decrease of
involuntary hospital admissions, an often dramatic reduction in the
census of persons with mental illness in jail custody, and an overall
reduction in the arrest rate.
I did a little research, and it looks like Watertown did receive some grant money
from DMH for police-based jail diversion in 2016 (see attached). Some
communities are using the grant funding for CIT, but it appears Watertown is
using the funds to implementing a co-response model, which is a clinician
accompanying police officers. That sounds like a great intervention, but CIT
seems to me to be more broad-reaching and could have more potential impact in
the community.
If you are able, I'd be grateful if you could convey this info on Wednesday night.
Let me know if I can get you any other information on CIT.
Bevin