HomeMy Public PortalAbout2021-04-22 Pub Safety Police Servs Watertown Town Council
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Via Remote Opportunities -see posted Agenda for details
Public Safety Committee
Minutes of Thursday,April 22,2021 at 6:00 p.m.
Present: Councillors Lisa Feltner,chair; Vincent Piccirilli,vice chair; Angeline Kounelis, secretary
Also present: Police Chief Michael Lawn, Council President Mark Sideris, and Councillors Caroline Bays,Anthony
Donato,John Gannon, Tony Palomba; State Rep. John Lawn, State Rep. Steve Owens, and over 185
members of the public
AGENDA: Continue Discussion of Current Operations and Services Being Provided by Watertown Police Department
Due to technical difficulties in members and staff connecting remotely,Chair Feltner began calling the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m.
in accordance with the Governor's Order to suspend certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law;she announced additional
instructions on how to connect to the meeting and allowed extra time for the public to join given the strong volume of requests. The
meeting then opened with a roll call vote of all members present.
Feltner briefly summarized that the committee's meeting on March 12'featured a WPD presentation with Chief Lawn on many of the
current police operations,training and services,as well as some expenditure statistics from Town Manager Driscoll,in order to
provide some insight and more fairly compare our Public Safety budget with neighboring municipalities,such as Cambridge,
Waltham,Belmont,and Newton. The committee is not deliberating our Public Safety budget,but attendees and participants
appreciated the perspective.Last month's meeting also enabled community groups to touch on presentation materials they had begun
sharing in the community,as well as convene that start of respectful public dialog across differing opinions. The committee voted to
continue the March 121 meeting before deciding next steps in order to continue listening to the many topics some community leaders
and residents would like to explore in depth with Town Council and staff.
Feltner reminded attendees that the committee is still in discovery period in bringing public concerns forward and recognizes that
there is not general agreement or consensus about materials or ideas presented.At 6:11 p.m. Chair Feltner recognized Sue-Ellen
Hershman-Tcherepnin from Watertown Citizens for Black Lives(WCBL),who shared that they are part of an alliance of three
resident teams forming the Watertown Joint Police Reform Group,which came together this past year;included are Watertown
Citizens for Black Lives from within Watertown Citizens for Peace,Justice,and the Environment;Uplift Watertown;and the Kingian
Response Team. They have been working on a number of proposals with the goals of bringing more accountability,transparency,
communication,and trust between WPD and our community.
Felicia Sullivan,member of a leadership circle for WCBL,spoke to their"Review of WPD Policies&Racial Disparities in Arrests".
Other members who spoke during this slide deck included Sheila Krishnan and Sarah Eltinge. Some of the additional data they would
like to receive include a breakdown of arrests of White population,detailed data on call outcomes by race,a breakdown of police-
initiated vs. call-initiated arrests by race,and more. They recognize there are challenges with data and data sharing.WPD and the
analysis of available data from 2018 shows that African American individuals are overrepresented in field inquires,arrests and
citations.WCBL have four proposed initiatives and think the state Reform Law provisions may require other WPD changes(see
attached).
Sarah Pardo spoke on behalf of Uplift Watertown,"a group of residents who care about making sure everyone in the community has
their needs met;we came together in June 2020 after the murder of George Floyd."They see an opportunity for Watertown to listen to
the national movement that is going on,the movement for Black Lives.They continue to imagine what public safety in Watertown
could look like if everyone's safety needs were met(see attached PowerPoint,dated March 12,2021).
Will Twombly spoke to a training proposal that has been developed for WPD with the Kingian Response Team.He mentioned that
PBS recently featured Chuck Wexler of the Police Executive Research Forum;he argues that there are no up-to-date national
standards or guidelines on the use of force,and he highlighted the critical importance to develop innovative approaches to officer
training,especially as training has not really changed in 25 years.The KRT group feels that Kingian Nonviolence Training would
enhance the safety of,and promote greater understanding and collaboration between officers and the community.As a local response
1
to George Floyd's murder last spring,a group of over 60 Kingian graduates committed to anti-racist work here in Watertown came
together to form the Kingian Response Team. Shivani Sharma,a remarkable student at VMS,and I have been cofacilitators of one
action group of this team that worked in collaboration with Lt.Unsworth and Det.Grady to develop a detailed training proposal,with
a broad outline,for implementation over a three-year period,while keeping in mind newly-mandated state requirements(see attached).
Louise Enoch of WCBL thanked everyone for listening and summarized their thoughts and ideas about approaching police reform.
They worked with Lt.Unsworth in drafting a proposal for a Community Advisory Board,hoping to build on the community policing
efforts already undertaken by Chief Lawn along with the WPD Community&Staff Development Division.They feel this is a way to
deepen,expand and formalize efforts already begun and build more trust and legitimacy throughout diverse Watertown constituencies.
A purpose of the board would be to foster transparent communication and trust,with routine feedback and dialog around policies and
operations and its effectiveness,as we also experience rapid change.Given the many things that could be a focus for the board,which
they see as a community police conversation,they recognize the need for the proposal to be fully supported by the Chief in order to be
effective,as well as credible community representation.Although this proposal has been rejected by WPD,and efforts to address local
concerns feel elusive,we think some form of true and ongoing citizen involvement with police is not only called for,but imperative to
ensure the most positive and responsive policing practices.We now think the Town Charter should include a task force on police
transparency and accountability,comprised of WPD members,the public,and elected officials. This task force could address all of the
issues we've heard so far throughout these two Public Safety Committee members.
Chair Feltner recognized elected officials in attendance,the Watertown Police Association and staff and she again thanked Chief
Lawn and all participants for taking additional time to listen.Rather than comment at this time,the committee members decided to
hear from individual members of the public. Given the number of raised hands and over 182 attendees,it was decided to limit
comments to 2 minutes each,and Feltner recognized that emails would mostly likely be attached to the minutes instead of read aloud.
Speakers included Olivia Winsor,Claire Bunn,Colleen"Mahoney",Zack Rocklin-Waltch,Det.Kerilyn Amedio,Jay Hughes,
Jennifer Wolfram,Kevin Sanderson,Joan Martin,Joseph Rotella, Sara Keary,Officer King Lam,Vasiliki Pistoftzian,Officer
Catherine Dello Russo,Lisa Capoccia,Krystyn Elek,Heather Hoiseth,Jonathan Peck,Diane Crowley,WPA President John
Bartolomucci(represents 50 police patrol officers),Tyler Kemp-Benedict, Sabrina Lopez,Rep.John Lawn,John Mixson,Deanna
Finn.
Please refer to the April 22,2021 WCA-TV recording of Public Safety Committee meeting for more details at
httos://cloud.castus.tv/vod/#/watertown/video/608300e3bdd59d00096e6583?gaRe=HOME
The committee finished recognizing speakers about 8:08 p.m. Chief Lawn stated that he has taken a lot of notes on expressed concerns
over these meetings,and he wants the community to know he is committed to address concerns and maintaining dialog.He felt this
was a good meeting and welcomed hearing new voices and faces,even as we're limited to virtual connections.He asks us to take
some time out[on our emotions] and work to move forward together.He anticipates extensive changes coming per the state police
reform bill,including on matters such as training,internal affairs,the new POST commission,use of force,many things.There will be
a comprehensive police reform plan but its implementation has not been laid out yet for local departments.He feels he needs to get
through police reform before taking on new or expanded initiatives such as Kingian Training;in fact WPD worked with the schools to
start a Kingian training program in Watertown and the new mandated trainings need to take priority.He is defensive about the police
budget because of the narrative that some folks want to just cut WPD and"transfer"it to other departments,but that means we would
lose police officers and be detrimental to public safety;there are other ways to increase the number of social workers or services in
town,and he is willing to work together on that.He agrees that there is room to make the department better,including upgrading their
computer software to be able to access and analyze data,and he is eager to move forward and have a better grasp on that himself,let
alone be able to provide it for the public.
Councillor Kounelis stated that an email received early from Janet Buck would be included with the minutes along with other relevant
emails she has received during the meeting.Piccirilli noted that there were 188 people connected to the meeting,and at 8:15 there are
still 158 people on the call.The committee recognized the enormous turnout and thanked everyone for staying on to listen as we all
want to make Watertown,which is already a great place to live,even better. There was a lot of great discussion,ideas share and there
is a lot to digest and things do take time.Piccirilli would like to
continue to another meeting;there is more we need to hear from,particularly what the Police Reform Act is going to mean for
Watertown,and we need to make some decisions about what steps we want to take at a future date.
Kounelis also thought it was a very good conversation this evening,hearing from people.As the committee has already mentioned,
there's a lot to digest and Chief Lawn mentioned the same. She wondered if 3 months would be adequate time for Chief Lawn,as he is
still waiting for other materials,to be able to come forward then.
2
Chief Lawn has received a preliminary timeline from the state but the only thing that has been established so far is the nine-person
POST Commission.Right now WPD is going through the accreditation process for June.
Feltner expressed concerned that there may be a community expectation that we would set up regular,standing public safety meetings,
but it's not realistic given the already full calendar,limits of WCA-TV,administrative needs,etc.At the same time she is a little
concerned about waiting on the police"hot"issue of Data and Analysis,given residents' expressed urgency and a general lack of
baseline knowledge.Would July work?
Chief Lawn is working to educate himself and recently signed up for a two-day training session with Middlesex District Attorney
Marian Ryan's Office,specifically on this type of data,during the 1 st week of June. She also just hired a Diversity employee for her
office,so that might be someone we can work with.
Piccerilli suggested that it's important to keep the positive momentum going,and July makes sense for a check in,especially if the
first pass of the Police Reform Act is going to come out in June.
MOTION by Piccirilli to continue the discussion on current operations and services being provided by WPD,no more than 3
months from now,and discuss the next steps: Seconded by Kounelis.
Discussion
Councillor Kounelis:I think it's also important for everybody to be respectful not only to the Police Dept,but also to the Town
Council.I'm also starting to get defensive because some of the emails that are coming in to us,not only collectively but personally,
are something that is above and beyond.It goes above disrespect.Is it guilt by association?Sometimes I don't understand.I don't
understand the reality of what's going on.There seems to be so much anger and so much animosity,and it's being vented on all of us,
and we're all human beings.We all have feelings;we all have lives.And it's very difficult sometimes to even focus on day-to-day
activities,based on what is coming in to us on a minute-by-minute basis.To even respond to all of the emails and make sense out of
some of them.It is something that we shouldn't be subjected to.And the only word that I can think of is disrespect.
Feltner shared that she is a little concerned that July will feel very far away for the public,and she doesn't want people to feel like
they're on their own.As a Councillor,the calendar is already very full and it would be very difficult to add another category of
standing meetings without including weekends;we've also recognized that WPD has a full plate with accreditation.It seems
reasonable to ask the chief to report back in July.I don't want to ask so much that it would cause disruption to a basically well-
functioning department,but the public should know that we do care,and we will continue to follow-up.
Piccirilli:I'm not implying that we don't do anything for 3 months,but we will be doing homework in the meantime and we're not
just punting it down the field as a way to avoid discussion.We need to do some research in order to decide what all this means,create
some framework for future discussion and what decisions we will need to make.
Motion is Approved 3-0 on a roll call vote.
8:34 p.m.Motion to Adiourn by Piccirilli: Seconded by Kounelis. Approved 3-0 on a roll call vote.
Respectfully submitted,Lisa Feltner
Attached:
-Review of WPD Policies&Racial Disparities in Arrests,from Watertown Citizens for Black Lives
-Uplift Watertown,Meeting of the Committee on Public Safety March 12,2021 4-6 pm
•WPD Community Advisory Board Proposal;Listen-Learn-Grow+Act
-Proposal for Watertown Police Officers to be Trained in the Kingian Principles of Nonviolent Conflict Reconciliation, Sept 25,2020
-Relevant emails received during the meeting.
3
Review of WPD Policies & Racial
Dis p a ritie s in Arre s ts
Watertown Citizens for Black Lives Police Policy Reform Group
Context
• Watertown Citizens for Black Lives filed public records requests for WPD data
and reports
• Analyzed frequency of arrests by race and compared arrest data to Watertown
population data (2018 Census Bureau)
• In follow-up to ourrequests, WPD completed an in depth analysis of 2018 data
A review of field inquiry,arrest and citation statislics by race and gender reveal the following-
Asian individuals arc underrepresented in field inquiries,arrests and citations.
African American individuals are overrepresented in all three categories.
White individuals are slightly und— ..r..y...:.d in all three categories.
Hispanic individuals are ovempresented in arrest numbers and field inquiries but slightly
and... .,r..!-..I in citations.
Male individuals are m, ., —.tod in all three categories with females subsequently being
underrepresented in each category.
Watertown Police Department "Field Contact - Annual Analysis 2018"Report
Black Watertown residents are 5 25
times more likely to be arrested 2.D
than white Watertown residents 20
N
GI
W 15
One in four white re s ide nts who we re arre ste d °
had a warrant (so WPD was required to arrest
them). None ofthe Black residents who were V 1°
arrested had a warrant.
5 4 4
These patterns are seen in neighboring towns
...but that doesn't mean it's okay o
Black White Overall
Resident Race
Challenges with Data and Data Sharing
1 . Missing and Poorly Managed Data
o No central database: Important data had to be pulled by hand from written reports
o Missing important information: Police-initiated vs. public-initiated arrests, reasons for arrests
o Race and ethnicity categories were inconsistent across reports. It was impossible to examine
disparities beyond White/Black because data were missing
2. Transparency
o Data have not been shared with the public
o It's unclear how WPD determines a person's race or ethnicity
3. Accountability - We don't have a reasonable definition of equity in policing
o What disparities would be cause for alarm in the WPD?
o What does the community consider a disparity?
o What does equitable policing look like in Watertown?
Proposed Initiatives
1. Disproportionate arrests and citations
Areview of WPD data on arrests and citations, which should lead to the implementation of
program to remedy, deter, and decrease disproportionate arrests and citations ofpeople of
color in Watertown.
1. Sharing of data relating to race
WPD data that relates to race should be more readily available to the public and shared with
the Public Safety Committee or the Town Council on a regular basis.
1. Use of force
The WPD Use of Force policies should align with the recently enacted Massachusetts police
reform legislation, as well as with 8 Can't Wait and Campaign Zero.
1. Internal investigations
Make information available to the public on internal affairs complaints, investigations,
disciplinary records, and law enforcement misconduct investigations, in addition to providing
this information to the POST Commission. Create a new internal investigations process that
changes the decision-making authority from the Chief of Police as the sole decision maker (as
happens now)and shifts it to a more neutral group or entity.
Areas of Disparity—WPD UoF Policy
• Chokeholds: absolutely prohibited in Reform Law (SEC 30, CH 6E, Sec 14[c]); not yet in WPD
policy (p. 14).
• Shooting at fleeing individuals: WPD policy allows if officer believes violent felony would
occur if appre he ns ion delayed (p. 4); Reform Law makes this an insufficient predicate (SEC 30,
CH 6E, Sec 14[b]).
• Use of canines: WPD policy allows to apprehend assaultive suspect and fleeing felony
suspect (p. 13); Reform Law allows only if de-escalation attempted/infeasible and proportionate
to risk of imminent harm (SEC 30, CH 6E, Sec 14[eD.
• Independent external investigation of complaints/incidents: Not required by WPD policy (p.
16); Reform Law requires reporting of complaints and internal investigations to Division of
Police Standards for independent investigation if needed (SEC 30, CH 6E, Sec 8[b] and [cD.
• Public disclosure of officers' disciplinary records, incidents, and investigations: Not
required by WPD policy (p. 16); Reform Law establishes public database of this information
(SEC 3 0, CH 6 E, Sec 8[e]).
Reform Law Provisions that May Require Other WPD
Changes
• Limitations on "No-Knock" warrants (SEC 94).
• Limitations on posting and roles of School Resource Officers (SEC 79).
• Ban on racial profiling in all law enforcement actions (SEC 37,83).
• Requirement for training in de-escalation and cultural competency (SEC 43).
• Potential recommendations of Community Policing and Behavioral Health
Councilto expand non-police resources in crisis intervention teams (SEC 117).
LISTEN . LEARN . GROW + ACT .
A Framework for Police Reform Initiatives in Watertown
We
Pledge
❖ The Kingian framework supports
L � 07EM individuals and institutions in
LEFI committing to new anti- racist
actions and policies . . .
+ �T
To End Racism
❖ in order to build together towards a
in Our Community more racially equitable community.
r
i r
sLti4Fr�
�.5
WatertowntResponse Team
The four categories are grounded in an understanding of
conflict that we learn
in Kingian Nonviolence courses.
*am CaMPUCT $6 Om d ; - I I I r I .
L MFLI T IS
SHARED,
!&CPM& CCPPIP LIG F IS HFM,%LTHY
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1 - r&. LI1ArE�r LET ' S LEARN
10 "Asks": Joint Police Reform Group
1 . A review of WPD data on arrests and citations 5. Make information available to the public on
to remedy, deter, and decrease disproportionate internal affairs complaints, investigations,
disciplinary records, and law enforcement misconduct
arrests and citations of people of color in investigations.
Watertown.
6. The Town Council should undertake a closer study
2. WPD data that relates to race should be more of the WPD budget to see where some funding can
readily available to the public and shared with the be reallocated to programs that prevent the need for
Public Safety Committee or the Town Council on a policing.
regular basis.
7. WPD should be required to study and address the
3. In mandated training for all officers, the WPD common causes of both calls to the Department and
should include intensive work related to the nature crime
of conflict and its successful resolution, the history 8 WPD should be encouraged to participate in a
of bias in American policing, enhanced listening Police/Community Advisory Board
skills, cultural literacy, stress reduction techniques,
and concrete de-escalation skills. 9. If no Community Advisory Board, the Town Council
or Town Manager should establish a mechanism for
4. The WPD Use of Force policies should align community oversight of the WPD.
with the recently enacted Massachusetts police
reform legislation, as well as with 8 Can't Wait and 10. WPD's recruitment, promotion, and hiring
Campaign Zero. processes should increase diversity, inclusion, and
equity
LISTEN Data collection + analysis, mechanism to make available for public review (1 +2)
❖ Creation of a voluntary Community Advisory Board (8)
LEARN ❖ Mandated training for all officers (3)
❖ Study common causes of calls + crime (7)
GROW ❖ Align policies with 8 Can't Wait + Campaign Zero (4)
❖ Make information public on complaints, investigations, disciplionary records (5)
❖ Increase diversity, inclusion + equity in recruitment/promotion/hirinq practices (10)
ACT ❖ Budget re-allocation + prioritizing (6)
❖ Address root causes of calls + crime (7)
❖ Establish mechanism for community oversiqht if voluntary Community Advisory
Board is not viable (9)
Uplift Watertown
Meeting of the Committee on Public Safety
March 121 2021
4-6pm
Fiscal Year 2021 Watertown Annual Budget
Police Dept Budget = 13x Health Dept Budget
FY 2020 FY 2021 Difference
PUBLIC SAFETY
POLICE $10,238,701 10,308,183 $69,482
FIRE $11,259,758 $ , $26,083
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT $139,870 $55,601 ($84,269)
TOTAL PUBLIC SAFETY $21,638,329 $21,649,625 $11,296
Immm
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
HEALTH $793,611 $796,329`) $2,718
COUNCIL ON AGING $379,348 , 69 $15,921
VETERANS $318,258 $320,089 $1,831
TOTAL HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES $1,491,217 $1 ,511,687 $20,470
Source: htti3s://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenterNiew/29469/Annual-Budget Page 9
• M • Alt • A, •
FY2019 FY2019
POLICE SPENDING PER CAPITA POLICE SPENDING PER CAPITA
Average
Average $210.14
Shrewsbury
$196.46 Dracut
1
Shrewsbury i Franklin
or 1
Dracut No Andover
I
I Amherst
Franklin I Chelmsford
I
Danmouth
Chelmsford I Marlborough
Dartmouth °nd—
I
ritchburg
Marlborough Randolph
Andover Natick
Lexington
Randolph Needham
Natick Gloucester
Tewksbury
Lexington Woburn
Watertown $260.36
Watertown $260.86 Braintree
Braintree Chelsea
Holyoke
$0 $100 $200 $300 $0 $100 $200 $300
Comparisons of per capita spending on policing in Massachusetts towns with a total population Comparisons of per capita spending on policing in Massachusetts towns with a total population
within--10Vo of that of Watertown,per 2019 census data and PY2019 budget data. within—15%of that of Watertown,per 2019 census data and PY2019 budget data.
Our Story & Vision
- Uplit Watertown created June 2020 after the murder of George Floyd
- Placed demands at June 23rd Budget Meeting that led to hire of second Jail
Diversion Clinician at WPD
We want:
- Transformative justice rather than punitive reactions to harm
- Resource reallocation: mental health, social services, food security, housing
security, and mutual aid
- Preventing the need for policing in the first place
- Following the lead of marginalized communities
Sources: Watertown MA News, Council Approves Town Budget Which Includes 2nd Mental Health
Specialist for the Police, July 1, 2020, Special Town Council Budget Meeting - June 23, 2020
Alternatives to Police Response
In a June 2020 meeting with WPD and Senator Brownsberger, we heard from Chief Lawn that "Every third
call that we go on now, has something to do with mental illness." and "Bringing in social workers to help
with mental illness and the homeless is welcomed by the police."
The Jail Diversion page on the WPD website says, "Over the last 30 years, police officers have become the
first line of contact for people with untreated mental illness and other psychological problems. However,
police officers neither have sufficient clinical training to identify and manage these situations, nor sufficient
resources to adequately support people to address their complex problems."
In 2020, several cities in the U.S. including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Albuquerque, St. Petersburg,
and Minneapolis have moved to create fully unarmed emergency response teams that act outside of police
departments. This approach has benefits threefold: it unburdens police departments, it removes the risk of
police violence, and it connects people to longer term support systems.
Sources: WCA-TV Will Brownsberger Discussion with Michael Lawn - June 22, 2020, Jail Diversion Program
WPD Web Page, The Appeal, What Public Safety without Police Looks Like, January 8, 2021
Next Steps
• The Town Council should undertake a closer study of the WPD
budget every year to see where funding can be reallocated to
programs that prevent the need for policing. These programs would
include mental health and substance abuse services, food security,
affordable housing, and healthcare, as well as transformative and
restorative justice initiatives.
• The WPD should be required to study the common causes of both
calls to the Department and of crime, in order to find alternative
ways of addressing these where possible and appropriate.
WPD CommunmityAdvoisory
Board Proposal
Kingian Response Team
What is the Recommendations for an diverse advisory forum to
Community facilitate dialogue and collaboration with
Advisory community; not a "civilian review commission"
Board Developed by a working group within Kingian
proposal? Response Team — residents, representatives from
WBGC, WPD
Started with a "listening / learning" phase
Proposal presented to WPD in October Bozo;
available now to Public Safety Committee
Why a WPD has demonstrated a commitment to
community policing / engagement
Community
Advisory But . . . no established forum / method for
Board (CAB)? ongoing dialogue with the community
two-way communication
sharing ideas
addressing issues / concerns
Opportunity to build trust, increase
transparency and accountability
Whynow? National and local focus on policing
practices - impact on persons of color and
marginalized communities
Changing demographics in Watertown
increasingly diverse
opportunity to consider whether / how
WPD might adapt to these changes
Police reform legislation has been passed
— community needs to understand what it
means for Watertown
1. Provide citizen feedback or
What would a recommendations about local policing
CAB do? policies, procedures
training courses & materials
policing practices
approaches to community issues
allocation of financial resources
public perceptions of WPD
2 . Support routine reporting and accountability
about WPD operations and effectiveness
3 . Foster dialogue and communication between
WPD and communities
Members from different constituencies — e . g .,
Who would be S`n°°is
businesses, economic development association
on the CAB? religious / faith communities
community service organizations
mental health / wellness organizations
resident and civic organizations
racial justice & equity groups
marginalized constituencies (persons of color, youth,
immigrant community)
Qualifications — interest in policing, integrity &
fairness, openness to differing opinions
Selected by Chief with input from community
What's critical
for a successful Full support of the WPD Chief
CAB?
Credible community representation
Open dialogue and collaborative
decision - making
LISTEN . LEARN . GROW + ACT .
A Framework for Police Reform Initiatives in Watertown
We
Pledge
❖ The Kingian framework supports
L � 07EM individuals and institutions in
LEFI committing to new anti- racist
actions and policies . . .
+ �T
To End Racism
❖ in order to build together towards a
in Our Community more racially equitable community.
r
i r
sLti4Fr�
�.5
WatertowntResponse Team
The four categories are grounded in an understanding of
conflict that we learn
in Kingian Nonviolence courses.
*am CaMPUCT $6 Om d ; - I I I r I .
L MFLI T IS
SHARED,
!&CPM& CCPPIP LIG F IS HFM,%LTHY
H1 DDEJMm
1 - r&. LI1ArE�r LET ' S LEARN
10 "Asks": Joint Police Reform Group
1 . A review of WPD data on arrests and citations 5. Make information available to the public on
to remedy, deter, and decrease disproportionate internal affairs complaints, investigations,
disciplinary records, and law enforcement misconduct
arrests and citations of people of color in investigations.
Watertown.
6. The Town Council should undertake a closer study
2. WPD data that relates to race should be more of the WPD budget to see where some funding can
readily available to the public and shared with the be reallocated to programs that prevent the need for
Public Safety Committee or the Town Council on a policing.
regular basis.
7. WPD should be required to study and address the
3. In mandated training for all officers, the WPD common causes of both calls to the Department and
should include intensive work related to the nature crime
of conflict and its successful resolution, the history 8 WPD should be encouraged to participate in a
of bias in American policing, enhanced listening Police/Community Advisory Board
skills, cultural literacy, stress reduction techniques,
and concrete de-escalation skills. 9. If no Community Advisory Board, the Town Council
or Town Manager should establish a mechanism for
4. The WPD Use of Force policies should align community oversight of the WPD.
with the recently enacted Massachusetts police
reform legislation, as well as with 8 Can't Wait and 10. WPD's recruitment, promotion, and hiring
Campaign Zero. processes should increase diversity, inclusion, and
equity
LISTEN Data collection + analysis, mechanism to make available for public review (1 +2)
❖ Creation of a voluntary Community Advisory Board (8)
LEARN ❖ Mandated training for all officers (3)
❖ Study common causes of calls + crime (7)
GROW ❖ Align policies with 8 Can't Wait + Campaign Zero (4)
❖ Make information public on complaints, investigations, disciplionary records (5)
❖ Increase diversity, inclusion + equity in recruitment/promotion/hirinq practices (10)
ACT ❖ Budget re-allocation + prioritizing (6)
❖ Address root causes of calls + crime (7)
❖ Establish mechanism for community oversiqht if voluntary Community Advisory
Board is not viable (9)
Proposal for Watertown Police Officers to be Trained in the Kingian
Principles of Nonviolent Conflict Reconciliation
Proposal Summary and Timeline:
This proposal is being submitted to Chief Michael Lawn and the Watertown Police Department
by community members from the Kingian Response Team, a volunteer group of local citizens—
both adults and students—who came together earlier this year to develop and implement new
and effective anti-racism initiatives that will have a lasting impact on the town.
The proposal aims to enhance the relationship between the Watertown Police Department
and the people it serves, as well as to increase the well-being of officers and increase their
ability to perform their jobs effectively. In no way does the proposal imply criticism of the
department or any of its personnel. We recognize that Watertown is fortunate to have so
many truly dedicated officers serving the community, and we value and appreciate their
contributions tremendously.
When fully implemented over a three-year period, this proposal would provide 18 hours of
mandatory training in critical skills for at least 60 Watertown police officers (essentially the
entire department). Officers would be trained in groups of 10, two groups per year. Two nine-
hour training sessions, spaced over two consecutive days or weeks, (or some other time
interval to be determined), would be offered to each group.
Participants will receive an overview of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolent
conflict reconciliation, as well as an historical and current context for civil rights movements.
They will explore how these teachings have been applied in diverse settings around the world.
Emphasis will be placed on using specific skills to successfully address conflict within families,
schools, and the community, reducing tensions and achieving peaceful outcomes. Through a
variety of interactive exercises, officers will learn to apply these techniques to challenging
situations they would be likely to encounter while on daily patrol.
History of Kingian Training in Watertown
Kingian training began in Watertown in the summer of 2016, when Ruth Henry, a Watertown
Middle School teacher and certified trainer, along with Lt. Dan Unsworth and others, organized
a two-week training for students, teachers, police officers, and community members. At this
time, Lt. Unsworth, and Officers Patty Grady and Tony Physic became certified Kingian trainers,
and have since taught these skills to many other individuals of all ages.
Kingian training has now become part of the curriculum offered at the Middle School, and
several generations of students and teachers have trained others, from fifth-graders to adults,
including teachers, parents, and community residents. Currently, a cohort of high school
students are working with faculty at WHS to implement Kingian training and Restorative Circles
into ninth and tenth grade advisory sessions. Clearly, the training that began four years ago has
had a widespread ripple effect in the community.
The Current Need for Enhanced Police Training
Since the killings of George Floyd and other people of color by police across the country, there
has been a widespread call for fundamental reform in the way police departments are
structured, the way they respond to the communities they serve, and the way officers are and
are not trained.
The Watertown Police Department has for many years worked with the community in
substantive ways to build bridges of understanding and positive relationships. Still, there is
strong feeling in the community that these efforts must be accelerated further in order to
ensure that our police officers receive state of the art training in all of the skills necessary to
prevent the tragedies we have repeatedly witnessed in other places. Specifically, this means
that officers must thoroughly understand the history of racism that is intertwined with the
history of policing in America, that they are sensitive and responsive to the distrust of police felt
by many people of color, and that they are well equipped with the skills required to successfully
de-escalate potentially violent situations, especially those with racial implications.
Despite the work of the police, the Watertown School Department, and other community
organizations, Watertown is by no means immune from unfortunate incidents of racism, and
we still have much work to do to be prepared if and when they occur. Kingian training for
officers is meant to be another valuable tool in their toolbox to help them do their jobs more
safely, more effectively, and more empathetically.
Benefits of Kingian Training for Officers:
As mentioned above, Kingian training would:
• Provide officers with greater understanding of the nature of conflict, as well as how
racism has influenced policing in America over the years;
• Increase officers' listening skills and abilities to see situations from other people's
perspectives;
• Help officers to more quickly recognize and respond to calls which are mainly motivated
by implicit racism and suspicion of people who are somehow "different" from the caller;
• Help to lower the stress experienced by officers involved in tense situations by building
their self-confidence and ability to facilitate peaceful outcomes;
• Offer concrete techniques for de-escalating volatile confrontations between individuals
and groups, thus ensuring the safety of the individuals involved as well as the well-being
of responding officers;
• Potentially prevent future violence, arrests, court proceedings, etc., by assisting involved
parties to settle their differences peacefully;
• Help officers to better understand the fear, anger, and frustrations felt by BIPOC (Black,
Indigenous, People of Color) in today's climate, and strengthen positive relationships
and mutual respect between police officers and all Watertown residents, especially
People of Color;
• Demonstrate to the community the commitment of the WPD to offer the best officer
training possible to serve the public with compassion and understanding. These efforts
of the department could be well publicized in the local media, thus making Watertown
an outstanding example for other communities to emulate.
Benefits of This Program for the Community:
Providing ongoing Kingian training for all Watertown police officers would:
• Support positive interactions between the community and Watertown officers on a daily
basis, reducing the possible fear and anxiety felt by all parties;
• Reassure the community that the WPD has made a very tangible commitment to
implementing best policing practices;
• Encourage community members to seek help from the WPD whenever it's needed;
• Help community members to feel more open about sharing with the police critical
information regarding criminal activity.
Implementation and Funding:
Timing: As mentioned above, Kingian training would be offered twice each year to groups of 10
officers at a time. Training sessions would last nine hours each, with two sessions per group
spaced according to a schedule established by the WPD.
The traditional Kingian curriculum will include:
• Discussion of the types and levels of conflict with strategies for reconciliation for each;
• An understanding of negative vs. positive peace and how to build towards the latter;
• An overview of civil rights campaigns and police responses;
• The Hegelian approach to differing views;
• Principles of non-violence;
• The understanding of conflict as being healthy for community growth, and of the
separate and shared histories it carries;
• And possibly the history of racial conflict in Watertown, beginning with how pre-1968
housing discrimination created such a heavily white demographic.
Modifying the curriculum for the WPD:The standard Kingian curriculum would also be
customized and/or augmented to address the specific needs of Watertown officers, and the
demands placed on them, based on local conditions, the racial, ethnic, and cultural
demographics of the town today, and past experiences. Officers will learn:
• How policing has historically been intertwined with racist practices in America;
• The causes and effects of racial trauma, and the appropriate responses when racial
trauma is encountered (based on information from Dr. Clark Mazariegos, Prof. Ted
Johnson, and police chiefs in other communities who have implemented Kingian training
in their departments);
• Specific de-escalation strategies to employ in potentially volatile situations;
• To recognize and deal appropriately with calls that are largely motivated by suspicion
based solely on the racial or ethnic identity of another person (i.e. assuming someone is
a "dangerous person" only because of their skin color or outward appearance);
• Possibly other knowledge and related skills that may be mandated by pending
legislation.
Highlights of the curriculum: Trainees will practice the above and other skills extensively,
through creative role plays developed by Lt. Unsworth and other trainers, based on actual
experiences encountered by Watertown officers in the past, as well as additional likely
scenarios. The goal of the training will be to equip officers with very practical skills and
strategies that will enable them to do their jobs more effectively and more safely on a daily
basis. The training program will comply with all Covid-19 protocols.
Possible collaboration with the Watertown School Department: It may prove effective to
combine certain aspects of this training with the efforts of the School Department to train
teachers and other school personnel. Some joint training sessions are a possibility, with details
to be worked out between department staff and trainers.
Evaluation: Both before and after each training session, participating officers would be
requested to complete a survey to assess the impact of the training program. The post-training
survey would explore whether officers:
• Have a better understanding of the nature of conflict;
• Feel more prepared to handle and de-escalate conflict;
• Feel more able to identify with and/or empathize with minority community members;
• Feel more ready to handle racially charged situations;
• Are better able to recognize and respond to calls motivated by implicit bias;
• Feel greater self-confidence in dealing with the situations listed above;
• Feel that this training will enhance their relationships with the residents they serve.
An additional survey could be initiated after officers have had a chance to utilize their skills on
the job for a period of time.
Facilitators: Facilitators would include a multiracial, multigenerational training team composed
of both locally certified trainers (including WPD current or former officers) and additional guest
trainers as deemed appropriate during the customization process. Trainers may be
recommended by Lt. Unsworth, Ruth Henry, and others in advance of establishing the training
schedule.
Funding: As stated above, it is our hope that the training described in this proposal will be
adopted for the entire department on an ongoing basis, and will be paid for through the
training line item in the annual WPD budget. Below is our best estimate of what the costs will
be over a three-year period. This estimate accounts for two full (nine-hour) days of training,
assuming five Lieutenants, nine Sergeants and 46 officers attend training on scheduled days off
and thus are paid at their overtime rate.
Overtime for 60 officers (18 hours per officer) $ 58,893
Trainers paid at the rate of$50/hour
Preparation and annual adjustment of customized course
design (4 hrs/year x 4 trainers x 3 years) 2,400
Facilitation of customized 18 hour course (36 hours x 2 trainers
OR 36 hours x 4 trainers x 3 years) 10,800 or 21,600*
Course materials
$20 per participant x 60 officers 1,200
Food
$40 per participant x 60 officers 2,400
Total costs for three years of training $75,693 or$86,493
Total costs per year $25,231 or$28,831
*Core trainers could work in teams of two to facilitate different days, or all four could be
present at all times, hence the two figures in this line item. This choice would be up to
the WPD.
Please note that this is a "worst case" budget. Lt. Unsworth has mentioned several ways in
which total costs could potentially be reduced to fit the funding available.
Ongoing training: It is our sincere hope and strong recommendation that after the initial
training of all department officers, customized Kingian training will be provided for new
recruits, as well as periodic refresher courses for all officers. Clearly, the design of future
training programs will be shaped by the feedback received from officers after they have been
through the course. We assume that content and instructional methods will be adjusted on an
ongoing basis to maximize relevance and usefulness to participants.
We recommend that whenever possible officers who have already been through the Kingian
program share their experiences with new trainees so as to highlight in a personal way the
impact the training has had on the performance of their duties.
Acknowledgement:
We wish to especially thank Lt. Dan Unsworth and Officer Patty Grady for their invaluable
participation and input in creating this proposal. As both police officers and certified Kingian
trainers, they have brought a unique perspective to our learning process. We are deeply
grateful for their contributions and commitment.
Conclusion:
This program offers an important opportunity to the WPD to fulfill its pledge to the community
to Listen, Learn, Grow, Act. Our Kingian Response Team has listened carefully to the opinions of
its diverse members, and this proposal, representing their collective recommendation, has their
overwhelming support. The Kingian training program is part of the Learning stage of this
process, offering officers a chance to Grow in their skills and self-confidence, and allowing them
to Act in a more historically and culturally informed manner. We, the members of the Kingian
Response Team, sincerely hope that Chief Lawn and the Department will embrace and
implement this program. We stand ready to assist in any way possible, and hope that you will
call on us. We hope to work as a team with the WPD in whatever way we can. We thank you for
your consideration.
Sincerely,
Shivani Sharma
Halle Aufiero
Diana Abramian
Liz Rodgers
Jill Connolly
Officer Patty Grady
Lt. Dan Unsworth
Jason del Porto
Will Twombly
For the Kingian Response Team
September 25, 2020
Emails Received,for the Minutes of the Town Council Public Safetv Committee Meetine of April 22.2021 at 6:00 p.m.
On April 22, 2021 at 6:02:54 PM, Krystyn Elek (krvstvn.eleka.gmail.com)wrote:
Good Evening,
In my communications with the members of the public safety committee, it has become clear that the Town
Council and Committee do not have any measures or benchmarks of success for the Police Department. Don't
you find that concerning? How is it even possible to define success for the police department externally without
those goals and benchmarks?
Krystyn Elek
Watertown Resident
On April 22, 2021 at 6:06:24 PM, Maura Forde (mbfordel3(a)gmail.com)wrote:
Hello,
I'm curious to know what type of changes were instituted in the PD after the 2012 report on its management. For
instance, at the time, no performance standards existed to measure effectiveness of dispatching Priority One
Police, Fire and EMS calls for service. There was a recommendation to "Implement performance standards for
dispatching Priority One calls for service." (p. 7) Did that ever happen?
Thank you.
On April 22, 2021 at 6:10:32 PM, Christine Niccoli (ciniccoli(d)-amail.com)wrote:
How does the PSC seek perspectives and input from community members (particularly gathering feedback from
a diverse mix of community members)related to public safety?How do those responses inform the town budget,
if at all?
Christine Niccoli
Pronouns:she,her,hers
ciniccoliQr�amail.com
On April 22, 2021 at 6:15:10 PM, Zainab Attar(zainabattar919eramail.com)wrote:
Hello!
I hope you're well. Here is my question for the PSC Meeting:
What can we do as a community to transition from paid police details to civilian flaggers for construction and
security, providing gainful employment to residents, which itself is a deterrent to crime?
Thank you,
Zainab Attar
1
On April 22, 2021 at 6:19:06 PM, Lana Koko Taffel (lanataffel(d),Qmail.com)wrote:
Is there room for reducing the number of situations where an armed officer is needed for a response to a call or
assignment? (i.e. car broken down, paid police details, mental health crises). In a community forum with
Brownsberger this summer, Cheif Lawn stated "99% of our calls are service related". Do we need guns at those
calls?
Thank you,
Lana
On April 22, 2021 at 6:21:57 PM, Leyla Mandel (lemand344(a)watertown.k12.ma.us)wrote:
What power does the PSC have to recommend reallocating SRO funding to hiring school counselors instead?
SROs increase exposure to the criminal justice system, whereas counselors do not!
Thanks,
Leyla
On April 22, 2021 at 6:22:38 PM, Miranda Popkey(miranda.popkev a()amail.com)wrote:
Hello all;
As a resident of Watertown, and a member of Uplift Watertown, I'd appreciate if my question below could be read
into the record and answered. Many thanks in advance!
In recent days, our organization has been vilified online by community members.
We would like to note that, during the forum held over the summer with William Brownsbereger and Chief Lawn,
Chief Lawn reiterated time and time again that the Department needs support in dealing with mental health crises.
"Every third call that we go on now," he said, "has something to do with mental illness." Later he added, "mental
illness issues that we are dealing with day in and day out ... right now, no one is stepping up to help us with
those." Chief Lawn also noted that"A lot of society's issues are being left at our feet to deal with."
We agree— Uplift certainly doesn't want the police to be dealing with society's issues when another organization
could be brought to assist instead. And in fact, through lobbying and presence in town meetings, Uplift advocated
for the hiring of a second clinician to work with the Police Department to reduce that load. We are trying to build
solutions for community members that are appropriately distributed to the correct agencies and actors. My
question is: given that Uplift is bringing solutions to the table—why are we being treated as antagonists, rather
than partners?
Best,
Miranda
On April 22, 2021 at 6:30:10 PM, Madeline Rocklin (maddierocklin(a-)-gmail.com)wrote:
Good evening,
My name is Maddie Rocklin and I am a lifelong Watertown resident. Thank you for holding this meeting and for
taking our questions. My question is: Does the community have any input on defining what public safety looks like
in Watertown?
Thanks again,
Maddie
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On April 22, 2021 at 6:32:33 PM, Joseph Rotella (ikrotella(a)-gmail.com)wrote:
Dear Councilors,
I attended the Watertown Citizens Police Academy a few years ago and during the presentations, the officers
admitted that a lot of what they responded to for calls had to do with issues that no one else was available to deal
with, this included mental health issues, homelessness and addiction issues. If the police themselves admit that
many of their calls are beyond their expertise, why isn't the town council shifting some of the police budget to
other agencies that could better respond to these public safety concerns?
Thank you,
Joseph
Joseph Rotella
he/him/his or they/them/their
157 Common Street
Watertown, MA 02472
617-388-1300
"You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not
always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once
but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have
because history has shown us that courage can be contagious
and hope can take on a life of its own." — Michelle Obama
On April 22, 2021 at 6:40:56 PM, Janet Buck (ianetbuck211(aD-amail.com)wrote:
If I do not get time to speak, these are my thoughts regarding police reform. Please include them in the minutes.
Thank you.
To the Town Council Subcommittee on Public Safety:
I think we can all agree on the fact that being a police officer is a highly responsible profession. Like medicine,
law, engineering, architecture or teaching, we expect and require that our law enforcement professionals perform
at a very high level. And I am not implying that they do not, here in Watertown. However, no one is perfect and
mistakes are made at times.
The past several years, and this last one in particular, have resulted in a very broad awareness of what has been
come to be known as "police culture". I would characterize it as a tendency to "close ranks" and support each
other, regardless of whether an action was correct or not. It is the opposite of what we deserve from professional
law enforcement. When a colleague makes a mistake, we hope that he/she will be corrected and warned by
his/her fellow officers, with the understandinq that certain behaviors work aaainst their abilitv to do their iobs. And
it is right that there should be more oversight to this process than there is now.
The ultimate manifestation of this attitude is the practice of qualified immunity. The idea that an officer's
qualifications exempt him or her from facing consequences is a message that undercuts respect from the
community. As I said, mistakes are made and no one is perfect. But the rest of us expect to pay for our
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mistakes. It's a big part of being a responsible adult, let alone a respected professional. I cannot accept allowing
this to go on without question, and I hope that reforms are coming that cause this to happen. Reforms are
happening on a state and federal level. Watertown, in many areas, has been a leader, not waiting for state or
federal laws to do the right thing. So why are we afraid to lead today ? If we are to be proud of our police force,
they shouldn't be afraid to let us in to see how well they are doing.
Sincerely,
Janet Buck
Boylston Street, Watertown
On April 22, 2021 at 6:41:36 PM, Olivia Winsor(winsoro97(o-)-cimail.com)wrote:
Hello!
My name is Olivia winsor. I have a speech prepared representing the police side and would love a chance to
speak in this meeting. Thank you
Sent from my iPhone
On April 22, 2021 at 6:57:00 PM, Matthew DiGiovanni (mdigiovanni781(cD-gmail.com)wrote:
Dear Councilor Ms. Lisa Feltner
I am writing this email to you as a concerned father with family members who reside in Watertown; I want to
express my wife and my grave concern about the town considering Defunding the police department.
Watertown is a great community, and I firmly believe that is partly due to how safe the town and the great job
the police department has done and continues to perform. Defunding the police will only strain the depleted
force to provide the level of safety that presently exists. I would ask you to consider what the outcome would
have been had it not been for the Watertown police who spotted the marathon bombers that night.The
bombers may not have been stopped if it were not for the Watertown officers' quick action that prevented
them from completing their twisted intent to hurt more innocent people and taken more lives.There was a
massive outpouring of support for our law enforcement that followed the night the second bomber was
apprehended. Do not let incidents in other parts of our country influence how you act towards the police
department.There are good, hardworking officers who go out every day and do a great job under extreme
pressure now more than ever throughout the country that we never hear about, and they all need our support
now more than ever.There are measures in place in this state, like the new landmark policing reform act signed
into law. Please stand behind the police department and support them because they all need our support.
Please, I implore you to vote in favor of leaving the police budget as it is and support our officers.
Respectfully,
Matthew& Fiorella DiGiovanni
On April 22, 2021 at 7:37:50 PM, Aravinda Ananda(aravinda.ananda(a,gmail.com) wrote:
4
At the last PSC meeting (March 12), Chief Lawn displayed either a highly disturbing lack of understanding of how
racism works at an institutional level or willful denial. This is unacceptable. Individual examples of kindness to
Black people are tokenizing and do not magically negate racism operating at an institutional level.
A department displaying such ignorance about racism should not be sent with such frequency into the community
armed with guns where that bias can be employed with lethal force. Bias training can only do so much and cannot
do enough to counteract a culture deeply steeped in racism. Please establish a plan to remove as much of crisis
intervention response from WPD as possible wherever it is not a law enforcement issue and could more skillfully
be handled by other professionals.
Sincerely,
Aravinda Ananda
On April 22, 2021 at 7:50:59 PM, Barbara Ruskin (ruskinb00(o-)-icloud.com)wrote:
lisa, I cannot speak tonight so I would like to have my comments entered into the record later. Too many people
and not enough time. there is no chat, so I will write later. Sincerely, Barbara Ruskin
5