City Council Reviews Policing And Public Safety In Hillsboro

Press release from the City of Hillsboro:

August 19, 2020

Listen. Understand. Take action.

Those three steps set the foundation for the Hillsboro City Council’s Work Session on Policing and Public Safety on Tuesday, August 18.

City of Hillsboro staff presented a summary of the more than 200 comments received from community members in June, July, and August.

The City’s community outreach and engagement sought to center the voices of Black community members and other people of color during listening sessions, in emails, and through other opportunities to speak to the City Council.

207 Community Comments Received in June, July, and August

• 68 comments supported transformative changes
• 53 comments expressed full support of the Hillsboro Police Department
• 34 comments supported minor reform
• 33 comments were determined to have an unclear desired outcome
• 19 comments supported major reform

Next Steps

At the end of the Work Session, the Council expressed strong support for the Police Department and its employees, and asked City staff to move forward on several items:

• Explore options of an independent Police oversight structure that would evaluate complaints, use-of-force incidents, and general policing policies.
• Expand equity training for the City Council and City staff, including the Police Department.
• Continue working with the Hillsboro School District on the future of School Resource Officers.
• Research programs nationwide through a racial equity lens, including CAHOOTS based in Eugene, and propose a program that will help support the needs of community members experiencing mental health and/or homelessness challenges.
• Continue to engage community members, including partnering with community groups, to hear from more residents.
• Provide ongoing communication to residents on policy decisions and opportunities to provide input and give feedback.

City of Hillsboro staff will continue to research policy options and engage Hillsboro community members and groups, then return to the Council in the near future to report on their findings.

Watch the three-hour Hillsboro City Council Work Session on Policing and Public Safety.

Actions Taken Since June

During the meeting, Police Chief Jim Coleman updated the Council on the actions taken by Hillsboro Police Department staff since the Council Work Session on policing in June. Those actions include:

• A formalized policy that requires Hillsboro Police Department employees to intervene in the unreasonable use of physical force.
• A formalized policy that prohibits the use of chokeholds and similar techniques, except when deadly physical force is authorized.
• Updates to the Hillsboro Police Department website to make it easier for users to access data and resources, including a newly created anonymous complaint form.
• The creation of a Community Outreach Division to focus on community engagement and livability services.
• The announcement of a new Hillsboro Police Department mission statement: “Delivering exceptional police service to the Hillsboro community through our shared values of Dignity, Respect, Service, and Just Outcomes."

This press release was produced by the City of Hillsboro. The views expressed here are the author’s own.