Susana Alcala Wood, City Attorney Jorge Oseguera, City Auditor Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk Howard Chan, City Manager John Colville, City Treasurer Budget and Audit Committee Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-00169 February 1, 2022 Discussion Item 05
Title: Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation Multi-Year Operating Project
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Dr. LaTesha Watson, Director, (916) 808-7525, [email protected] ,
Office of Public Safety Accountability
Presenter: Dr. LaTesha Watson, Director, (916)808-7525, [email protected], Office of Public Safety Accountability
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Truth, Reform, and Reconciliation Project
3-Sustainable Equity Cost Breakdown Analysis - Nov 2021
File ID: 2022-00169 Discussion Item 05
February 1, 2022
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City of Sacramento
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: On June 15, 2021, City Council approved the Truth, Reform, and Reconciliation Project (I01140100) as a multi-year operating project (MYOP) with an initial expenditure budget of $100,000 with a transfer from a previous set-aside of General Funds (Fund 1001) in the Citywide and Community Support Department and a transfer of $220,000 from General Fund Administrative Contingency, for a total of $320,000, for the Office of Public Safety Accountability (OPSA) to hire outside professionals to assist the Sacramento Police Department and the community in their Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation Project efforts. Given the estimated amount of work involved in this effort, a request for proposals (RFP) was issued and the reconciliation firm, Sustainable Equity, has been chosen to provide the needed services. Based on Sustainable Equity’s proposal and cost breakdown, staff has determined that an additional $280,000 will be needed to proceed with this project.
Policy Considerations: This funding is required to secure the services of Sustainable Equity to achieve the Council direction relative to assist the Sacramento Police Department and the community in their Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation Project efforts.
Economic Impacts: None
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act: The requested action in this report is exempt from review under CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
Sustainability: Not applicable
Commission/Committee Action: None
Rationale for Recommendation: None
Financial Considerations: Identify a funding source for the additional $280,000 needed to contract the services of Sustainable Equity to achieve the council’s previous direction regarding the Truth, Reform, and Reconciliation Project. Staff will return to City Council once specific funding has been identified and the contract is ready to be finalized.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): None
Truth, Reform, &
Reconciliation
Dr. LaTesha Watson
BACKGROUND
• Public outcry
- January 19, 2021 City Council
Meeting
- Initial Council direction to
OPSA Director
- Preliminary review conducted
Project OVERVIEW
• Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation Initiative
planned and developed
• Initiative consist of two phases
• Phase I: Operational/Policy-Based
Review
• Phase II: Reconciliation Process
- utilization of reconciliation experts
PHASE I
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase I
• Operational/Policy-Based Review
- evaluate Sacramento PD protest
operation/mass demonstration
planning, protocols, and procedures
- evaluate Sacramento PD training for
protest operation/mass demonstration
operations
- compare Sacramento PD operations
and training to national best practices
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase I
• Operational/Policy-Based Review cont.
- compare Sacramento PD policies and
training to other major city police
organizations in U.S.
- identify opportunity areas for
improvement
- produce written report to Council
outlining key recommendations
PHASE II
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
• Reconciliation Services
- works to foster healthy relationship
between police and communities served
- authentic opportunities to connect law
enforcement and community members,
expose misconceptions and build trust
- frank engagements between marginalized
communities and law enforcement
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Reconciliation Services cont.
- addresses current and historic tensions,
grievances, and misconceptions
contributing to mutual distrust and
misunderstanding
- involves officers from all levels within
department
- provide pathway for future collaboration
and reciprocal input from community
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
• Request for Proposals (RFP) Process
- city received two proposal submissions
- panel of reviewers assessed submissions
• Assessment Criteria
- Experience specific to local law enforcement
and the community
- Overall experience with reconciliation efforts
- Services offered
- References
- Cost Proposal
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Proposal Selection: Sustainable Equity
- healing and equity consulting firm based in Mississippi - more than 150 years of healing, equity and
reconciliation experience in 18 states and 3 countries
- experience with public and private organizations
building and sustaining justice, equity, diversity,
healing, and inclusion
- utilizes deeper, more authentic and transformative
approach to build new relationships of trust
- created and launched innovative trust-building and
equity process, the Welcome Table
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Sustainable Equity, LLC: Cost Breakdown Analysis
1) Design specific approach for City of
Sacramento
2) Comprehensive Study:
- Speaking Your Truth & Reimagining the
Possibilities activities
3) Written report of study findings
4) Action plan
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Sustainable Equity, LLC: Cost Breakdown Analysis
cont.
5) Implementation Process
- Phase Once – planning and recognition of past wrongs
- Phase Two - knowledge building
- Phase Three – Future building
6) Circle of empowered residents and police
7) 2nd Circle of empowered residents and police
8) Review
- provide firm path forward and development of long -
term plan for sustainability
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Next Steps
- initial project funding ($320K) approval
June 15, 2021
- established as multi-year operating project
(MYOP)
- additional funding ($280K) needed to
proceed with project
- request Council to provide direction in
determination to seek reconciliation
services from Sustainable Equity
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Sustainable Equity, LLC: Leadership Team
- Dr. Susan Glisson, Co-Founder
- Dr. Charles Tucker, Co-Founder
- Mee Moua, Principal InterDependent
Group, LLC
- Kevin John Fong, Cultural translator,
facilitator, trainer, and speaker
- Pat Vivian, Consultant
Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation:
Phase II
Sustainable Equity, LLC : Reconciliation Work
➢ Department of Justice’s National Initiative
for Community Trust and Social Justice
➢ Public Safety and Equity Circle in
Birmingham, Alabama
➢ New Orleans, LA
➢ State of Mississippi
QUESTIONS
Sustainable Equity, LLC.
City of Sacramento – Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation Initiative Proposal/Cost Breakdown Analysis
Purpose: To provide reconciliation services to foster a healthy relationship between the Sacramento Police Department and the communities being served.
Focus: To ensure an open and transparent process in fostering reconciliation between the community in the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Police Department addressing current and historic tensions, grievances, and misconceptions that contribute to mutual distrust and misunderstanding, enhance procedural justice, and reduce implicit biases. Fostering reconciliation in the City of Sacramento is a priority for city leaders, key stakeholders, and the public to work as one on a pathway forward to rebuilding trust and legitimacy with public service.
Objectives:
• Evaluate status of relationships between the community and local law enforcement
• Submit written report based on the respective analysis • Develop plan of action for consideration for the improvement of this relationship
• Implement plan of action upon approval
Y1 - DELIVERABLES Y1 - STRATEGY
Y1 - TIME Y1 - BUDGET
1. Planning a specific
approach
The planning will consist of
gathering Dr. Watson and primary
stakeholders to outline the next two
years of work.
3 days total (12 team
members and 3 leads)
$40K
2. Comprehensive Study
- The organization shall
conduct a study to report
on the current state of the
relationship between the
community and local law
enforcement. This study
will include both current
and historical impacts as
appropriate.
Office of Public
Accountability (OPA)
(Group)
City Leaders (Individual)
Key Stakeholders
(Individual)
The Public (Groups/
/Individual
Conversations)
The Comprehensive Study will
consist of two activities:
1. Speaking Your Truth
2. Reimagining the Possibilities
1. Speaking Your Truth (3
Activities)
A. Researching the Facts: what
do the facts, as reported say
about historical and current
relationships?
B. Speaking Your Truth: 3
Surveys (Pre and Post)
• Citywide: 2 dozen questions
pertaining to police, procedural,
racial justice, police legitimacy
and attitudes towards safety and
justice and socio-demo
information.
• Heavily policed and high crime
communities of color: Team of
residence will meet with us to
help develop questions, make
meaning of the data, and create
themes (for phase 2)
• Police Dept. Actors: Anonymous
survey administered to police
actors (degree of trust, views of
anti-blackness/white privilege
and readiness to engage in phase
2 AND invite to re-imagine what
it would take to get to right
relationship).
C. Reimagining the
Possibilities Assessments
• Reflect on the facts, the truths
and ALSO re-imagine what
alternative might look like.
3-4 months
(Actual time for all 3-
4 months. The days
below presume
meetings across
months.)
40 hours
Charlotte model:
Engage with a wide
variety of
$25K
$25K
$10K
$25.2K
Questions:
Who identifies: City Leaders, Key
Stakeholders, The Public and how
many people from each group?
constituencies across
the city.
14 days
3. Written Report -
provide findings from the
evaluation to the OPSA on
the status and to share
findings in an open and
accessible manner with all
involved stakeholders.
• Write the report with a focus on
survey themes and assessment
conversations
• Plan, design and hold (5)
stakeholder briefings (city
leaders (1), key stakeholders (1),
and public (3) for
feedback/improvement
2-3 months $30K
4. Action Plan - submit a
plan of action to foster the
reconciliation process
between the community
and local law enforcement
agency to the OPSA in an
open and accessible
manner; and shall include
a timeline and a plan for
tasks that the City can
continue with moving
forward
• Convening to design the
dialogue plan based on
community feedback
• Draft plan and timetable
• Preparation of materials and
presentation of the plan.
1 month $30K
5. Implementation
Process – Upon approval,
the organization shall
begin the healing,
reconciliation and equity
initiative. The organization
shall provide status
updates periodically
through the course of
action to the Office of
Public Safety
Accountability.
Phase One: Planning and
Recognition of Past
Wrongs
NON-NEGOTIABLE
Our approach includes
three phases:
• Phase One-Presence:
trust-building.
• Phase Two-Purpose:
Phase One-Two Activities:
A. Work with the Chief of Police to
prepare to offer a public
acknowledgement of past harms.
Determine how to invite in the
public, especially the most targeted
residents. Plan a public event at the
appropriate time.
B. In this period, we would offer
some procedural justice training,
which can help “soften” up both
police and community for working
more intentionally together.
(19-24 months total)
3 months
3 months
$25K
$15K
knowledge building.
• Phase Three-Power:
future building.
6. Circle of empowered
residents and police, who
trust each other and work
together for the common
good
Phase Two: Intentional Trust-
Building Sessions and Educational
Sessions
NON-NEGOTIABLE
1. Increased understanding of the
historical and current trust and
legitimacy issues between law
enforcement and communities
throughout the City of Sacramento.
2. Integration of trust-building and
listening sessions as an ongoing,
regular activity for police agencies
and communities in each
jurisdiction.
3. Sustained mechanisms for
communities to have input into
police agency policies and
practices.
4. Enhanced community trust in
local law enforcement cooperative
agreements through shared creation
of those agreements.
5. Improved public safety.
6. Strengthened relationships
between police and the communities
they serve.
One group of 20-30,
equally divided
between SPD and
community. A year-
long process, with
once-a-month
meetings and
assignments/joint
activities in between.
One circle for one
year: $144K
(facilitation and
admin)
Y2 - DELIVERABLES Y2 - STRATEGY Y2 - TIME Y2 – BUDGET
7. Second Circle of
empowered residents and
police, who trust each
other and work together
for the common good
See above 12 months $144K
8. Review - After
completion of the
organization’s
involvement in the
reconciliation process,
organization will provide a
report and review of what
was accomplished and will
provide a firm path
Development of a long-term plan for
sustainability.
3-4 months $30K
forward for the City to
continue on with the
efforts.
TOTAL Y1 Costs: $369,200
plus $25K
contingency fund:
$394,200
Y2 Costs: $174,000
plus $25K
contingency fund:
$199,000
Y1/Y2: $593,200