City leaders said Tuesday that they saw the recently completed study of the Lawrence Police Department as a first step in a larger process to reconsider the role of police in the community and how the department operates. As part of a special meeting Tuesday, consultants with Citygate Associates presented the findings of the police department study to the City Commission and the public. The commission called for the study and subsequent report last year following national and local protests against police killings of Black people and other people of color and calls for reallocation of some police duties to social services. The subsequent 132-page report includes 60 findings and 75 recommendations across various categories, including race-related issues and community engagement, handling of complaints against police, and alternative responses to policing such as mental health responses. City staff will now take the next 90 days to create an implementation plan that will come back to the commission.
Source: LJWorld.com.
