[GAVEL]. >> WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY & EQUITY COMMITTEE FOR AUGUST 5, 2026. I AM JASON CHAVEZ, THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE
MEETING, I WANT TO OFFER A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS, STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE TO ENABLE GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THESE BROADCASTS INCLUDE RL-TIME CAPTIONING AS A FURTHER METHOD TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR
PROCEEDINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. ALL SPEAKERS SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THE RATE OF THEIR SPEED SO OUR CAPTIONS CAN TRANSCRIBE THE BROADCAST. AT THIS TIME, I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL
SO WE CAN VERIFY A QUORUM FOR THIS MEETING. >> COUNCIL MEMBER PAYNE. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER WONSLEY IS ABSENT, COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE IS ABSENT.OUNCIL MEMBER VETAW. >> PRESENT. >> THAT IS FIVE MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> LET THE RECD REFLECT WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE WILL BE USING SPEAKER MANAGEMENT TODAY SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE SIGNED IN. TODAY, WE WILL BEGIN FIRST WITH OUR CONSENT AGENDA. ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER 1 AND ITEM NUMBER 2, AUTHORIZING CONTRACT AMENDMENTS WITH THE
BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING, INVESTIGATORS TASK FORCE, CRIME ANALYSTS, AND INVESTIGATORS. A CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR CANOPY
ROOTS. ITEM 4 ACCEPT IT IS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GRANT TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES. ITEM 5 IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE SUSTAINABILITY GRANT TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY RESPONSES. ITEM 6, ACCEPTS THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
SAFETY GRAND FOR BOMB DISPOSAL, EQUIPMENT, AND TRAINING, AND AUTHORIZES AN AGREEMENT FOR THE GRANT. 7, 8, 9 ARE FOR CONFERENCE ATTENDANT. ITEM 10 IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR
AUGUST 19TH TO NOISE REGULATIONS. ITEM 11 SET AS PUBLIC HEARING FOR AUGUST 19TH TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE RELATED TO PET OWNERSHIP RESTRICTION REFORM. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP ITEM 12 AT THIS TIME, POSTPONING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ORDINANCE TO
THE SEPTEMBER 23RD MEETING. THIS ITEM IS UNDER POSTPONEMENT. COLLEAGUES IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? WITH THAT, I MOVE ALL CONSENT
ITEMS FOR APPROVAL, INCLUDING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR 10 AND 11, AND MOVE TO POSTPONE ITEM 12, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ORDINANCE TO TH SEPTEMBER 23RD MEETING. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [AYES EXPRESSED] >> THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. ANY
ABSTENTIONS? THAT CARRIES. SEEING NO -- THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE RECEIVE AND FILE SOME O THE AGENDA STARTING WITH ITEM NUMBER 13, A PRESENTATION RELATED TO THE CITY'S TREE PROGRAM. THE
CITY'S TREE MANAGER WILL BEGIN THE PRESENTATION. WELCOME. >> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, MY
NAME IS SYDNEY SHAFT AND I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE A REPORT ON THE CITY'S TREE PROGRAM. SO THE PLAN FOR TODAY IS TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM AND THE TEAM, PROVIDE A STATUS UPDATE ON HOW OUR PLANTING NUMBERS HAVE
GONE SO FAR IN 2026, AND SHARE SOME MISCELLANEOUS PROAM UPDATES. SO,HERE ARE A LOT OF AMAZING REASONS WE D THIS WORK AND WHY WE PLANT MORE TREES. O OF THE BIGGEST ONES WE THINK ABOUT ARE THE WAY THAT TREES HELP CL OUR CITIES AND HELP MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE. THE LARGER THE TREE IS, THE MORE OF THESE BENEFITS THAT IT PROVIDES, SO WE TRY TO PROMOTE LARGE SHADE TREES THROUGHOUT OUR PROGRAM AS MUC AS POSSIBLE. HERE IS AEAUTIFUL TEAM PHOTO FROM THE U OF M ST.
CAMPUS FROM A FORESTRY EVENT LAST YEAR. WE HAVE OUR PROJECT COORDINATORS, BIR IS OUR OUTREACH COORDINATOR, AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY FORESTER, AND JIM FOR OUR CONSERVATION CORPS
MEMBER, AND TWO INTERNS, LISA AND AMALI. SO THE CITY TREES PROGRAM STARTED IN 2006. IT'S OUR 20th BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR. WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 25,000 TREES. THE CITY TREES PROGRAM IS
EXCLUSIVELY FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY, THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC TREES, THE BOULEVARD TREES AND THE PARK'S TREES. WE KNOW THE LARGEST OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE TREE CANOPY IN MINNEAPOLIS IS ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY. SO, THE TREES THAT ARE OFFERED THROUGH O PROGRAM ARE CONTAINER TREES, 4 TO 8 FEET TALL AND WE DO A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF TREES. OUR MAIN TWO PLANTING PROGRAMS ARE
THE REDENTIAL CITY TREE SALE. SO THESE ARE LOWOST TREES PROVED TO RESIDENTS ATUST $30 EACH, WHICH IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT. THESE TREES WOULD TYPICALLY COST $150 TO $200 IF PURCHASED FROM A NURSERY. WE PROVIDE THE ORDERING
IN ADVANCE AND WE GIVE RESIDENTS ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO FEEL CONFIDENT PICKING UP THE TREE AND PLANTING IT. THEY PICK UP THEIR TES AT DRIVE THRU PICK UP WEEKEND. WE TYPICALLY DO IT IN THE SPRING AND THE FALL. THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR FULL-SERVICE PLANTING PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY AN EFFORT TO REDUCE AS MANY BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE DISPARITIES IN THE TREE CANOPY IN THE CITY. SO, THIS PROGRAM HAS AN EMPHASIS ON THE GREEN ZONES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREAS, AND IT'S ALSO OPEN TO NON-PROFITS AND
BUSINESSES. SO, FOR PARTICIPATION IN THAT PROGRAM, IT INCLUDES A ONE-ON-ONE SITE VISIT WITH CITY TREE STAFF, WHERE WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH TREE TRUST TO DO A LOT OF WORK AND WE MEET WITH THE RESIDENT OR PROPER OWNER AND TALK THROUGH WHAT TYPE OF TREES THEY MAY BE INTERESTED IN, HOW MANY THEY
HAVE ROOM FOR, MAKE SURE WE'RE SELECTING TREE THAT FIT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, AND GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL BEING PLANT ON THE SITE. THEN WE PROVIDE A FULL-SERVICE PLANTING SO THE RESIDENTS HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WATERING AND MAINTENANCE FOR THE TREES. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROPERTIES
AND SITES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM. WE HAVE DONE COMMUNITY GARDENS THIS PAST SPRING AND AT HENNEPIN SCHOOLS AS WELL. SO, THIS IS LOOKING AT OUR NUMBERS FOR 2026.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THE TARGETED NUMBER OF TREES THROUGH OUR PROGRAM WAS 2,915. THIS IS BETWEEN THE CITY TREE SALES, THE FULL-SERVICE PLANTS, REPLACEMENTS AFTER DISEASED AND HAZARD TREE REMOVALS, AND 400
SMALL TREES AT A MINI FOREST. I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER. WE HAD A TON OF INTEREST SO FAR AND WE ARE LOOKING AT PASSING OUR GOAL AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO PLANTING JUST OVER
3,200 TREE THIS YEAR. SO, WE HAVE TWO MAIN PLANTING SEASONS IN MINNESOTA. SPRING IS APRIL, MAY, INTO EARLY JUNE AND FALL PLANTING SEASON IS SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, MAYBE BOO NOVEMBER. SO, THIS IS JUST SHOWING WHAT WE
ALREADY COMPLETED SO FAR IN THE SPRING AND THEN WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. SO WE CONTRACT WITH METRO BLOOMS TO DO SOME OF THE REPLACEMENT TREE PLANTING AFTER DIOCESED AND HAZARD TREES ARE REMOVED. THEY ARE GOING TO PLANT
THE REMAINING THIS FALL. THE SPRING CITY TREE SALE, WE SOLD JUST OVER 1,100 TREES AND OUR FALL SALE OPENED ON AUGUST 1ST. THERE ARE 800 TREES AVAILABLE. AS OF YESTERDAY, WE HAD SOLD 437 IN THE FIRST FOUR DAYS. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN
THAT PROGRAM. THEN THE FULL-SERVICE PLANTINGS IN THE SPRING, OUR TEAM PLANTED 150 TREES, TREE TRUST PLANTED 250, AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEEN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS OF REQUESTS. SO IN ADDITION TO THE
OVER 700 THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANTING, WE HAVE 600 MORE THAT WE HAVE A WAIT LIST NOW AND ARE WORKING TO GET A PLAN TO GET PEOPLE THOSE TREES. THAT'S BEEN VERY EXCITING. SO THE MINI FOREST IS A CONCEPT WE LEARNED
ABOUT AT A STATE FORESTRY CONFERENCE LAST YEAR. IT PROVIDES ALL OF THE SAME BENEFITS TO TREES, OR BENEFITS THAT TREES PROVIDE AND CAPTURES A LOT OF CARBON. IT'S A DECADES METHOD FROM JAPAN, WHERE YOU
PLANT A LOT OF TREES AND VEGETATION CLOSE TOGETHER. IT'S DENSELY PLANTED THAT YOU CAN FIT 350 TREES IN AN AREA AS SMALL AS SIX PARKING SPACES. BECAUSE OF THE PLANTS ARE COMPETING FOR SUNLIGHT AND NUTRIENTS, IT FORCES THEM TO GROW QUICKLY, AND
YOU GET A MATURE POCKET FOREST IN 20 TO 30 YEARS, WHERE A TYPICAL FOREST WOULD TAKE LONGER TO REACH FULL MATURITY. WE FINISHED THE PREP IN JULY AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THAT PLANTED IN NOVEMBER. THEN, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN OFFER THAT TO OTHERITES
AROUND THE CITY THAT ARE INTERESTEDN HOSTING A MINI FOREST. SO, THE CITY TREES TEAM ALWAYS DOES A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN RECENTLY WORKING ON IS PROVIDING SOME EDUCATIONAL
GRAPHICS FOR SOME COMMON MISCON SECTIONS OR COMMON QUESTIONS WE GET. SOME OF THOSE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF WATERING THEIR TREE WHEN THEY GET SOMETHING NEW PLANTED. THE ANNUAL COST IS ABOUT $3, SO THAT IS NOT A HUGE BARRIER FOR A
LOT OF PEOPLE LUCKILY. WE HEAR A LOT OF TIMES THAT PEOPLE HAVE SMALLER LOTS AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THEY DON'T HAVE ROOM IN THEIR YARD FOR A BIG SHADE TREE. SHADE TREES GROW TALLER SO THE PART TAKING UP THE MOST SPACE IS THE TRUNK, IF YOU THINK OF THE LARGE SHADE TREES ON THE
BOULEVARD. IT'S GRASSY AREA, NOT THAT BIG, WE CAN FIT SOME SHADE TREES THERE. SOMETIMES THE ORNAMENTAL TREES TAKE UP MORE SPACE. THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE EDUCATIONAL PIECES WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. OUR
FORESTER HAS BEEN WORKING ON FORESTRY EXPLORATION AND A TREE WORKSHOP. WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING THE CONTRACT WITH METRO BLOOMS
TO DO BLACK BASKET WORKSHOP OUR COORDINATOR LED A WORKSHOP IN JUNE, TO CONNECT TECHNICAL INFORMATION ABOUT TREES AND EDUCATION AROUN TREES WITH
NATURE INSPIRED ART. THERE WAS POETRY, PUPPET MAKING, AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WERE THERE SHARING VARUS RESOURCES. ANOTHER EXCITING THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IS A TREE
AMBASSADOR PILOT. THIS IS A NEW INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO INCREASE DIVERSE AND FIRST TIM PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE MORE EQUITY IN THE TREE CANOPY, AND TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT OUR PROGRAM BEFORE. SO, WE WERE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BECOME TREE AMBASSADORS. THEY
DON'T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT ON TREES. WE JUST WANT PEOPLE THAT KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS AND KNOW HOW TO REACH PEOPLE. WE HAD APPLICATIONS OPEN IN FEBRUARY. WE RECEIVED OVER 75 APPLICATIONS, WHICHAS VERY SURP SELECTED 15 TREE AMBASSADORS AND THEY EACH GET A STIPEND TO
IDENTIFY PLANTING LOCATIONS FOR 50 TREES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, THIS PROGRAM IS MODELED AFTER ROUTE NASHVILLE, WHI DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR. THEY HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAM, DEPENDING ON THEIR STRENGTH. SOME ARE SAVVY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SOME MAY ATTEND
LARGE EVENTS, AND THEY JUST STARTED MID-APRIL AND WE ALREADY HAD 250 TREES, MORE THAN THAT, BUT AT LEAST 250 TREES REQUESTED THROUGH THE TREE AMBASSADOR SO FAR. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON OUR PRIVATE PROPERTY TREE
PRESERVATION ORDINANCE WITH THE IDEA TO PRESERVE TREES THAT ARE LOST DURING CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CPED TO ENSURE THIS ORDINANCE IS GOING TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S GOALS OF INCREASED DENSITY AND NOT ADDING UNNECESSARY BARRIERS TO PULLING PERMITS AND
CONSTRUCTION. SO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE AN UPDATE ON THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WE DID EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE HAD TWO SURVEYS THAT WE DESIGNED IN AN EFFORT TO GET MORE FEEDBACK BEYOND JUST MEETING. THERE WAS A COMMUNITY
MEMBER SURVEY WHERE YOU DIDN'T NEED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND THEN A PROFESSIONAL SURVEY FOR BUILDERS, DEVELOPERS, AND ARBORISTS. WE RECEIVED A COUPLE HUNDRED RESPONSES THROUGH THAT. FROM A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE HEARD EXAMPLES OF MATURE TREES THEY WERE SAD TO
HAVE LOST DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND SOMETIMES THESE TREES DON'T DIE DURING ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT COULD BE ONE TO THREE YEARS AFTER THE FACT BECAUSE THE STRESS OF THE CONSTRUCTION PUT ON THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONES WITH THE EXCAVATION AND SOIL COMPA
COMPACTION. WE HEARD A SENTIMENT FROM BUILDERS THAT GENERALLY THEY LIKE TREES AND THEY TRY TO PRESERVE THEM AT TIMES WHEN THEY ARE BUILDING A HOME FOR A PERSON BUYING THE HOME THAT WANTS A MATURE TREE AS WELL. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE IS NOT
ADDING UNNECESSARY BARRIERS IN PERMITTING. WE ATTENDED SEVERAL ADVISORY BODY MEETINGS AND HOSTED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS WITH SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING REPRESENTATIVES, ONE FOR DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS, THEN WE ALSO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH
NEIGHBORS TO GET THEIR INSIGHT, MAKING THIS A THOUGHTFUL AND PRACTICAL ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ENFORCE AND EXPECT TO BRING THAT FORWARD EARLY NEXT YEAR. THIS IS JUST A QUICK UPDATE. PREVIOUSLY REGULATORY SERVICES, HOUSING
INSPECTORS WERE RESPONDING TO PRIVATE PROPERT HAZARD TREE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORS A ARBORISTS HAVE BEEN DOING THOSE. THE PARK BOARD IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR DISEASE AND INFESTED TE COMPLAINTS ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY. BRINGING THAT TO HEALTH GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONDEMN THE TREE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THE CONDEMN TREES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM THAT IS THROUGH A GRANT. WE WERE AWARDED
THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND WE PURSUED IT FROM ADVOCACY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO TALKED ABOUT A NEED FOR HAZARD TREE REMOVALS. THESE TREE REMOVALS CAN COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. IT IS AN INCOME QUALIFIED PROGRAM AND IF THE TREE
QUALIFIES AND IF THE RESIDENT IS ELIGIBLE, WE COVER THE FULL COST OF THE TREE REMOVAL, GRINDING THE STUMP THAT IS LEFT BEHIND, AND REPLACEMENT TREE PLANTING. WE BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS ON JULY 1ST OF 2024. WE JUST HIT
OUR TWO YEARS OF THE PROGRAM. IN THE TWO YEARS, WE HAVE ROLLED OVER 500 ADDRESSES AND MOVED OVER 600 TREES AND THE AVERAGE COST OF THE TREE REMOVAL IS $5,440. SO OUR PJECT COORDINATOR MANAGES THAT PROGRAM AND WHEN SHE TALKS TO
RESIDENTINGS, SHE JUS HEARS A LOT ABOUT HOWRATEFUL THEY ARE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT COST FOR RESIDENTS. IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY AMAZING TEAM. THEY'RE AMAZING AND
THEY'RE WHY WE HAVE MADE THIS WORK HAPPEN. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I AM HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH SYDNEY. I'M SEEING IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. OKAY, VICE CHAIR STEVENSON.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL KEEP THIS QUICK. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DECIDING THE SPECIES OF THE TREES? >> SO, ONEF THE MAIN PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR DECIDING SPECIES IS TO DIVERSIFY THE CANOPY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO, ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT WE DON'T TYPICALLY OFFER THAT MANY MAPLES
BECAUSE MAPLES, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, THERE ARE A LOT PLANTED IN MINNEAPOLIS. WHEN THINGS LIKE EMERALD ASH BORER OR DISEASE MES THROUGH, WE PUT SPACE AND SPACE OF THE SAME
TREES. WE TRY TO OFFER A WIDE VARIETY, SO WHEN THE NEXT PEST OR DISEASE COMES THROUGH THAT WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS YET, IT DOESN'T HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. >> IS THERE THOUGHT TO WHETHER THE TREES ARE NATIVE OR WHETHER
THE TREES MIGHT BE NATIVE IN 50 YEARS, GIVEN OUR CHANGING CLIMATE? IS TRE A THOUGHT TO THOSE THINGS? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO, WE LOOK AT CLIMATE ADAPTATION, NATIVE, AND THEN WHAT RESIDENTS ARE REQUESTING. SO WE DO GET SOME
REQUESTS FOR FRUIT TREES, APPLES, PLUMS, PEACHES, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL IN PRIVATE PROPERTY IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PIECE AS WELL. I THINK AROUND 90% OF OUR TREES THAT WE OFFER ARE NATIVE. WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE BOUNDARY IN AN EFFORT TO LOOK INTO THAT CLIMATE ADAPTATION PIECE. >> OH OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATION TO, LIKE THE STREET SWEEPING OR THE CLEANING THAT MIGHT COME AFTER FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF TREES THAT MIGHT BE A
LITTLE MORE MESSY. >> I DO NOT. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT NO WE DO NOT. >> THANK YOU, THAT'S ALL. >> NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING. >> THANK YOU CHAIR CHAVEZ. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I FOUND THIS QUITE HELPFUL. THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE
CORRECT DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A SPECIFIC BOULEVARD IN OUR WARD THAT WE WANT TO BEAUTIFY HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT. SHOULD I GO THROUGH Y'ALL'S DEPARTMENT OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN
LOOK TO FOR A SPECIFIC PLANT TH BOULEVARD. >> SURE, CHAIR CHAVEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT IT. USUALLY THE PARK BOARD WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOULEVARD TREES BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT OTHER PLANTS
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN DEFINITELY TALK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN MAKE HAPPEN. THERE IS THE EDIBLE BOULEVARD ORDINANCE AS WELL SO THAT OPENS UP SOME POSSIBILITIES ON WHAT WE CAN PLANT. >> WE'LL REACH OUT, THANK YOU. >> VETAW. >> THANK YOU CHAIR CHAVEZ. I
DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR FANTASTIC TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU PUT INTO THE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM AND THE TREE REMOVAL PROGRAM. COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON AND I WORKED REALLY HARD
TO MAKE SURE WE GOT FUNDING BECAUSE THEISEASED TREES WERE HITTING THE NORTH SIDE HARD, NOT JUST FINANCIALLY BUT SO MANY OF THEM. I LOVE THAT YOU MADE THE POINT THAT WE PLANT VARIETY, SO WE DON HAVE THE SAME IUE THAT WHOEVER PLANTED THESE TREES
50 YEARS AGO DIDN'T THINK ABOUT EMERALD ASH BORER OR DISEASE. I REMEMBER BEING ON THE PARK BOARD AND THE DISEASED TREES WERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND I AM LE THEY'RE HEADED NORTH. THEN I GET ON THE COUNCIL AND THEY'RE NORTH. IT'S A HUGE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO FOLKS WHO JUST ONE DAY
HAD A BEAUTIFUL TREE. THEY BOUGHT THEIR HOUSE BECAUSE THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL TREE THERE THAT SUDDENLY BECAME DISEASED AND IT IS $5,000 OR $10,000 TO REMOVE IT. SO I LOVE TO SEE THE NUMBERS
AROUND THE TREE REMOVAL AND ALSO TO SEE THAT YOU'RE STILL MAKING SURE THEY CAN FILL THOSE HOLES. THEY GET THEM REMOVED, THEY WANT ANOTHERREE THERE, WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM FOR FOLKS TO GET A
DISCOUNTED, A REALLY GOOD TREE. I HAVE A FEW MYSELF, SO I KNOW THEY'RE REALLY GOOD TREES. I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO PAY $30 VERSUS $300 AND THAT'S A FINANCIAL STRAIN WHEN YOU WANT
TO BUY A TREE. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THE NORTH SIDE IN PARTICULAR IS A PART OF THIS WORK AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE YOUNG
PEOPLE. I HAVE SEEN THEM OUT AND THEY'RE REALLY EDUCATED ABOUT TREES THAT. WE NEED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE INVESTED AND INFORMED ON HOW THIS IS DONE. THEY INSPIRE US AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE. >> THANKS COUIL MEMBER VETAW. >> AND THEN WE' GOING TO PUT
MYSELF ON QUEUE. THANKS SYDNEY TO YOU AND THE STAFF FOR THIS PRESENTATION. IT'S REALLY HELPFUL AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT. LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW, I'M THANKFUL FOR THE WORK DONE ON THE PROGRAM. IT'S AN ISSUE THAT REALLY HAS IMPACTED SO MANY
RESIDENTS AND THAT PRICE TAG REALLY CAN DISPLACE MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO STRUGGLE TO PAY THAT BILL. SO I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK THAT STAFF HAS REALLY DONE TO HELP FAMILIES STAY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ALSO HAVING A HEALTHY
NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO ASK ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE. I THINK YOU SAID THERE HAS BEEN ENGAGEMENT WITH A FEW FOLKS. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE I AM EXCITED ABOUT THAT WORK AND
BASED ON THE PRESENTATION I AM HEARING, MAKING SURE WE CAN PRESERVE TREES AND NOT HINDER DEVELOPMENT. I THINK WE CAN DO BOTH. MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMMENTS OR FOLKS SAYING IN THE ENGAGEMENT? >> YES, THANK YOU CHAIR CHAVEZ. SO, I THINK YOU KNOW, IT'S
INTERESTING HAVING THE SURVEY SPLIT BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBE AND THE PROFESSIONALS. IT DEFINITELY VARIED A LOT. I THINK FROM A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHAT THEY'RE WANTING TO SEE IS PRETTY STRICT PROTECTIONS, VERY STRICT REQUIREMENTS TO TRY TO LIMIT TREE REMOVAL AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE AND THEN REALLY EMPHASIZE IF PRESERVING TREES IS NOT POSSIBLE, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HANG STRICT REQUIREMENTS OF REPLACEMENT TREE PLANTING. THEN WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE OTHER SIDE, THE DEVELOPERS, THE BUILDERS, I KNOW THAT CPED HAS
BEEN MAKING A LOT OF EFFORT TO REDUCE BARRIERS IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND TRYING NOT TO MAKE THINGS UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED, ANDE ARE IN A FORTUNATE PLACE IN A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE HAV DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH, AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES ARE DOING FOR THEIR TREE
PRESERVATION ORDINANCES. WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL METRO AREA CITIES, BUT ALSO BOSTON AND ATLANTA AND PORTLAND, WHO HAS A REALLY GREAT ONE. SO WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT THOSE COMPROMISES THEY LEARNED ALONG THE WAY, HOW
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ORDINANCES ARE CLEAR AND SIMPLE AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS REQUIRE A PHONE CALL TO A CITY OFFICE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO BE MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN APPLYING FOR THE PERMIT, UNDERSTANDING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND THAT THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY IN WT
TYPES OF TREES ARE PROTECTED. WE DON'T NEED TO BE PROTECTING INVASIVE TREES OR TREES THAT AREN'T IN GOOD SHAPE. THAT WAS THE COMMON SENTIMENT WE HEARD. >> PERFECT, THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANKS TO STAFF FOR ALL THEIR WORK. >> THANK YOU CHAIR CHAVEZ, THANK YOU ALL. >> ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES NO ONE
ELSE IS IN QUEUE, SO SEEINGO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT REPORT. OUR NEXT ITEM IS RECEIVING A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE MINNEAPOLIS TREE ADVISORY COMMISSION. I WILL ASK FOLKS TO COME PRESENT THAT. WELCOME.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS. >> GISEPPI, AND SILTING NEXT TO
ME IS CO-CHAIR KEEN, SO WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE CITY, TO THE MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD. WE WILL PRESENT IT TO YOU GUYS AND WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE END. >> THANK YOU. >> SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MINNEAPOLIS TREE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
>> IF YOU CAN GET CLOSER TO THE MIC, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> WE WERE CREATE IN 2004 BETWEEN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND THE PARK BOARD TO ENHANCE THE URBAN FOREST AND TO BE PART OF MAKING SURE THAT THE URBAN FOREST IS PRESERVED, AS WELL AS
EXPANDED. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AGENDA, SOE'LL TALK ABOUT WHY TREES MATTER, SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THE PARK BOARD SIDE, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND THREATS WE HAVE RECOGNIZED, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. BHIE TREES MATTER, I THINK SYDNEY DID A
FANTASTIC JOB TALKING ABOUT WHY TREES MATTER. I WON'T DELVE INTO THIS TOO MUCH. THEY MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THEY DELIVER SOCIOECONOMIC BENEFITS, AND THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC HEALTH. IN TERMS OF HOW WE FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, TREES
ARE A BIG PART OF IT. THEY COOL THE CITY, NOT JUST THROUGH SHADE, BUT THROUGH TRANCE EVAPORATION. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE LIKES SITTING UNDER THE
SUNLIGHT, BUT I THINK PEOPLE FEEL BETTER UNDER A SHADE TREE, THEY IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, AND THEY MITIGATE THE WATER RUNOFF, IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS WITH A LOT OF CONCRETE. IT BEAUTIFIES THE CITY, IT GETS PEOPLE TO WANT TO
BE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE FLOWN INTO MAJOR CITIES, BUT IT'S VERY APPARENT THAT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IS VERY GREEN IN THE GROWING SEASON COMPARED TO FLYING INTO SOME OTHER CITIES. THE CANOPY IMPROVES PROPERTY
VALUES, MAKES PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT BEING IN THE CITY, AND IT PROTECTS INFRASTRUCTURE. SHADE PROTECTS FROM U.V. EXPOSURE, AS WELL AS HEAT DAMAGE PROVIDED FROM THE SUN. THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC HEALTH. I THINK EVERYONE HERE HAS A VESTED
INTEREST IN IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH. TREES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE. I KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE LIKE SITTING UNDER A SHADE TREE AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY PROVIDE A CALMING EFFECT, AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS LIKE
SITTING IN A PARK THAT IS SHADED VERSUS A BRIGHT SUNNY COOKED LAWN. MAYBE I AM BIAS. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE URBAN CANOPY IS NOT THE ONLY PART OF THE --
THE URBAN CANOPY THAT THE PARK BOARD MANAGES IS NOT THE MAJOR PART OF THE CANOPY. I THINK SYDNEY IS DOING A GREAT JOB. SYDNEY AND THE CITY TREES PROGRAM IS MANAGING THE OTHER 70% OF THE URBAN CANOPY BY REACHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND
MAKING SURE THAT THE TREES IN THEIR PURVIEW ARE TAKEN CARE OF. SO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS? THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY TREES PROGRAM HAS BEEN GROWING THE CANOPY. WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR OF FORESTRY THAT HAS BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY TREES PROGRAM. I PROMISE I AM GOING TO BE GUSHING OVER THE CITY TREES PROGRAM. THEY DID NOT PREPARE ME BEFOREHAND. I WAS GOING TO GUSH OVER THEM EVEN WITHOUT THEM BEING HERE. SO CO-CHAIR
STEVENSON, A LITTLE BIT MORE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT DIVERSITY AND THE SPECIES OF TREES, THE PARK BOARD RECOGNIZES THAT MONO CULTURE IS DANGEROUS WHEN IT COMES TO PESTS OR DISEASE, SO THE PARK BOARD HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB ADDING DIVERSITY OF TREES TO MANAGE
THOSE PESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE. SO PLANTING FUTURE-PROOF TREES IS A BIG PART OF THE PLAN FROM THE PARK BOARD. 8,000 TREES HAVE BEEN PLANTED BY THE PARK BOARD
IN 2026. LIKE I SAID, DIVERSITY HAS BEEN AMAN -- A MAJOR PART OF IT AND WE GENERATED $100,000 VIA THE CARBON CREDIT OFFSET PROGRAM. AGAIN, GUSHING OVER THE
CITY TREES PROGRAM, SYDNEY TOLD YOU WHAT THEY DO, AND WE THINK IT'S FANTASTIC, AND WE WANT TO SEE THE WORK CONTINUE. CITY TREES IS DOING A GREAT JOB. THEY ALSO SELECTED A NEW DIRECTOR OF FORESTRY, CHRIS McMASTER HAS
BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. WE'RE HAPPY WITH HIS LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND WE WANT TO SEE THAT CONTINUE. CITY TREES ENGAGEMENT AGAIN, I WAS NOT -- I AM NOT GUSHING OVER THIS BECAUSE I'M COACHED INTO GUSHING OVER
THE CITY TREES PROGRAM, BUT WE REALLY LIKE WHAT THE TREE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM HAS BEEN DOING. WE HAVE BEEN PART OF THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE COMMENTS. THE COMMUNITY LEVEL ENGAGEMENT AND THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE HAVE SEEN GOING ON HAS
BEEN FANTASTIC. AGAIN, WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH CITY TREES. CHALLENGES AND THREATS, THIS IS THE STUFF THAT NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT BUT WE'LL BRING IT UP ANY WAY. THE FUNDING HAS NOT BEEN THE MOST RELIABLE FOR PLANTING TREES IN THE BOULEVARD,
THE CANOPY IS UNDER CONSTANT THREAT, AND NOT ONLY IS THE PARK BOARD CANOPY UNDER THREAT, THE CITIZEN CANOPY IS UNDER THREAT. WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. SO, THE PARK BOARD ITSELF, ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE PARK BOARD IS TO PLANT 2
TREES FOR EVERY TREE REMOVED AND THAT IS A GOAL. THAT REQUIRES ABOUT IS MILLION DOLLARS IN ANNUAL BUDGET TO PLANT AROUND 10 THOUSAND TREES A YEAR. THE PARK BOARD HAS THE STAFFING,
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT, BUT THEY NEED THE $1 MILLION A YEAR TO PLANT THOSE 10,000 TREES. FUNDING IS NOT PERMANENT, SO WHAT THE PARK BOARD AND THE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT IS FORCED TO DO IS FIND FUNDING ON THEIR OWN.
SO, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SPEND TIME FINDING FUNDING INSTEAD OF TIME SPENT TAKING CARE OF THE TREES AND MAKING SURE THAT THE INVESTMENT IN THE TREES AND THE COST OF PLANTING THE TREES IS NOT THEIR MAIN FOCUS. SO WE'RE ALMOST LOSING MONEY HAVING TO
SEARCH FOR MONEY TO PLANT THE TREES INSTEAD OF TAKING CARE OF THE TREES. THE MANAGED CANOPY IS UNDER THREAT. THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS A TOUGH ENVIRONMENT. TREES GET BEAT UP BECAUSE THEY EXIST. THEY EXIST AMONG PEOPLE AND WE RECOGNIZE
THAT. TREES ALSO, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE CITY TREES PRESENTATION, DEVELOPMENT IS A PART OF THE CITY. WE RECOGNIZE THAT, WE SUPPORT IT, WE WANT TO MENTION THAT DEVELOPMENT AND
TREES CAN COEXIST AND IT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH FOR. SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEE DEVELOPMENT COME IN THROUGH A CITY AND CLEAR CUT TREES INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DESIGN WITH TREES
INCLUDED. CURRENT STAFFING, STRUGGLES TO MANAGE THE INVASIVE SPECIES IN NATURAL AREAS AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A BIG DEAL THAT WE NEED TO WORK, I GUESS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE AND MAKE SURE THAT TREES ARE PLANTED THAT RECOGNIZE THE
FUTURE CLIMATE THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE PRIVATE URBAN FOREST IS CHALLENGED AS SYDNEY AND THE CITY TREES STAFF HAS MENTIONED. PESTS, INVASIVE SPECIES, CLIMATE CHANGE, THESE ARE ALL CHALLENGES
THAT THE PUBLIC FACES. THE EDUCATION PORTION AND UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFITS OF TREES VERSUS THE COST OF A TREE, IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON TREES IN THEIR YARD WHEN THEY ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN MAKE
ENDS MEET. SO IT IS UP TO THE PARK BOARD AND THE CITY TREES PROGRAM AND THE CITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE BENEFITS OF TREES AND TO HELP THEM ENJOY THOSE BENEFITS. SO, WHAT ARE OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS? WE TRY TO KEEP IT PRETTY SIMPLE. WE WANT TO SEE THE URBAN CANOPY BE FUNDED. WE WANT TO SEE PROTECTION FOR THE URBAN CANOPY. WE ALSO WANT TO EXPAND THE URBAN CANOPY WITH THE HELP OF PRIVATE CITIZENS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE WANT TO SEE
PERMANENT FUNDING FOR THE 2-1 REPLACEMENT TREE GOAL THAT THE PARK BOARD HAS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS ALIGNED WITH THE PARK BOARD'S GOALS AND IF THAT CAN'T BE DONE,
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE FOR THE PARK BOARD IS TO ESTABLISH A GRANT WRITER FOR THE PARK BOARD TO WORK IN THE DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. WE ALSO WANT TO SEE BETTER PROTECTIONS FOR THE URBAN
FOREST. WE WANT TO HAVE BETTER COLLABORATION WITH ANY ORGANIZATION THAT IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPING IN THE CITY, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE TREES WE HAVE, AND WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION THAT INCLUDES
SIGNIFICANT TREES WHILE BUILDING URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WANT TO ALSO DEFINE MPRB'S ROLE IN
SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEMS IN NATURAL AREAS AND WE SUPPORT THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE. AGAIN, I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH, THE CITY TREES PROGRAM, WE WANT TO SEE CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AND GROWTH THROUGH THE CITY'S TREE PROGRAM. WE WANT TO SEE CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC IN EDUCATING THEM AND MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE TREES ON THEIR BOULEVARD, AS WELL AS THE TREES IN THEIR YARD, AND WE WANT TO SEE CONTINUED PURSUIT OF RESOURCES
FOR DISEASED TREE REMOVALS AND REPLACEMENT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. BEFORE I GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH I THINK IS FOR QUESTIONS, I DO WANT TO YIELD THE FLOOR TO CO-CHAIR KEEN AS HE HAS A FEW COMMENTS AS WELL. >> WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU. TIM KEEN, I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE CITY, I GREW UP IN WARD 10. I LIVE IN WARD 11. IT IS MY HONOR TO SERVE ON THE MINNEAPOLIS TREE ADVISORY COMMISSION. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD
AND CURRENTLY A VERY ROBUST ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY THAT GUIDE OUR DECISIONS. WE CANNOT MEET THESE POLICY OBJECTIVES WITHOUT VERY CLOSE
ATTENTION TO OUR URBAN TREE CANOPY, BOTH THE PRESERVATION AND REBUILDING IT ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS. WE KNOW THAT A SHADIER, COOLER, FORESTED URBAN SPACE IS HEALTHIER, SAFER,
BETTER FOR US ALL. I HAVE TWO REQUESTS OF THIS BODY. AS WE CONTINUE THE WORK BOTH WITH CITY URBAN FORESTRY AND THE TREE COMMISSION ON BEHALF OF THE PARK
BOARD IS TO PUT THOSE FUNDING PRIORITIES IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE PRIORITIES. WE NEED TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN THE URBAN FORESTRY CONTINUOUSLY. THIS IS
NOT A SINGLE PROJECT EFFORT. IT'S A WAY OF THINKING. IT'S A WAY OF IMPLEMENTING OUR WAY OF LIFE. NUMBER TWO, AS YOU CONSIDER PUBLIC PROJECTS, PUBLIC TAXPAYER SUPPORTED PROJECTS THAT
COME THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE FOR APPROVAL, WHETHER IT'S THE MET COUNCIL, HENNEPIN COUNTY, MnDOT, PARK BOARD, SCHOOL DISTRICT, ASK THE QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PRESERVE OUR URBAN TREE CANOPY? HOW IS THIS PROJECT
GOING TO FURTHER OUR URBAN FORESTRY? LEAN IN, PLEASE LEAN IN. MAKE THE POLICYMAKERS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPENDING THESE PRIO PRIORITIES, HAVE THEM CASH IN
ALIGNMENT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE OBJECTIVES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO OUR URBAN TREE CANOPY. >> YEAH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US ON THIS PRESENTATION.
I WILL FIRST PASS IT TO VICE CHAIR STEVENSON. >> THANK YOU, GREAT PRESENTATION. I HEAR SO OFTEN ABOUT OUR STREET TREE CANOPY AND PEOPLE LOVE IT, PEOPLE WANT IT TO IMPROVE. I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR TAKING ON THAT EFFORT AND REALLY ADVOCATING FOR
OUR STREET TREES. JUST FOR CONSTITUENTS, SO I CAN TELL THEM WHEN THE COME TO PLANT A TREE AND THEY DIED, WHAT IS THE SURVIVAL RATE OF THE TREES YOU PLANT. >> THE AFTERNOON LIFE SPAN FOR A TREE ON THE BOULEVARD IS 20 YEARS OR LESS.
>> SO IT'S A VERY TOUGH ENVIRONMENT FOR TREES AND THE FIRST 1 TO 5 YEARS IS THE CRITICAL TIME FOR TREES TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES. >> YES, IT TAKES TWO TO THREE YEARS FOR A STRESSED TREE TO SHOW EVIDENCE OF THAT STRESS. IF
WE HAVE A DROUGHT YEAR AND YOU DON'T WATER THAT TREE THAT FIRST YEAR, IT COULD TAKE UP TO THREE YEARS FOR THAT TREE TO DIE. WE WILL HAVE A DROUGHT YEAR, TWO WET YEARS, AND THE TREE STILL DIES AND PEOPLE WONDER WHAT HAPPENED. SO ONE TO FIVE YEARS
IS THE MOST CRITICAL AND AFTER THAT, TRIMMING A TREE, AND PRUNING THE TREE TO MAKE SURE ITS WEIGHT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH AND THE AMOUNT OF DIRT IT'S IN IS CRITICAL. TREES NEED
MAINTENANCE, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR FIRST 10 YEARS. IF YOU DON'T PRUNE THAT TREE PROPERLY, BY YEAR 10, THEN AT YEAR 15, YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE THE TREE IN A WIND STORM AND WONDER WHAT HAPPENED. IT'S TOO HEAVY FOR THE
CANOPY AND THE STRUCTURE WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOCATION. THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PLANTING A TREE, SELECTING THE LOCATION, AND MAINTAINING THE TREE FOR THAT ENVIRONMENT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU THAT IS REALLY HELPFUL. THAT IS WAY MORE DETAILED THAN I WAS EXPECTING SO
I APPRECIATE THAT. I HAVE SOME CONSTITUENTS REACHING OUT ABOUT GINGKO TREES. WHAT'S THE RATIONAL? >> DIVERSITY IS THE PRIMARY RATIONAL. SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO CORRECT ME BUT THERERE TWO
GENDERS TO THE TREES, A MALE AND A FEMALE. I BELIEVE THE FEMALE WILL BE THE ONE THAT HAS THE FRUIT BEARING, THAT HAS A CERTAIN NOT PLEASANT AFTER EFFECT, I WILL SAY. GINGKOS WILL
SOMETIMES CHANGE GENDER. THE MALE TREESILL PRIMARILY BE PLANTED IN THAT METHODOLOGY AND THEY CAN CHANGE. SO, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S A SIDE EFFECT OF GINGKOS IN AND OF THEMSELVES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE GET
FRUSTRATED IF THOSE TREES START DROPPING FRUIT. >> OKAY. YEAH, IN YOUR PROGRAM, DO YOU ALSO HAVE SPECIFIC THOUGHTS OR POLICIES AROUND THE SPECIES, NATIVE VERSUS CLIMATE ADAPTED?
>> I THINK SYDNEY PRETTY MUCH TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH. WE PLANT FOR THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS NOT NATIVE. YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHERE THE TREES ARE. YOU WANT TO PLANT FOR
NATIVE POLLINATORS AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU ARE IN, OF COURSE. YOU ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S A TOUGHER ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, SO WE PLANT APPROPRIATE TREES FOR THE NEXT 20 TO 30
YEARS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TREES CAN HANDLE A WARMER ENVIRONMENT. >> OKAY. SO WHEN IT COMES TO GINGKOS, ARE THEY NOT NATIVE TREE? >> THEY'RE NOT NATIVE TO THIS ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS CORRECT. THEY'RE A HEARTY SPECIES AND THEY CAN SURVIVE TOUGH URBAN
ENVIRONMENTS, THE SALTY SOIL THAT ENDS UP HAPPENING ON BOULEVARDS. SO THEY ARE RECOGNIZED AS A GOOD BOULEVARD STREET TREE. THEY WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE NATIVENESS OF THIS ENVIRONMENT. >> OKAY, I AM GLAD TO HEAR YOU
SAY THAT. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE. I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT IS TRUE FROM YOU. GREAT, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, I APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. ON THE SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT UNRELIABLE FUNDING.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY AND I CAN ASK STAFF ON A MEMO POTENTIALLY, IS IN THE BUDT ANNUALLY? >> I CAN'T ANSWER THAT WITH FULL AUTHORITY, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE FUNDING IS PROBABLY 50% TO
70% OF WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE EACH YEAR. THERE IS ALWAYS A GAP THAT THE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO FILLHROUGH GRANTS OR THE CARBON CREDIT OFFSET PROGRAM. >> I WILL ASK A FOLLOW UP, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET AND IF IT'S SPLIT BETWEEN THE PARK
BOARD AND SOME OF IT IN THE CI. I KNOW IT DEPENDS. >> YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN'T ANSWER, SORRY. >> YEAH, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, YOU PUT ON THE SLIDE SUPPORTING THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE. I WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU
TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS. >> YEAH, THE PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY THOROUGH. I THINK -- I'M AN AVID CYCLIST. I BELIEVE TREES NEED TO BE PRESERVED BUT LIKE
LANES ARE NECESSARY TOO. I LIKE BIKE LANES UNDER THE SHADE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DEVELOPMENT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SIGNIFICANT TREES THAT PROVIDE NOT ONLY BENEFITS TO AIR QUALITY AND THE ECOSYSTEM, BUT SHADE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT IS IN PLACE. I THINK THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE IS DOING A GREAT JOB RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT WHILE PRESERBING THE TREES. -- PRESERVING THE TREES. I WILL SAY
CUTTING DOWN A LARGE TREE AND REPLACING IT WITH 10 SMALLER TREES IS NOT GOING TO BE A GREAT EQUIVALENT, BUT I KNOW THAT IS SOMETIMES THE NECESSARY SOLUTION TO REMOVING A TREE. >> AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM THE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE COMMISSION, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO. THE TIME LOOKS LIKE IT'S NEXT YEAR BUT THAT INFORMATION IS HELPFUL FOR US. I APPRECIATE IT. THE LAST THING I WILL SAY, YOU TALKED ABOUT COLLABORATION WITH AGENCIES, THAT POTENTIAL IMPACT. IS THAT IN RELATION TO PUTTING THAT IN
AN ORDINANCE OR WHEN WE ARE THINKING OF PROJECTS I GENERAL, LIKE AS A PRACTICE, IT SHOULD JUST BE WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, WHICH MAKES SENSE BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD MORE DETAILS. >> TO ADD A SPECIFIC, YEAH, WE WANT TO SEE IF THERE IS A
CERTAIN -- WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE THEY GO DOWN A PATH OF WELL, WE ALREADY APPROVED EVERYTHING, SO CAN YOU REVIEW THIS AND BE DONE WITH IT. WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME CITY SANCTIONED SUBGROUPS
THAT DO HAVE MORE INPUT AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THAT PCESS BECAUSE WE'RE A COMMISSION THAT WAS SANCTIONED BY NOT ONLY THE PARK BOARD BUT THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
HELPFUL INFORMATION. SEEING NO ONE ELSE IN QUEUE FOR DISCUSSION, I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT REPORT. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT ITEM IS RECEIVING A PRESENTATION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTME RELATED TO A REPORT ON AFTER ACTION REVIEWS, I WILL
ASK OFFICER BRYCE ROBINSON TO PRESENT. WELCOME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. ALL RIGHT, MY NAME IS BRYCE ROBINSON. I AM
GOING TO PRESENT ON THE AFTER ACTION. IF YOU WANT TO GO SF H STRAIGHT TO THE DASHBOARD. OUR UNIT WAS TASKED WITH TRACKING THE PROGRESS FROM THE AUDITOR,
THE AUDIT REPORT. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE BROKE IT DOWN. THERE WAS 37 FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT. FROM THAT, THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE CAME UP WITH 7 ACTION ITEMS, REFLECTED IN THE PIE
CHART THERE. IN THE YELLOW, WE'RE IN PROGRESS OF WORKING ON 31 OF THOSE AND WE BELIEVE BASED ON WHAT WE REPORTED TO THE AUDITOR, THAT WE COMPLETED 6. THEY DO HAVE TO APPROVE THOSE FROM THERE. WE BROKE IT DOWN EVEN MORE BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE
ACTION ITEMS HAVE MULTIPLE PIECES TO THEM. SO IN ALL REALITY, WE HAVE 89 ACTION ITEMS. FOR THE SAKE OF BREAKING IT DOWN FURTHER, WE BROKE IT DOWN INTO TWO DIFFERENT REPORTS,
THE MOTURI-LUSSIER AUDIT. THE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVE, WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND DATA ON THE RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED. PROPOSED CHANGES, PROPOSED CHANGES TO
TRAINING, MPD STAFFING ISSUES, AND 9-1-1 DISPATCH PROCEDURES AND ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. WE FOUND IN THE MOTURI-LUSSIER AUDIT, THERE ARE 15 RECOMMENDATIONS, 3 WERE ASSOCIATED WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. 3 WERE TRAINING
PROTOCOLS. 4 INVOLVED STAFFING. TWO WERE ASSOCIATED WITH 9-1-1 EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND DISPATCH. THREE WERE OTHER ISSUES. THE LUSSIER WAS 22 RECOMMENDATIONS,
5 LINKED TO POLICIES, 1 STAFFING RECOMMENDATION, 3 ASSOCIATED WITH 901 EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND 6 RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER THE OTHER CATEGORY. SO OUR UNIT, WE BASICALLY HAD TO START AT 0. WE WERE GIVING THIS THE FINDINGS
AND THE ACTION ITEMS, SO WHAT WE STARTED DOING IS LAYING THE FOUNDATION TO ALL OF THIS. SO WE CREATED A SMART SHEET, THIS INTERNAL DOCUMENT TRACKING ALL THIS. SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. WE CURRENTLY ARE WORKING THROUGH THOSE ITEMS AND SOME ARE
COMPLICATED AND SOME ARE EASIER THAN OTHERS. SO SOME OF THE DEPAR DEPARTMENTS IS THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE HENNEPIN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE DOMESTIC ADVOCATES, CHIEF OF INVESTIGATIONS, THE TRAINING UNIT, AND THE CITY AUDITOR. SO
NOW WE HAVE MONTHLY STANDING MEETINGS WITH THE CITY AUDITOR WHERE WE PRESENT WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND ALSO WE HAVE BEEN PRES PRESENTING WHAT OUR PLANS ARE TO GET COMPLIANCE. WE THROW THE IDEA TOWARDS THEM AND THEY COME
BACK TO US SAYING THAT IS A GOOD IDEA, CONTINUE WITH THAT. THEY CAN SAY NO, WE DON'T THINK THAT IS GOING TO WORK. GO BACK AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUTrd EL-- ELS OUT. SO OUT OF THE ACTION ITEMS
TOTAL, 4 AND 2, IN PROGRESS WE HAVE 11, AND 20, WHICH ADDS UP TO 37. WE CONTINUE TO BREAK THOSE DOWN INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, SOME INVOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SOME INVOLVE DATA AND TECHNOLOGY, AND
INVESTIGATIONS IN GENERAL, PATROL OPERATIONS, SPECIALIZED UNITS, TRAINING, POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT, STAFFING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I AM CHECKING TO SEE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. OTHERWISE, I CAN GO FIRST. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT. I CAN GO FIRST. SO MY QUESTION AND IF WE GO TO
PAGE NUMBER 6, THE CATEGORIES. I AM TRYING TO READ THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THE CATEGORIES ARE SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE AFTER ACTION REVIEW. THERE ARE DIFFERENT GOALS THAT NEED TO BE MET IN THOSE PARTICULAR CATEGORIES. THE
ONES THAT WERE COMPLETED, IS THERE A WAY TO KNOW WHICH THEY ARE AND THE ONES IN PROGRESS, WHICH ONES ARE THOSE, I GUESS. >> SO MY IDEA IS TO EVENTUALLY GET MORE THOROUGH AND REPORT
OUT. I CAN GO OVER THE ITEMS THAT WE BELIEVE WE COMPLETED IF YOU LIKE. >> THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> SO ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS SET UP IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEDIATION PROGRAM, GETTING NEIGHBORS TO RESOLVE THEIR ISSUES AND SENDING PEOPLE OUT
THERE TO MEDIATE. ANOTHER ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE COMPLETED, IT'S A LITTLE MORE THOROUGH HERE, BUT I WILL JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF STATEMENT HERE.
WE ARE HAVING OUR INSPECTORS REPORT ON LIKE CALLS FOR SERVICE. SO ANY KIND OF DELAY WE HAVE IN 9-1-1, SO LIKE CALL RESPONSE TIMES. SO THEY PULLED THE STATSISTICS AND SAID THERE S A CALL THAT STAYED PENDING FOR
AN HOUR. WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT? WE HAVE WEEKLY MEETINGS WHERE THEY HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE EXECUTIVE STAFF AND EXPLAIN WHY IT TOOK THAT OFFICER OR THAT CALL WAS PENDING FOR THAT LONG. SO IT HOLDS PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCORDING TO THE STATSISTIC,
WE'RE SEEING THAT OFFICERS ARE GETTING OUT AND RESPONDING QUICKER TO CALLS. ANOTHER ONE HERE WOULD BE WE CREATED A VIOLENT CRIMINAL APPREHENSION TEAM. SO WE USED TO HAVE ONE YEARS AGO AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO LOOK AND SEARCH FOR THOSE
VIOLENT OFFENDERS. AGAIN, THERE IS ANOTHER ACTION ITEM HERE THAT THE VCAT TEAM WAS AN ACTION ITEM FOR. SO THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE CHECKED OFF. THEN
ANOTHER ONE WE HAVE HERE IS WE ASSIGNED ANY TIME THERE IS A HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH ANY KIND OF DEATH, THE LIEUTENANT OF HOMICIDE ASSIGNS A TEAM TO STILLOOK INTO THAT,
THE CAUSE OF DEATH. THOSE ARE T >> YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN MORE, SPECIFICALLY ON ONE OF THE LAST ONES YOU MENTIONED ABOUT, THE HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE PROTOCOL FOR MPD, AND WHAT PARTICULAR CHANGES WERE
MADE TO THAT. THAT WOULD BE -- THERE WERE ONLY TWO ANSWERS TO THAT, THE FOLLOW UP WITH MY OFFICE WOULD BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE AFTER ACTION REVIEW IN GENERAL AND SOME OF
THAT REALLY MATTERS TO MY CONSTITUENTS. FOR ME, THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS PRESENTATION FORWARD TODAY. FOR THE NEXT ONE, I THINK SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THE CATEGORY COMPONENT BROKEN DOWN INTO SOME OF THE GOALS THAT NEED TO BE
MET, WHICH PARTICULAR ONES ARE COMPLETED, WHICH ONES ARE IN PROGRESS, THAT NEED TO BE TIMED OUT UNTIL PARTICULAR GOALS THAT NEED TO BE MET. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP THE PUBLIC TRACK SOME OF THESE GOALS AND IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. THAT WLD BE FOR THE NEXT ONE, NOT FOR TODAY.
JUST SHARING SOME THOUGHTS OF HOW WE CAN SHARE AND COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS. >> THANK YOU CHAIR. >> I WILL PASS IT TO VICE CHAIR STEVENSON. >> THANK YOU, MY COMMENTS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN FUTURE PRESENTATIONS
TO SEE NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF ACTION ITEMS BUT WHAT THOSE ACTION ITEMS ARE FOR BOTH COMPLETED AND IN PROGRESS. JUST AGAIN, TO REMIND US AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE, AND THEN MAYBE UNDERNEATH THERE A LITTLE DESCRIPTION ABOUT WHAT
OUR NEXT STEPS ARE ON THOSE ACTION ITEMS. WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING THESE THINGS GET DONE. I KNOW YOU ARE AS WELL. SO WE WOULD JUST -- I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL -- I WILL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO SEE A, WHAT
THEY ARE, AND B, WHAT YOUR NEXT STEPS ARE IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING THEM. >> THANK YOU, I ACTUALLY AGREE. >> GREAT. OKAY. SEEING NO ONE ELSE IN QUEUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WILL ASK THE
CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT REPORT. OUR LAST ITEM, YES, OUR LAST ITEM IS A REPORT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH AND OVERSIGHT DEPARTMENT REGARDING POLICE RESPONSE TO PUBLIC
GATHERINGS. NICK, THERE YOU ARE. HI NICK. >> ASOU SET UP, I'M NOT SURE COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE BEGIN? >> AFTER.
>> EAT. >> ALL RIGHT, WE'RE ALL SET UP HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR CHAVEZ AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS NICK BERKELEY. I'M HERE TO PRESENT A
REPORT ON THE POLICE RESPONSE TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS. I AM GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE RESEARCH POINTS CONDUCTED IN RESPONSE TO A STAFF DIRECTIVE TO PROVIDE BOTH THIS COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF POLICE PRACTICES RELATED TO CROWD
MANAGEMENT. POLICE RESPONSE TO PROTESTS AND OTHER PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS IN PRE-1970s AMERICA CAN BE BEST DESCRIBED AS AN ERA OF ESCALATED FORCE. POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE CONTROLLING CROWDS, LESS THROUGH TACTICS SUCH AS POLICE LINES AND
BARRICADES AND MORE WITH INPROPORTIONATE USE OF FORCE SUCH AS FIRE HOSES, K-9s AND BATONS. SOME SHIFTED AWAY FROM HEAVY HANDED TECHNIQUES TO A NEGOTIATED MANAGEMENT MODEL, WHICH INVOLVED COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION WITH PROTESTERS TO
ENSURE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION COULD COEXIST WITH PUBLIC SAFETY INTEREST. DESPITE POLICE USING SOFTER TECHNIQUES OF CROWD CONTROL, THE INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF EVENTS IN THE 90s LED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO RETURN TO THE CONFRONTATIONAL TACTICS
OF THE 1960s AND BEFORE. STARTING IN THE LATE 1990s AND THE NEXT 15 YEARS, A STRATEGY CALLED COMMAND AND CONTROL BECAME PREVALENT. THIS COMBINED FORCE WE MERGING TECHNOLOGY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WOULD
DIVIDE CROWDS INTO SMALLER, MORE MANAGEABLE GROUPS, WHICH MANY IN THE PROFESSION BELIEVED TO BE THE INEVITABLE. THEY SAW A WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF LESS LETHAL WEAPONS, SUCH AS TEAR GAS, RUBBER BULLETS, PEPPER
SPRAY, TASERS, AND IMPACT PROJECTILES KNOWN AS 40 MILLIMETERS ROUNDS OR BEAN BAGS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE INTRODUCTION OF LESS LETHAL TACTICS CREATED PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SPACE BETWEEN OFFICERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SHIFTED THE TACTICS USED BY POLICE TOWARDS A
MILITARIZED LOOK AND FEEL THAT DID NOT MAKE EVENTS SAFER. FOR DECADES, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT BEING IN A CROWD MAKES PEOPLE LOSE THEIR INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY AND BECOME IRRATIONAL, IMPULSIVE, AND EASY TO MANIPULATE. THIS CLASSIC LENS LED POLICE AGENCIES TO APPROACH
CROWD BEHAVIOR AS CHAOTIC, MEANINGLESS, OR CRIMINAL. A NEWER THEORY CALLED THE ELABORATED ASSOCIATE IDENTITY MODEL REFUTES THAT IDEA. E.M.S. RESEARCH ARGUES THAT PEOPLE IN CROWDS DO NOT LOSE THEIR
INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY, THEY SHIFT IT BASED ON A STEP BY STEP PROGRESSION, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED HERE. THE FOUNDATION OF RESEARCH INTO HOW CROWDS BEHAVE AND HOW POLICE PRESENCE CAN ALTER AN EVENT BEGAN IN 2005
IN RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE IN AND AROUND SOCCER STADIUMS IN EUROPE. THEY MADE SEVERAL FINDINGS BUT OF PARTICULAR NOTE IS THE FACT THAT THE DISPROPORTION NATE AND INDISCRIMINATE THREAT OR USE OF FORCE CAN ACTIVATE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN DROP PEOPLE INTO A CONFLICT
THEY WOULD OTHERWISE TRY TO AVOID AND POLICE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS FOCUSED ON DIALOG AND THE EXERCISING OF RIGHTS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED PROACTIVELY TO PREVENT THE NEED FOR ESCALATED ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES DURING PUBLIC GATHERINGS. RECENTLY, RESEARCH HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND
WE BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY CROWDS TURN VIOLENT. ONE KEY INSIGHT REMAINS CLEAR THROUGHOUT THE RESEARCH AND THAT IS HOW POLICE RESPOND TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS MATTERS. IF POLICE TREAT A CROWD AS A THREAT AND USE OR THREATEN TO USE HEAVY HANDED TACTICS, PEOPLE IN THE CROWD MAY FEEL
THEY ARE BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED AS A GROUP. CONSIDERING THIS RESEARCH AND IN RESPONSE TO SEVERAL LARGE SCALE PROTESTS, SEVERAL POLICE AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BEGAN EMPLOYING TENANTS OF THE ESIM INTO THEIR OPERATIONS. MANY OF THE AGENCIES
EXPERIENCED SUCCESS SIMILAR AND ARE VERY SIMILAR. DURING RESEARCH FOR THIS DIRECTIVE, THERE WAS ONE CITY, COLUMBUS BY, OHIO, WHICH NOT ONLY STOOD OUT BUT WAS RECOGNIZED BY OTHER CITIES AS THE NATIONAL STANDARD.
COLUMBUS'S STANDARD TO LARGE PUBLIC GATHERINGS APPLIES THE RESEARCH. FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND THE PUBLIC EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED IN 2020, COLUMBUS WAS SUBJECT TO A FEDERAL INJUNCTION, STEMMING
FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S PROTEST RESPONSE. THE ORDER BARRED INDISCRIMINATE FORCE AND KETTLING OR CIRCLING OF CROWD. IT PROHIBITED THE USE OF FORCE TO DISPERSE NON-VIOLENT CROWDS AND ANY USE OF FORCE OR POLICE ACTION BE TIED TO SPECIFIC ACTS
TO WHICH A PERSON CAN BE ARRESTED. POPS FUNCTIONS AS A TIERED RESPONSE MODEL, INCLUDING A DIALOG TEAM, CONSISTING OF SOFT UNIFORMED OFFICERS WEARING BRIGHT BLUE VESTS. THEY GATHER REAL-TIME INTELLIGENCE AND
DE-ESCALATE WHEN NEEDED. IT'S SUPPORTED BY AN ARREST AND CONTROL TEAM, WHICH HAS TARGETED ARRESTS CAPABILITY USED FOR ENFORCEMENT ACTION. IT'S STAGED OUT OF SIGHT BUT CAN TRANSITION TO A VISIBLE PRESENCE DEPENDING ON THE RISKS. THE TEAM IS
SUPPORTED BY BIKES, DRONES, AND OTHER RESOURCES SUCH AS SWAT AS NEEDED FOR HIGHER RISK EVENTS. PRIOR TO 2021, COLUMBUS HAD RESPONDED TO CROWDS THROUGH THE CLASSIC LENS MENTIONED EARLIER.
THEIR NEW MODEL APPLIES A SOCIAL IDENTITY APPROACH, WHICH RECOGNIZES CROWD BEHAVIOR AS A RATIONAL IDENTITY BASED RESPONSE TO SOCIAL GATHERINGS RATHER THAN SPONTANEOUS MOB VIOLENCE. IMPORTANTLY AND ARGUABLY MOST DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER CITIES ANALYZED FOR THIS REPORT IS THE
OFFICERS IN COLUMBUS ARE TRAINED TO WORK INSIDE THE CROWD, RATHER THAN INSIDE OR AROUND THEM. THEY ARE ENGAGED TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A GROUP WHO ARE INFORMALLY SORTED INTO THREE CATEGORIES TO HELP GUIDE THE
DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE. BECAUSE B'S AND C'S MAKE UP THE MOST OF ANY CROWD, OFFICERS FOCUS THEIR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS MAJORITY AND BECAUSE OFFICERS ARE WORKING WITHIN THE CROWD, THEY COMMUNICATE IN REAL-TIME TO THE ACT TEAM AND OTHER RESOURCES REGARDING TROUBLE FROM
POTENTIALING A STATERS. SO WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? IN 2015, WHEN OHIO STATE WON THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND FANS GATHERED ON CAMPUS AND IN THE STREETS OF COLUMBUS TO CELEBRATE THEIR VICTORY. COLUMBUS PD RESPONDED
BY USING A COMMAND AND CONTROL MODEL, INVOLVING OFFICERS DRESSED UP IN RIOT GEAR AND DEPLOYMENT OF TEAR GAS. THIS WAS STANDARD FOR THE TIME AND DID NOT INCLUDE MODERN DIALOG USED TODAY IN POPS. SHARED INTEREST
IN THEIR FOOTBALL TEAM SHIFTED THEIR IDENTITY AND RESPONDED TO POLICE THE SAME WAY POLICE HAVE APPROACHED THE CROWD. A REVIEW REPORTED THAT OVER 200 PERSONNEL WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS INCIDENT. THEY DEPLOYED 7 PEPPER
SPRAY CANISTERS, AND 24 GAS GRENADES. CPD MADE 4 ARRESTS DURING THIS EVENT AND REPORTED INJURIES TO 5 STUDENTS AND 1 OFFICERS AND RESPONDED TO 89 FIRES. IN 2025, OHIO STATE AGAIN WON THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BUT THIS TIME CPD'S RESPONSE WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. HAVING BEEN WORKING UNDER THE POPS MODEL FOR 4 YEARS, CPD RESPONDED FIRST WITH THEIR DIALOG TEAM AND COORDINATE ADD PLAN WITH THE UNIVERSITY STAFF AND STUDENT LEADERS. THE AFTER ACTION REVIEW
FOR THIS REPORTED 58 POLICE PERSONNEL, NO INJURIES TO OFFICERS, NO USE OF FORCE, NO USE OF CHEMICAL IRRITANTS, AND 0 ARRESTS. THERE WERE 7 FIRES AND ONLY 3 STUDENT INJURIES, HOWEVER THOSE INCIDENTS WERE UNRELATED TO CPD'S RESPONSE TO THE EVENT.
THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE CASE STUDY IN THAT THE EVENTS ARE VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE ON A VARIETY OF LEVELS, YET THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACTS WERE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT. A COMPARISON OF THE TWO EVENTS IN SOCIAL COMPENSATION AND IDENTITY
REVEALED IN 2015, MEDIA OUTLETS FOCUSED ON POLICE RESPONSE, BUT IN 2025, THE SAME OUTLETS FOCUSED ON STUDENT BEHAVIOR. THE FISCAL IMPACT FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, THE REDUCTION OF RESOURCES UTILIZED, THE NUMBER
OF OVERTIME HOURS MEANT COST SAVINGS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF OVER $70,000 IN THIS EVENT ALONE. ADDITIONALLY, NO ARRESTS, NO INJURIES, NO USE OF FORCE REDUCED THE EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION THAT COULD COME FROM
EVENTS LIKE THIS. POPS LEADERS ATTRIBUTE THEIR SUCCESS TO THE INTRANSCRIBE SIS DESIRES OF THEIR OFFICERS. THE TEAM'S GUID GUID GUIDING MOTTLE REQUIRES HONEST INTENT, PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON THE WEB PAGE AND IS THE FIRST SLIDE IN THEIR TRAINING
MATERIALS. POPS HAS OPERATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 YEARS AND HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A KNOWLEDGE LAB SITE FOR PUBLIC ORDER AND PROTEST MANAGEMENT BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF POLICING. SINCE ADOPTION, THE CPD REPORT SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS IN ARRESTS, USE OF FORCE, AND
OFFICER INJURIES, ALONGSIDE NO MASS MOBILE DEPLOYMENTS SINCE 2020. OF THE EVENTS REPORTED SINCE THE DEPARTMENT STARTED COLLECTING DATA, 317 WERE RESOLVED WITH A DIALOG ONLY
PRESENCE. AMONG THE 17 EVENTS NEEDED, OR AMONG THE 77 REMAINING EVENTS NEEDING ADDITION NAM RESOURCES, 5 ARRESTS OCCURRED OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE EVENTS, 1 CUSTODIAL, AND 4 CITATIONS. NO VIOLENT ACTS AGAINST OFFICERS AND NO
SIGNIFICANT USE OF FORCE HAS BEEN REPORTED AND ACCORDING TO ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT REPORTING, EVENT VOLUME HAS GROWN 40% YEAR OVER YEAR, WHICH CPD ATTRIBUTES PARTLY TO THE COMMUNITY'S CONFIDENCE, THAT LAWFUL DEMONSTRATIONS WILL BE
FACILITATED RATHER THAN SUPPRESSED. THE FIRST AND POSSIBLY THE ONLY PEER REVIEW EVALUATION OF A MODEL LIKE THIS WAS CONDUCTED IN COLUMBUS, A LONGITUDINAL CASE STUDY WHERE 60 EVENTS WERE OBSERVED FOUND THAT
ACROSS NEARLY ALL EVENTS, OUTCOMES INVOLVED LITTLE TO NO USE OF FORCE, POPS OFFICERS BUILT TRUST WITH THEIR EVENT LEADERS AS EVIDENCED BY REDUCTION IN NEGATIVE INTERACTIONS WITH FACTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN CONFRONTATIONAL. RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN KEY ORGANIZERS AND POLICE HAVE IMPROVED. GROUPS THAT WERE INITIALLY RESIST TENT TO DIALOG OR OTHER FORMS OF COLLABORATION WITH POLICE NOW PARTICIPATE IN EARLY NEGOTIATIONS, PROVIDE ACCESS TO THEIR GROUP'S LEADERSHIP, ENGAGE WITH POLICE PRIOR TO EVENTS, AND IN MOST CASES ARE COMMUNICATING
EARLY AND OFTEN AT THE ONSET OF SPONTANEOUS GATHERINGS. CPD'S SUCCESS IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF POPS HAS LED TO THE CREATION OF A 5-DAY TRAINING PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO HUNDREDS OF OFFICERS FROM DOZENS OF AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND POSITIONED THEM AS A
PROFESSIONAL LEADER IN THE POLICE RESPONSE TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS. LOCAL CHANGES HERE AT HOME. PRIOR TO 2020,
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED AN MPD OR A FEMA-BASED COMMAND AND CONTROL PUBLIC ORDER MODEL. UNDER THIS MODEL, DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO CROWDS BY MOBILIZING LARGE NUMBERS OF OFFICERS IN RIOT GEAR TO FORM PERIMETERS OR LINES, ENCIRCLING
CROWDS FOR MASS ARRESTS. THIS MODEL IS ROOTED IN THE MENTIONED CLASSIC THEORY, SUGGESTING THAT A VISIBLE SHOW OF FORCE WILL DETER DISORDER. MPD STAFF DESCRIBED THIS APPROACH AS LARGELY UNCHANGED FOR DECADES AND WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT, CALLED IT
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. MPD'S CURRENT APPROACH IS BUILT AROUND A SCALABLE LAYERED RESPONSE, RATHER THAN A SINGLE DEFAULT RESPONSE. SO WHEN STAFF DESCRIBED SEVERAL ELEMENTS OF THEIR BROAD STRATEGY REFERRED TO AS A FLUID RESPONSE MODEL. IT INCLUDES INTELLIGENCE AND
MONITORING, DIALOG AND DEESCALATION, MOUNTED PATROL, AND BICYCLE TEAM UNITS, STRIKE TEAMS, MOBILE USE FORCE, AND THE S.W.A.T. TEAM IN EVENTS THAT OTHER EFFORTS FAILED OR OTHER EMERGENCIES OCCURRED. THIS APPROACH IS MODELED IN PART ON
DIALOG POLICING WORK, THAT HAS BEEN LEARNED FROM TRAINING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, INCLUDING COLUMBUS. ACCORDING TO LEADERSHIP, THE KEY OPERATING PRINCIPAL OF THE FLUID RESPONSE MODEL IS THAT STRIKE TEAMS DEPLOY REACTIVELY TO THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME RATHER
THAN PROACTIVELY UNDER THE EXPECTATION THAT A CRIME WOULD BE COMMITTED. OFFICERS NOTED THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRAST TO THE DEFAULT RESPONSE TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS PRE-2020. LEADERSHIP DESCRIBED THE CURRENT MODEL AS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, RELATIVE TO PAST PRACTICE, AND
PROVIDED EXAMPLES OF HOW POLICE AND COMMUNITY HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE ADOPTION OF MODERN POLICING OF PUBLIC GATHERINGS, NOTING SPECIFICALLY THAT A MARKED REDUCTION IN USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS, LAWSUITS, AND COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN TIED TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS, A SHIFT FROM MASS ARREST TACTICS TO SELECTIVE
INTENTIONAL ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, A REDUCTION IN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, EVENT ATTENDEES, AND MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, AND PERCEIVED LEGITIMACY BENEFITS AMONGST OFFICERS, INCLUDING SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND THE
FACT THAT MPD IS RARELY DIRECTING OFFICERS TO HOLD THE LINE HAS INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN OFFICERS AND BUILDING TRUST IN THE INTERNAL REFORM EFFORTS. WHILE WORKING WITH MPD FOR THIS REPORT, LEADERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGE LIMITS AND CHALLENGES THEY'RE
FACING, INCLUDING A LACK OF DEPARTMENT-WIDE TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, EQUIPMENT RESOURCES REMAINS A PERSISTENT STRUGGLE, AND PUBLIC ORDER RESOURCES SUCH AS VEHICLES ARE OFTEN SHARED WITH OTHER MPD STAFF THAT PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE EFFORTS, PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT SUCH AS HELMETS AND MASKS EXPIRE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE THE EFFORTS ARE INTERNAL, THE FORMAL DIALOG TEAM CONCEPT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN COLUMBUS AND OTHER CITIES REMAIN ASPIRATIONAL AT THIS POINT BUT EXPERTS IN THE DEPARTMENT IDENTIFY THIS IS A TOP AREA THEY
HOPE TO SEE IMPROVED. SINCE 2020, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THEIR POLICIES REGARDING CROWD MANAGEMENT AND THEIR OVERALL RESPONSE TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS. MANY OF THESE CHANGES REFLECT BEST PRACTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS. HOWEVER, THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT REQUIRES THAT AN INDEPENDENT MONITOR REVIEW AND APPROVE THESE POLICIES AND THAT IS A PROCESS THAT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONSENT DECREE, WHICH THE CITY REMAINS COMMITTED TO, REQUIRES
ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO POLICIES RELATED TO HOW CROWD MANAGEMENT TO OBTAIN COMPLIANCE. EQUALLY IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE ON THE CHALLENGES, THE CHANGES THAT POLICE HAVE MADE TO THEIR RESPONSE TO GATHERINGS IS THAT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS,
PARTICIPANTS AND OBSERVERS. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHANGE IN POLICE RESPONSE AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES IS CORRELATED BUT NOT CAUSAL ALONE. COMMUNITY IS ALSO CHANGING THE WAY THEY ORGANIZE, DEMONSTRATE, AND SELF MONITOR. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE INVESTMENTS OF TIME AND
RESOURCES INTO THE TRAINING AND IDENTIFICATION OF EVENT MARSHALS, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WAY THAT GROUPS COMMUNICATE THE INTENDED OUTCOME OF THEIR EVENT, EXTRA EFFORTS TO COLLABORATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO INK CREASE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES FOR EVERYONE AND THE DEESCALATION
USED BY LEADERSHIP WHEN ENCOUNTERING OPPOSING GROUPS. ORGANIZERS INTERVIEWED FOR THIS REPORT PROVIDED FIRSTHAND EXAMPLES OF DIALOG WHEN IT WENT WELL AND WHEN IT WENT POORLY. I ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE AND OTHERS TO READ THE REPORT FOR
THEIR PERSPECTIVE. COMMUNITY LEADERS RECOGNIZE THERE IS NO SINGLE STANCE AMONG ORGANIZERS WHEN IT COMES TO EVENT PLANNING WITH POLICE. THEY DESCRIBE IT MORE AS A SPECTRUM OF FEELINGS TOWARD DEPARTMENT LIAISING. SOME
WANT TO GIVE A QUICK HEADS UP, SOME WANT ZERO CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THERE ARE FEW BUT THEY DO EXIST THAT ARE LOOKING FOR CONFRONTATION. ONE CHALLENGE THAT POLICE HAVE IS DETERMINING WHERE ON THE SPECTRUM A GIVEN GROUP MAY FALL. HAVING BUILT CHAINS OF COMMAND
AND MAKING COMMITMENTS TO DISCIPLINE AIMED TO REDUCE ESCALATION IN THEIR OWN RANKS, OFFICERS OFFERED THEIR FOLLOWING INSIGHT ON WHAT POLICE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THEIR DIALOG AND LIAISON EFFORTS. THEY MUST HAVE SUFFICIENT RANK AND AUTHORITY TO
MAKE REAL-TIME DECISIONS AND RANK AND AUTHORITY MUST BE PAIRED WITH THE RESPECT OF THEIR COLLEAGUES. PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THE DIALOG TEAM OR STRIKE TEAM SHOULD HAVE AN INTRINSIC BELIEF IN THE 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHT BEYOND THE COMPLIANCE OF PERMITTING. OFFICERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO AND EMPOWERED TO
NEGOTIATE. THERE SHOULD BE A WILLINGNESS FROM DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO FIND SOLUTIONS RATHER THAN DEFAULTING TO A NO RESPONSE. DEPARTMENT LIAISONS AND LIAISON MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO TREAT ORGANIZERS AS EQUALLY CREDIBLE COMPARED TO
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. TAKEN AS A WHOLE, THE DEPARTMENTS FEATURED IN THIS SHOW A SHIFT AWAY FROM FIRST CROWD CONTROL AS A PASSING TREN TREND, IT'S A RESPONSE TO
DECADES OF RESEARCH SHOWING THAT HEAVY HANDED TREATMENT IS NOT BETTER FOR ANYONE. IT SHOWS HOW THEY ENGAGE IN DIALOG SEE FEWER ARRESTS, INJURIES, AND CONFRONTATIONAL DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC. THIS REPORT ENCOURAGES EXPLORING
OPTIONS TO SECURE OAR ALLOCATE FUNDS TO FORMALIZE DIALOG TEAMS AND IDENTIFYING THE POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS THAT A MULTILAYERED RESPONSE MODEL COULD PROVIDE COMPARED TO BLANKET CALLOUTS OF
STRIKE TEAMS. EVEN AGENCIES THAT ARE FURTHER ALONG IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF THESE MODELS DESCRIBE THE WORK AS ONGOING. COLUMBUS STANDS OUT AS AN AGENCY WITH ACADEMIC RESEARCH PARTNERS, DATA TO BACK UP THEIR
CLAIMS, POLICY TO ENFORCE THEIR RULES, AND THE RESEARCH. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT SUCH THINGS TAKE TIME, OFTEN YEARS TO MATERIALIZE. THE REPORT SUGGESTS A STANDARDIZED REPORTING SYSTEM AND OTHER
REPORTING STRUCTURES MENTIONED IN THE REPORT, AS WELL AS THE EXPLORATION OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THE RESEARCH ASSOCIATED TO ESIM AND OTHER MODELS. THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE OFFERED IN THIS REPORT IS A NECESSARY BALANCE TO
ANY CONCLUSION THAT ONLY POLICE CAN BE CREDITED FOR THESE REFORMS. ORGANIZERS DESCRIBED THEIR OWN PROFESSIONALIZATION AS EQUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE OUTCOMES. WHEN TRUST IS BROKEN,
IT DOES NOT REPAIR QUICKLY AND SKEPTICISM ON WHETHER UNIFORMS REFLECT GENUINE CHANGE INSTEAD OF BETTER BRANDING. TO FOSTER TRUST AND INCREASE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, THIS REPORT CONSIDERS CONSPICUOUSLY DISPLAYING CONTACT INFORMATION
FOR POLICE PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO MANAGE PUBLIC GATHERINGS ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, CREATING AND PUBLISHING FLYERS IN DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL FORM FOR DISTRIBUTION, CONNECTING CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PLANNING EVENTS TO THOSE POLICE PERSONNEL WHO ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THEM, AND EMPHASIZING COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND POLICE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A LARGE SCALE EVENT. EACH AGENCY REFERENCED IN THE REPORT HAS MOVED AWAY FROM THE COMMAND AND CONTROL MODEL
AND RELIES ON FEMA-BASED MODELS AS A LAST RESORT. AN ADOPTION OF THIS APPROACH HAS BEEN RARELY DRIVEN BY RESEARCH ALONE. I REVIEWED CHANGES, SIMILAR REVIEWS. THIS SUGGESTS THAT
WHILE THE UNDERLYING RESEARCH HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO CLOSE TO 20 YEARS, IT WAS LEGAL EXPOSURE AND MANDATED REFORM, NOT VOLUNTARY ADOPTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE THAT HAS BEEN THE PRIMARY DRIVE FOR CHANGE IN THESE AGENCIES REPRESENTED. IT'S EQUALLY NOTABLE THAT EVERY LAW
ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL I INTERVIEWED FOR THIS REPORT RECOGNIZE THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF THEIR DEPARTMENT, WHICH COULD INDICATE A CULTURE SHIFT AND INTRINSIC DESIRE FOR OFFICERS TO BE PART OF AN EFFECTIVE CHANGE. IN AGENCIES WHERE SUPPORT IS
INCONSISTENT OR ABSENT, LEADERSHIP RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S AD HOC AND INSPIRATIONAL, RATHER THAN INSTITUTIONALIZED AS DEPARTMENT CULTURE. WITH THAT, THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT. >> THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WILL FIRST PASS IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING. >> THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CHAVEZ AND THANK YOU NICK. I WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR OFFICE FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON HERE. FOR THOSE
WHO CAN'T SEE, WE HAVE AN OVER 30-PAGE DOCUMENT OF IN-DEPTH RESEARCH THAT GIVE AS BROAD DESCRIPTION OF WHERE POLICING IS MOVING, PARTICULARLY IN 1ST AMENDMENT AND MORE DIALOG AND COMMUNITY EVENT RELATED
POLICING. SO, I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR PREPARING THIS LEVEL OF WORK. IT IS SOMETHING THAT I SEE WHY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES INVESTED IN FILLING OUT. I APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL, AS NICK
HAS TAKEN THIS ON AND DONE THIS WORK. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO DISCUSS WHERE THIS SORT OF CAME FROM. IT'S KIND OF SEEING IT IN STAGES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AS WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OF INTERACTION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THOSE GO EXTREMELY WELL AND WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THOSE TAKE A DIFFERENT AVENUE AND END UP IN MORE VIOLENT SITUATIONS. SO, AS OF THE LAST, GOODNESS, IT CAME ACROSS THIS
IDEA THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD. IN THIS PAST SUMMER, WEST COAST CITY, I'M FORGETTING WHICH ONE SPECIFICALLY, THERE WAS AN OFFICER THAT WAS ENGAGING A DIALOG LIAISON OFFICER THAT WAS
ENGAGING WITH HOMELAND SECURITY, A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WAS TRYING TO GET THROUGH WHERE ALL THESE PROTESTERS WERE. HE WAS GOING TO DRIVE HIS CAR THROUGH THAT SCENARIO. THE DIALOG LIAISON OFFICER SAID IF YOU GO THROUGH
THERE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE ARRESTED. SO THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WHERE I HAVE SEEN AN OFFICER, AT LEAST IN A MORE VIRAL SETTING, ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY POLICING THAT WAS DIRECTLY PROTECTIVE OF COMMUNITY
WITH ANOTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. SO, THAT SPIRALED INTO OTHER EXAMPLES HERE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, WHERE WE SAW IN THE SUMMER, LAST SUMMER OF 2025, FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RAID IN
OUR CITY AND WE SAW KIND OF A -- NOT A COLLABORATION WITH MPD IN FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT KIND OF A STANDING BY. SO, I THINK WE HAD A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN MIND, CONSTITUENTS IN MIND. THEY ASKED, WHAT ARE THEY DOING
THERE? THEY'RE NOT PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK THAT IS A FAIR CONCERN, A FAIR QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED AROUND THAT. THEN OBVIOUSLY MOVING TO MORE RECENT EXAMPLES, OPERATION METRO
SURGE, AND HAVING AN NON-SATISFACTORY ANSWER WHEN CONSTITUENTS ASK WHY ARE MPD NOT DOING MORE TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS, WHY ARE THEY NOT ARRESTING THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT VIOLATE OUR RIGHTS. THIS IS THE
RESPONSE TO THAT. SO NICK, THIS IS, I THINK FANTASTIC IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS HOPEFULLY BOTH A PROTECTION OF PROPERTY, LIFE, BUT ALL THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
HERE AS WELL. SO, I THINK THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE PARTICULARLY AROUND -- YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE CITIES, BOTH IN THREE PARTS HERE. SO, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG WINDED
QUESTIONS. WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THESE DEPARTMENTS, SPECIFICALLY THAT WORK WITH DIALOG LIAISON OFFICERS OR PROTECTIONS, 1ST AMENDMENT PROTECTION OFFICERS, ARE THERE POLICIES IN PLACE BETWEEN INTERNALLY WITHIN THOSE
DEPARTMENTS THAT ENSURE THAT THESE OFFICERS, WHILE THEY HAVE FULL ARREST AUTHORITY, ARE THEY KIND OF ABLE TO STEP OUTSIDE OF -- ARE THERE POLICIES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT DOING THE REGULAR JOB OF A LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, I GUESS IS THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE. >> SURE. THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITING, YES, THOSE POLICIES DO EXIST. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THEM NOTE IN THE REPORT THAT SPECIFICALLY OUTLINE THAT OFFICERS, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN SEATTLE AND COLUMBUS BOTH
TOGETHER HAD IN THEIR POLICIES THAT THEIR SPECIFIC DIALOG DUTIES COME FIRST. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THEY'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AT THE END OF THE DAY AND THEIR DUTY IS TO ENFORCE THE LAW. THE INTENT OF
THE TEAM AND THE PROGRAM IS TO ENSURE THAT THESE CONTUSIONAL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AND THE EVENTS CAN CONTINUE. NOW, THERE IS AN INTERESTING CALCULUS THERE TO AT WHAT COST. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE -- I
DON'T THINK IT WAS REPORTED TO ME THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. IT IS CODIFY IN POLICY THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE PART OF POPS OR THE POET TEAM IN SEATTLE, THAT YOU NEED TO BE COMING TO THIS WORK WITH THE BELIEVE THAT THE GOAL
IS N ARRESTING PEOPLE,T'S MAKING SURE THAT THE EVENT CAN CONTINUE AND THAT THE BALANCE BETWEEN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY CAN EXIST. >> GREAT, THANK YOU. A SECOND QUESTION HERE, PARTICULARLY TO
WITHIN THOSE UNITS, WHEN THEY HAVE KIND OF THAT FULL ARREST AUTHORITY AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE MULTILAYERED OR SCALABLE DEPARTMENTS AND IT SEEMS LIKE I THINK COLUMBUS HAS A LEVEL OF THAT SCALABLE, IT SEEMS LIKE
SEATTLE IS THEIR OWN STAND ALONE UNIT. WHEN DEPARTMENTS ARE LOOKING AT WHICH ONE ARE WE GOING TO? MINNEAPOLIS, MPD HAS A LAYERED, SCALABLE LAYERED RESPONSE. HOW ARE WE ENSURING,
HOW ARE DEPARTMENTS ENSURING THAT THOSE THINGS ARE KIND OF LAST RESORT SO THAT HOPEFULLY THE DIALOG LIAISON OFFICERS ARE KIND OF THE ONES THAT ARE DOING THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE RESPONSE IN THESE SITUATIONS?
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER, ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT I INTERVIEWED HAVE A MULL LAYERED RESPONSE, WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT SEATTLE IS THAT THEY'RE THE ONLY ONE WITH A
FULL TIME DEDICATED DIALOG TEAM. SO EVERYONE ELSE I SPOKE TO DOES IT AS A SECONDARY ASSIGNMENT OR IN SOME CASES, SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, SOMETHING THEY'RE GOOD AT, OR SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS PUT ON THEIR PLATE AS SOMETHING TY
SHOULD BE DOING. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THE GOAL FROM ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS IS TO ENSURE THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF INTRUSIONN THE ENT. EFFORTS TO DO THAT INCLUDE HIDING THE RESOURCES OUT OF SIGHT, HAVING THEM ON STAND BY AND AVAILABLE,
CLOSE BY, OR WITHIN A REASONABLE RESPONSE TIME. ONE OF THE CONSISTENT THEMES I HEARD IS THAT AS AGENCIES ARE ADOPTING THIS, PART OF THE WAY THEY GET BUY IN IS THROUGH THE OFFICERS KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTED IN THE EVENT THAT
SOMETHING GOES WRONG. SO, SINCE THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HAVING VISIBLE ACCESS TO AN ARMORED UNIT OR A TACTICAL TEAM THAT IS ESENT INCREASES PEOPLE'S HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OR ANXIETY
ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A CONFRONTATION. THE FIRST STEP OF KEEPING THEM OUT OF SIGHT MAKES THEM OUT OF MI, WHICH ALLOWS THE GROUP'S IDENTITY TO MAINTAIN ITSELF AND ITS INTENDED PURPOSE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. >> THANK YOU, AND THE LAST QUESTION HERE, WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THESE AND I DON'T
REALLY KNOW HOW TO FORMULATE THIS QUESTION. IT'S A HARDER QUESTION TO FORMULATE. WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THESE JURISDICTIONS AND THESE AGENCIES, HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THESE DEPARTMENTS KIND OF DO THE PROACTIVE PROTECTING OF 1ST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS, PROTECTING OF THE DEMONSTRATORS. ARE THEY DOING MORE THAN JUST BEING OBSERVERS, BUT STEPPING INTO BE LIKE HEY, YOU CONDITION DO THAT.
YOU HAVE TO LET THEM PROTEST AND ENGAGE IN THESE ACTIVITIES AS LONG AS IT'S NOT VIOLENT OR OTHERWISE. I AM WONDERING HOW THAT COMPONENT IS ADDED IN IT OR IF YOU HAVE SEEN IT AT ALL. >> YES, I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF
THAT MYSELF. IT WAS REPORTED TO ME SOME EXAMPLES, SOME ANTIDOTAL EXAMPLES OF HOW AGENCIES ARE DOING THINGS LIKE WHEN THEY LEARN THE PATH OF A MARCH, THEY'RE PROACTIVELY HELPING WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL, OR IF THE PATH
CHANGES IN REAL-TIME COMMUNICATION WITH EVENT LEADERS, PLAN A HAS GONE OUT THE WINDOW. WHAT IS PLAN B? THEN DEVELOPING A PATH ON THE FLY, GETTING BIKE TEAMS, GETTING HORSE TEAMS, GETTING CARS IN PLACES THAT WILL PREVENT PEOPLE
FROM BEING INJURED. ONE OF THE EXAMPLES IN THE REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED BY A COMMUNITY MEMBER INVOLVED THE NO KINGS RALLY THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE SAME DAY THAT WAS THE HORTMAN MURDER, AND
THE INTENTIONAL THOUGHT AND PLANNING THAT WENT INTO ACCOMMODATING BOTH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY'S BELIEF AND THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER'S BELIEF, AND THAT MIDDLE GROUND WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE, I FELT, OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES NEGOTIATING TO FIND A SOLUTION AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY THE COMMUNITY SAID WE'RE GOING TO SHORTEN OUR SPEAKER PROGRAMING, MEANING PEOPLE HAVE LESS TIME TO TK AND WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE SPEAKERS FROM THE ROSTER AND THEN FROM A LAW
ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, WRE GOING TO HAVE MORE RESOURCES VISIBLY PRESENT TO DETER WHAT AT THAT TIME WAS AN UNKNOWN THREAT WITH A MURDERER ON THE RUNG AND NOT KNOWING WHERE THEY WERE. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS THAT I WILL SAVE TO GIVEY COLLEAGUES SOMETIME HERE. REACH OUT ON HOW WE CAN SCALE A POLICY FRAMEWORK TO IMPLEMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, I PUT MYSELF NEXT
ON QUEUE. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS I SUPPORTED THIS STAFF DIRECTION WAS BECAUSE OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND MPD AND THE FINDINGS BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE THAT FOUND MPD OLATING THE 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. FIRST, THAT OFFICERS RETALIATE AGAINST PROTESTERS, OFFICERS RETALIATE AGAINST JOURNALISTS, AND LAWFULLY RESTRICT ACTIONS AGAINST PROTESTS, AND OFFICERS
CHALLENGE PEOPLE DURING STOPS AND CALLS, AND OFFICERS UNLAWFULLY INTERFERE WITH THE RIGHT TO OBSERVE AND RECORD POLICE ACTIVITY. I THINK JUST MENTIONING THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CONTEXT, SOME OF THE THINGS I REALLY WANT TO DIAZ
DEEP INTO AS WE EXPLORE THIS TOPIC. I WAS GOING THROUGH THE REPORT AND THE PRESENTATION AND IT TALKED ABOUT CONSIDER A REGULAR STANDARDIZED PUBLIC REPORTING MECHANISM AND REPORTING STRUCTURES MENTIONED IN THE REPORT. CAN YOU GO INTO DETAIL ON WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE
OR WHAT THAT ENTAILED? >> SURE CHAIR CHAVEZ, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. MOST OF THE AGENCIES I SPOKE TO HAD SOME TYPE OF FORMALIZED REPORTING, STRICTURED TO THEIR DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITIES OR GOOD MORNING
BODIES, ONE PARTICULARLY NOTED IN THE REPORT WAS THE CITY OF MADISON, HAS AER -- AN ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS ON PREPROVIDING AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW TO THE COUNCIL AFTER CERTAIN THINGS
HAPPEN, SUCH AS THE DEPLOYMENT OF GAS OR PROJECTILE MUNITIONS. SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS I WOULD OFFER TO THIS BODY. >> YES, THANK YOU. THAT IS PART OF THE REASON I AM ASKING. THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE REPORT. I THINK ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN
HELPFUL AT THE HEIGHT OF OPERATION METRO SURGE AND GETTING THIS INFORMATION. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TO THE PUBLIC ONE OF THE REASONS I SUPPORTED THIS IS BECAUSE I WANTED TO DIVE DEEP INTO THIS COMPONENT OF THE -- WELL, TRUMP
DIDN'T WANT IT, BUT WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE. I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT US AS A BODY SHOULD HAVE AND I APREUATE THE PRESENTATION YOU GAVE US. COLLEAGUES, ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. WE'LL CHAT OFFLINE.
ALL RIGHT COLLEAGUES, NICK, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE IT. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND NO ONE IN QUEUE, I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT REPORT. SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US, I WILL DECLARE THIS MEETING
ADJOURNED.