July 10, 2020 Update on Comprehensive Report on Policing
Update on OPA’s Independent Comprehensive Report on Policing in Grand Rapids
July 10, 2020
In early June 2020, the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability (OPA), announced its plan to release a comprehensive report within thirty days that independently evaluates the status of all of the recommendations, studies, and reports that have been released over the past several years regarding police reform and community and police relations. The City recognizes that OPA’s independent report is an important step in being accountable, transparent, and honoring the community voice that helped shape the recommendations contained in those reports. OPA’s report is one of the reform initiatives announced by City Manager Washington in his June 10, 2020 Memorandum on Police Reform. OPA’s comprehensive report could not be completed until the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) completed its review and provided its report related to all of the recommendations, studies, and reports that have been released.
During Committee of the Whole on July 7, 2020, Chief Payne provided a summary of GRPD’s findings on the status of the following studies:
- The City’s 12 Point Plan
- Lamberth Traffic Stop Study
- 21st Century Police Policy and Procedure Review Task Force
- Hillard-Hientze Staffing & Deployment Study
- City of Grand Rapids Strategic Plan
On July 7, 2020, OPA was provided with the initial information needed to begin performing a thorough independent analysis and evaluation of the progress of each recommendation. In addition to the studies listed above, OPA will also evaluate the status of the City’s progress on the SAFE Task Force recommendations. OPA anticipates releasing its independent comprehensive report on August 11, 2020.
Please find a copy of the City Manager’s July 6, 2020 Update on Police Reform Memorandum(PDF, 452KB), and the Police Chief’s Outcome Projections Based on Budget Reduction Memorandum(PDF, 190KB) which includes an explanation of GRPD’s findings related to the aforementioned studies and reports.
Download as PDF(PDF, 134KB)