2021/07/28 Council Agenda Packet

In 2021, the department identified five strategic initiatives as vitally important to the success and safety of the community, the citizens and our officers. Of those five, the implementation of Body Worn Cameras (BWC) was a fundamental necessity for Transparency, Rebuilding Public Trust and Partnership with the community. As noted above, the BWCs have already been in the field and functioning appropriately. The addition of the interview rooms and the added capabilities to the Computer Forensics unit, simply work in concert with everything that has already been incorporated through BWC program. With the added benefit of a less lethal option (Bolawrap) we will be able to capture its functionality, through the BWC platform. Using the grant dollars will allow us to bring the interview room systems, the Computer Forensic Unit and a less lethal option, up to current standards immediately. The 2021 JAG allocation is anticipated to fund 100 percent of the purchase but will require additional labor hours and oversight from a current full-time employee that also have cursory video technology responsibilities. Capabilities and Competencies The Everett Police Department recognizes the differences in juvenile and adult offenders and the need to provide alternatives to incarceration for these offenders, especially for low level crimes. The City of Everett participates in A Better Track (ABT) which is an effective prevention and intervention service for teens. This program provides a variety of services to teens and young adults designed to reduce risk, increase skills, connect with community, increase confidence and build supportive relationships. The EPD also participates in the local chapter of Reclaiming Futures, a public -private collaboration which links community system reforms, substance abuse treatment, the justice system and community engagement to help juveniles break the cycle of drug use and crime. Studies of the program have shown it to be effective.4 The City of Everett also participates in the local juvenile courts Cultural Advisory Committee, which was convened to research and address implicit bias within the juvenile justice system. Involvement with this committee has helped evaluate disparate outcomes for minorities, while promoting equity and fairness within juvenile court. This has led to changes at EPD that better meet each individual's needs and promote equity and fairness. Plan for Collecting Data The permissible use of JAG funds under the 2021 JAG Local Solicitation include technology implementation and improvement programs. The entirety of the Everett Police Department's 4 The University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women, "National Cross -Site Evaluation Juvenile Drug Courts and Reclaiming Futures", November 2014. Found at: https://snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenterNiewFile/Item/42 10