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2021 09 20 BPAC MinutesMINUTES OF THE BAYTOWN POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN September 20, 2021 The Baytown Police Advisory Committee of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in a Regular Meeting on Monday, September 20, 2021, at 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chamber at Baytown City Hall, located at 2401 Market Street, Baytown, Texas with the following in attendance: Eric Bolenbaucher Vice -Chairperson Richard Hunsinger Committee Member Dr. Marissa Moreno Committee Member Yulanda Braxton Committee Member Lt. Rene Hinojosa Committee Member Kevin Troller Assistant City Manager Angela Jackson Acting City Clerk Karen Horner General Counsel Mike Holden Assistant Police Chief Vice -Chairperson Eric Bolenbaucher convened the September 20, 2021, Baytown Police Advisory Committee ("BPAC") Meeting with a quorum present at 6:07 P.M., all members were present with the exception of Chairperson Raphael D. Montgomery and Committee Member Dr. June Stansky, who were absent. 1. MINUTES a. Consider approving the minutes of the Baytown Police Advisory Committee Meeting held on August 10, 2021. A motion was made by Committee Member Richard Hunsinger and seconded by Committee Member Yulanda Braxton to approve the minutes of the Baytown Police Advisory Committee Meeting held on August 10, 2021, as submitted. The vote was as follows: Ayes: Vice -Chairperson Eric Bolenbaucher, Committee Member Yulanda Braxton, Committee Member Richard Hunsinger, Committee Member Dr. Marissa Moreno, Committee Member Cpl. Steve Ocanas, and Committee Member Lt. Rene Hinojosa Nays: None Other: Chairperson Raphael D. Montgomery (Absent) and Committee Member Dr. June Stansky (Absent) Approved 2. CITIZEN INPUT Baytown Police Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes September 20, 2021 Page 2 of 5 a. Receive citizen input concerning police outreach, community policing, officer training, as well as policies and procedures. There was no discussion for this item. 3. BUSINESS ITEMS a. Review and discuss training curricula for Police Officers, including training regarding inclusivity. Assistant Police Chief Mike Holden presented the item and noted that, as requested at their previous meeting, at their places on the dais, he had provided all of the Committee Members with lesson plans that are taught to all the Baytown Police Officers, which starts with basic training and then refresher courses as it relates to Crisis Intervention Training, De-escalation Techniques Training, and Intermediate Use of Force. Assistant Chief Holden proceeded to provide an overview of some of the required training for officers on a yearly basis and some of which is reoccurring every two years. Committee Member Dr. Moreno asked it they could also obtain some of the training guides for either the Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics ("ICAT") training, or even the Crisis Intervention Team ("CIT") trainings. Assistant Chief Holden noted that some of the training guides were lengthy; nonetheless, the lesson plans provided include the objectives that are supposed to be met in each and every required training and are standardized by the State of Texas under TCOLE (Texas Commission of Law Enforcement). However, all state -standard training guides and regulations can be found online. b. Receive and discuss the evaluation process for police officers. Assistant Police Chief Mike Holden presented the item and referred to the Positive Engagement pamphlet, which included types of forms that they utilize in evaluating employees on a daily basis. They have an Employee Performance Notice, Internal Employee Consultation, an Employee Merit Accomplishment Notice, as well as a Videotape Critique Form, which now includes body -worn camera footage. He noted that the video footage is evaluated by the supervisors on a daily basis, who can then evaluate a situation and provide guidance as to whether it was handled correctly or if it is a procedural issue. If additional training is needed, they provide it immediately or register the officers up for the next available training class. However, if there is a situation where there was an excessive use of force, then they address it at that point and forward it to the Internal Affairs Bureau for investigation. The video footage is downloaded at the end of the officer shift and are automatically put into a storage file and made available for the supervisor to review. He further noted that the State of Texas mandates that all video footage be kept for 90 days minimum, however, there are certain cases, such as misdemeanors and felonies, that are required to be retained for a longer period. Committee Member Dr. Moreno inquired as to whether there would ever be a case in which an entire year would go by and there would be zero paperwork filed on any sworn officer. Assistant Chief Holden indicated that it would be highly unlikely, since an employee evaluation file includes performance notices written up by supervisors and fellow officers for good things an officer did and not only for misconduct or other issues. Additionally, the City utilizes a NeoGov software system that requires a supervisor to evaluate or have the conversation with an employee three times Baytown Police Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes September 20, 2021 Page 3 of S within a year to document where they stand. However, civil service employees are evaluated and held accountable on a daily basis, rather than on a quarterly or annual basis. C. Receive and discuss positive engagement events and opportunities between officers of the Baytown Police Department and the citizens of the City of Baytown. Assistant Police Chief Holden provided an overview of some of their community positive engagement events held throughout the year. He noted that in regards to the advertising of events such as Coffee with a Cop, they utilize two platforms quite a bit, which includes social media like Instagram and Facebook accounts as well as through The Bavtown Sun newspaper. They, along with the Fire Department, participate in the Pop-up Parks that are basically held once a month on the first Sunday. They have Neighborhood Watch Committees, which had been a challenge with the COVID pandemic, but they are coming back up. This year, as it relates to the National Night Out, lie noted the event will be held at one centralized location at Town Square on Texas Avenue in order to draw in all of their resources from Police, Fire, and other city departments. This has been tested with some other cities throughout the country and they have had positive feedback on the amount of people participating. The other goal is to get citizens from different neighborhoods to interact and all can engage and view SWAT vehicles, as well as other big toys, different vendors and mounted patrol will be on site. Assistant Police Chief Holden noted that they are also expanding their police bike unit and have seven more officers attending bike training in the upcoming weeks as well as the department will be purchasing more bikes in order to increase participation at future events. One of the biggest programs that the Police Department have throughout the year is the D.A.R.E. or Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program, which is a collaboration effort with Goose Creek ISD. They teach fifth -graders at elementary schools three to four classes per day, four days a week. However, one of the resources they lost when Goose Creek added its own Police Department, is the School Resource Officer Program at the high schools, and they are looking to try to engage that group of kids, teenagers and adolescents, to participate at a youth academy and draw their attention back into law enforcement. Furthenmore, Assistant Chief Holden touched on the Crime Stoppers program available at middle or junior schools as well as high schools in order to provide resources for students to report issues or problems, and they do not necessarily have to call, but they can text their information or go online. The Explorers Program is also available for young people that are interested in following law enforcement as a career, which is coming back online and they are advertising to various youth groups. Additionally, they have interns taking Criminal Justice Program classes at the college that do an internship with the Crime Scene Unit. d. Review, discuss and consider updates to the buckets of concern previously established by the Committee, which buckets include mental illness, positive engagement, training and development and transparency and accountability. Vice -Chairperson Bolenbaucher noted that throughout the past year, the Committee has hit all of the buckets of concerns in some regard; however, he opened it up to the committee members to see if there is something specific they would like to consider at the upcoming meetings. Baytown Police Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes September 20, 2021 Page 4 of 5 Committee Member Hunsinger indicated that as it relates to transparency and accountability, he would like for them to find ways to reach out to the residents who are resistant. They need to brainstonn about what they, as a committee, can do, what can be done, and maybe look at what other cities are doing. He believes it is very important to reach those people who are resistant, interact, and see if there is anything that the committee can do to impact them. Committee Member Dr. Moreno requested that they consider looking into or receive further clarification on whether they are providing diversity training or cultural sensitivity training within the Baytown Police Department, as that could lead to some of the reasons why some of our communities are resistant. Assistant Chief Holden indicated that diversity training is required by TCOLE for all police officers and he offered to provide them with additional infonnation or curriculum in regards to that training. In regards to the database system administered by the Police Department, Committee Member Dr. Moreno inquired if they are able to pull a report that indicates the ethnicity of the people that get pulled over, or the socioeconomic status of the people that are being either arrested or in violation. Assistant Chief Holden noted that per TCOLE, the City is required to provide a racial profiling report yearly, which is available online for their review. Assistant Chief Holden infonned the committee that they would provide them an update on the mental health decals, pins, pamphlet, and the CORE Program at their next meeting. e. Consider setting any tasks and processes for future meetings. This item was discussed in conjunction with the previous agenda item, 3.d. 4. MANAGER'S REPORT a. The next Baytown Police Advisory Committee Regular Meeting is scheduled for October 26, 2021, at 6:00 P.M., in the Council Chamber at Baytown City Hall, 2401 Market Street, Baytown, Texas 77520. Assistant City Manager Kevin Troller reminded everyone that the Committee's next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26"' at 6:00 P.M., in the Council Chamber at Baytown City Hall. 5. ADJOURN With there being no further business to discuss, a motion was made by Committee Member Richard Hunsinger, and seconded by Committee Member Dr. Marissa Moreno, to adjourn the September 20 2021, Baytown Police Advisory Committee Regular Meeting at 6:58 P.M. The vote was as follows: Ayes: Vice -Chairperson Eric Bolenbaucher, Committee Member Yulanda Braxton, Committee Member Richard Hunsinger, Committee Member Dr. Marissa Moreno, Committee Member Cpl. Steve Ocanas, and Committee Member Lt. Rene Hinojosa Baytown Police Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes September 20, 2021 Page 5 of 5 Nays: None Other: Chairperson Raphael D. Montgomery (Absent) and Committee Member Dr. June Stansky (Absent) Approved City of Baytown