Resolution - Police — File 198368

R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, In a time when community and police relations are dangerously strained elsewhere, the Somerville Police Department has instead continued to build strong community ties and trust through exemplary advancements in community policing including, through partnerships with community organizations, our city schools and the business community; and WHEREAS, Through innovative jail diversion programming, the Somerville Police have steered juvenile offenders away from the criminal justice system and toward lives of achievement and opportunity; and WHEREAS, The Somerville Police Department has shown extraordinary compassion and foresight in their efforts to integrate Crisis Intervention Training into their response to persons with mental health and substance abuse issues, thus helping to improve outcomes for these vulnerable individuals; and WHEREAS, The Somerville Police joined the Mayor and bravely led the way in pointing out the flaws in the federal Secure Communities program, taking a stance to keep our community safer and protect our immigrant residents that was later affirmed by President Obama’s similar rejection of Secure Communities’ flaws; and WHEREAS, The respectful, tactical and efficient management of recent protests against rulings in the Ferguson, MO, and New York cases further served to provide a model for positive police- community relations by honoring our residents’ right to free speech while also maintaining public safety without overburdening city resources; and WHEREAS, The Somerville Police have repeatedly shown an eagerness to embrace emerging best practices such as data-based decision-making and predictive analysis to increase the effectiveness of their policing and thus the safety of our community; and WHEREAS, The crime rate in the City of Somerville has dropped by more than 30% in the past five years in no small part due to the exceptional efforts and holistic approach signified by all of the above; and WHEREAS, Somerville Police officers serve, protect and put their lives on the line for our community 24/7, 365 days a year; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That this Board of Aldermen, and the Mayor, unilaterally appreciate, without reservation, the activity, commitment, effort and professionalism exhibited by our entire sworn staff of public safety Police Officials throughout the year.