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Board presses for clarity on CARE/LEAD/unarmed programs and Flock camera rollout
Summary
Board members sought updates from city administration on transitions of unarmed response programs (CARE/LEAD), who will manage GIVE, and the status and intended use of Flock camera deployments; the chief has provided some updates to common council but details remain outstanding for the board.
The Community Police Board raised multiple outstanding questions about the city’s unarmed-response programs and camera project deployments, and members asked that the common council liaison obtain missing transition materials from city administration.
Board members said the prior mayor had hired a consultant to draft job descriptions for unarmed personnel and that the city has not provided the board with the resulting materials. The board underscored the difference between LEAD (a diversion program) and CARE (an unarmed social-service response), and said it needs explicit job descriptions, funding information and a manager assigned so the board can track progress.
Deputy Chief Matt Cowen told the board that GIVE remains municipally managed and that “the only difference is the municipality manages the grant and the overall operational effectiveness of it.” Cowen added that a sergeant in IPD currently oversees GIVE operations. The board said it wants clarity about which rank (deputy chief, captain or sergeant) will oversee related programs going forward.
Board members also discussed Flock cameras and referred members to a recent Common Council discussion. The chief told Common Council members the camera system is not designed for general surveillance of individuals and that the deployments are license-plate-reader style systems; board members said they will review the council meeting notes for more detail.
The board concluded that the unanswered questions about job descriptions, oversight and funding for CARE, GIVE and unarmed-response personnel need to be resolved by the city administration and the council liaison; the board asked that the liaison bring those transition materials to the next meeting.
