Plan to reform Fresno Police Department could take longer than expected. Here’s why
It’s becoming clear to many members of Fresno’s police reform committee that they need more time than the 90 days allotted to go through the complex question of re-thinking the Fresno Police Department.
About 30 days have passed since the 37-member committee was named and tasked with what Mayor Lee Brand called “ an opportunity of a lifetime” to address meaningful police reform.
Multiple members of the committee have already asked the City Council for more time, according to Oliver Baines, the former councilmember who heads the committee.
“While they have not said ‘no,’ which is great, they have serious concerns about a time extension and how long it would be,” he said. “And, what we would use it for.”
Baines said he expects a response from City Council within the next two weeks, but noted the council members have said they want to see progress.
The city of Fresno announced plans to form the committee on June 11, minutes after the Fresno State chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other leaders in Fresno’s Black community listed their demands for re-imagining the department.
Members of the committee, which includes police officers and a representative from the Fresno Police Officers Association, have made some progress on the discussion about taking some responsibilities out of the hands of officers, according to Scott Baly, a Fresno-based defense attorney and committee member.
For example, the committee has been asked to consider if police should respond to calls related to suicidal thoughts or other mental health issues, homeless complaints and other calls perhaps better suited for social workers or firefighters.
“We’ve been able to engage in this conversation of the police department pulling back from responses that do not involve crime,” he said.
Beyond that the committee is reviewing policies related to use-of-force, discipline, hiring, promotions and a slew of other topics.
The Fresno Police Department budget is $201 million. About $184 million comes from the general fund — the portion of the budget over which the City Council has the greatest control. Police get about half of the general fund, which also pays for firefighters and other services.
During the police reform committee meeting held Monday over Zoom, all but one of the more than 20 speakers from the public supported revamping Fresno’s police force. A small handful said the department should be abolished.
Many of their comments have been echoed for months following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.
The committee and City Council are up against a timeline because of the unusual circumstances brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Fresno City Council adopted a $1.2 billion budget on June 30 with a continuing resolution, which means they’ll be back in late August or early September to adopt a long-term spending plan after a better picture becomes clear of how much the coronavirus hurt the economy.
Brand proposed the continuing resolution in May as his administration said the next year’s revenue will remain murky until after the state gets a better hold on COVID-19’s impact.
At about the same time city leaders will be deciding on the long-term spending plan, the deadline for the police reform committee will be arriving.
Fresno community advocate and committee member Gloria Hernandez said the task ahead of the committee is likely too large for such a turnaround.
“We have so much to do,” she said. “I hope the City Council grants us an extension or allows us to continue after some of the recommendations.”
