Berkeley City Council: Black Lives Matter Protest Report, Urban Shield, et al

Next Tuesday’s Berkeley City Council meeting will be a critical one, on several fronts, for police accountability. Please make sure to attend and raise your voices for true change.

* One year after the police assault on demonstrators proclaiming Black Lives Matter, the Council will finally hear recommendations from the Police Review Commission investigation.
* Council will hold its annual vote on BPD agreements with law enforcement and military bodies. Community people are mobilizing to protest the relationships with NCRIC, the intelligence fusion center, and UASI, the funder of the militaristic Urban Shield exercise.
* Jesse Arreguin has placed a positive item on the agenda to move the City toward a new model of public safety.

If you participated in the December 2014 protests and felt your rights were violated—COME OUT DEC. 15!
If you disagree with Donald Trump and think Muslims and Arabs should not be treated like criminals because of their ethnicity and religion, COME TO COUNCIL!
If you or people you know have been racially profiled by the BPD—wwhich has now been substantiated by their own data–COME TO COUNCIL DEC. 15!

Details on apropos agenda items:

Item 34:  Updates on Police and Community Relations Referrals
From: Councilmember Arreguin
Recommendation: Schedule a worksession on April 26, 2016 for staff to update City Council on the progress of the referrals approved at the February 24, 2015 Council meeting regarding Police and Community Relations.
Consent calendar

Item 39:  Agreements, With Other Law Enforcement Agencies, Police Departments or Private Security Organization  (Continued from December 1, 2015)
Attachment 1, Exhibit A
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing, and at the conclusion of the hearing, adopt a Resolution approving agreements, understandings or policies existing or revised as of July 15, 2015 between the Berkeley Police Department and other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, military and/or intelligence agencies, police departments and private security organizations in order to maintain the current level of police resources and emergency services.  Review attached Suspicious Activity Reports and Mutual Aid requests/responses provided annually as per City Council request.
Action calendar

Item 40: 
a. Report of Investigation Into the Police Department Response to Protests on December 6, 2014 (Continued from December 1, 2015)
From: Police Review Commission
Recommendation:
1.  Accept the PRC’s investigative report into the BPD’s response to the protests of December 6, 2014; and
2.  Refer the report to the City Manager for implementation of the recommendations
Financial Implications: Unknown
Contact: Katherine Lee, Commission Secretary, 981-4950

b. Response to PRC Report on BPD Response to December 6 Protests, Revision of Police Crowd Management Policies(Continued from December 1, 2015)
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Direct the City Manager to have the Berkeley Police Department collaborate with the Police Review Commission to further develop mutually agreed upon revisions to the Berkeley Police Department’s policies and procedures regarding response to protest activity and to report back to the Council within 180 days for an update.
Action calendar

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Many other critical items are also on the agenda, including implementation of Homeless Task Force Tier One Recommendations, Living Wage for City Employees, Eviction Prevention, Affordable Housing Plan,   Worker Co-ops; and from Peace and Justice:  Prosecution of John Yoo, Haitian Family Reunification Program, Support for Indigenous Peoples in Berkeley, and End Drone Warfare.