DATE: June 26, 2016 TO: Dennis Rosenbaum, Amy Watson: Rosenbaum & Watson Charles Hales: Mayor of Portland Mike Marshman, Acting PPB Chief Adrian Brown: US Department of Justice, Portland Office Jonas Geissler: US Department of Justice, Washington DC Rev. T. Allen Bethel Co-Chair AMAC Rev. Leroy Haynes: Co-Chair AMAC FROM: Kathleen Saadat, Chair, Portland COAB (6/1/2015-6/24/2016) RE: COAB Chair’s Exit Report I leave with you this compendium of my thoughts and recommendations related to my experiences as Chair of the COAB for the past year. I hope this digest proves of value in envisioning the work to be done in the continuing efforts to involve Portland communities in reform of the Portland Police Bureau. CHAPTER I: THE DEAD HORSE (The Ghosts ride with us, still) ! Members of COAB, the PPB, COCL and the public expressed to me concern that the lack of an adequate selection process and lack of an orientation and training for new COAB members is the root cause of current problems. I agree that the consequences of these omissions still have an impact on the functioning of COAB over a year later. Failing to adequately: 1) determine the viability of candidates; 2) insure candidates understood the COAB mission and structure; 3) insure candidates understood the status, role and responsibilities of COAB members; 4) facilitate a team building effort; 5) facilitate the setting of direction and priorities by the COAB made operation of this Board much more difficult than if information had been provided up front. Following are issues I believe to be the consequences of not providing that information and training. a. Lack of clarity regarding the COAB role and mission resulted in members of the COAB expressing frustration at being unable to steer the board in the direction they believed it should go, e.g., to hear complaints and bring them to the PPB for resolution; to hold individual PPB officers accountable for questionable behaviors; to investigate complaints from PDX residents b. Lack of clarity regarding process resulted in the seating of members not interested in reading volumes of material. This in turn resulted in the seating of at least one individual who, six months into the process had not read the settlement agreement c. Lack of clarity regarding role, mission and process meant members were seated who did not understand/accept they would be working with the PPB. This was at the heart of many conflicts between voting and non-voting board members, especially in subcommittees d. Lack of clarity regarding COAB’s role and responsibilities resulted in the public’s misunderstanding of the role of the COAB in the process of police reform, generating poorly informed and painful complaints and criticisms of the Board 1 e. Lack of clarity regarding the structure of the COCL/COAB, and its relationship to the Parties, added to public cynicism, distrust and negative feelings directed towards the COCL, the City and the COAB itself. June 1, 2015, I started work as COAB Chair and the distress created by the of the lack of clarity/training was palpable. Expressions of anger, frustration, cynicism and distrust overshadowed the recognition of talent, passion and commitment of those serving on the Board. It has taken a year to provide the information and the support the Board members need in order to work together and to operate as a public body. A year later, the relationships between/among members of the Board remain fragile, but for the most part are greatly improved. Individual talents and commitments have greater visibility to members of the Board and to the public. This recognition combined with the bonding that occurred at the COAB retreat (private) resulted in a board that operates in a manner more consistent with expectations of a public body. Members of the Board and members of the public noticed the change and expressed their pleasure with it. To disregard the origins of problems associated with establishing the Board is to (unintentionally) place responsibility for those difficulties on the COAB. Obfuscation is not a way to build community support or improve relationships between the PPB and Portland communities. Board members did not know what they did not know. CHAPTER 2: THE MUDDY TRACK: (Hurdles) Board Selection • The COCL office started work on the selection process for Community Board members in October of 2015. Efforts have been stalled by confusion about roles and responsibilities regarding management and implementation of a selection process for alternates and new Board members • The process needs decisions to be made to establish: • Which entity is in charge/responsible for insuring the development and implementation of the selection process now and in the future • Another selection process to be developed is that of deciding which of the Current Board Members will be invited to serve for another year. My recommendation follows: • Establish criteria, use documents: Guidelines for Establishing Common Ground and What We Expect From A COAB Member, and assessment of past performance • Ask every Board member to submit their resignation indicating whether they would like to serve another year a. Tell interested people the selection committee will review their information and make selections based on the established criteria b. Using the established criteria rank order those selected c. Reappoint at least one third of 15 (5) if possible (fill vacancies in ranked order) • Swear them in as public officials. (This is an important ritual, even the POTUS has to do it.) • The newly formed Board will benefit from a closed (gasp!) retreat where returning members model and pass on the positive aspects of the Board culture formed over the last two years. 2 PPB Advisors • Some members of the PPB, do not appear to have accepted the reality of the Settlement Agreement. I have spoken with several who do not seem to understand that while the inappropriate behaviors may not be their own, as members of PPB, they are responsible to help shape a PPB with improved relationships to Portland residents. • PPB officers assigned to COAB should attend the two-hour COAB informational session and the COAB orientation session • PPB representatives on the COAB need regular, focused institutional support. They do not appear to have ongoing inspirational leadership that encourages them. PPB advisors are asked to work with a Board that challenges the policies and operations of the institution of which they are a part, which must present a challenge for them. They need ongoing institutional support from high level officials to help give them direction and the confidence that will allow them to be creative thinkers as they work with the voting members of the Board. Institutional Barriers The organizational/administrative processes for the City of Portland and the PPB, are meant to support the governance of the City and/or the operation of the PPB. Often those processes do not permit a timely response to requests that support the flexibility frequently required to meet the needs of the COAB. When institutional barriers are encountered, the resolution can take days, weeks, sometimes compromising the ability of the Board to conduct its business. One example; procurement procedures designed to serve Bureaus do not allow COAB to readily select meeting sites congruent with the need to engage community. One solution (recommended by the COCL Project Manager) is for the City to provide a Grant to fund COCL/COAB and annually audit expenditures. • The Portland COAB began amid a chorus of cries that it “would not work”, was “designed to fail” etc. We insure continuation of that perception if we allow people to serve on the Board who are actively organizing against the existence of the Board, or who disregard Board agreements. Settlement Agreement requirements for the COCL to consult with DOJ prior to dismissal of a person from the Board is a problem. The arrangement does not allow for timely response to Board members whose behaviors undermine COAB goals and the morale of other Board members. Perceptions that neither the City nor the COCL can protect Board members from verbal assault and disrespect, undermines the credibility of the Board. Perhaps the COCL and the DOJ can agree upon behaviors that define misconduct (to be shared with all COAB members and the public). This definition would be used when considering whether to sanction and/or dismiss members who engage in clearly defined misconduct. By providing a foundation for a consultative discussion between COCL and DOJ, decisions are clearer and the establishment of criteria conveys a concrete idea of the seriousness of the business of the Board. 3 Overall Decision Making/Authority – Who is in charge? • The admirable goal of collaborative decision making is not always attained. This means there needs to be clarity about how disagreements are to be resolved, who resolves which type of problem, and by what authority • I highly recommend regular quarterly meetings of ALL involved parties to insure the identification and resolution of issues, especially those stemming from institutional imbroglio’s • I highly recommend a position in the Mayor’s office and the PPB, be empowered to make decisions that will facilitate timely resolution of COAB needs/requests CHAPTER 3: THE JOCKEY (Chair on a Rocking Horse) As COAB Chair for the past year, I feel as if I have been trying to win the Derby while riding a three legged horse in a Missouri thunderstorm without reins or saddle. The position of Chair has lots of responsibility but little authority. The Chair is the person who on a regular basis interacts with representatives of the City, the DOJ, the PPB, the AMAC and the public. This position works to engage community leaders, groups and agencies in providing support and feedback to the board. Again, identifying a person in both the Mayor’s office and the PPB who is responsible for helping to insure the success of the COAB, will lend institutional support to the COAB Chair and reduce the amount of time spent resolving issues. (Deanna Wesson-Mitchel, in the Mayor’s office has been wonderful support in this regard but is not designated as the COAB connection.) This connection must remain a-political, insuring the COAB’s independence from the influence of elected officials. The COAB is large. To keep it engaged, a board this size needs lots of one on one attention to the members and lot’s of administrative support. It is important to recognize that much of this Chair’s time was spent talking with board members and attending subcommittee meetings as a means to establish necessary relationships to help build a foundation of trust. The new Chair may find a need to spend time doing the same. Stipends remain a topic of discussion and as Chair, I encourage consideration of providing stipends for people who have a need for financial support in order to stay on the board. In the past year there were at least two Board members who might have used such resources had they been available. In May of 2016 in a memo to COCL, I listed Leadership and Structural issues that need to be addressed if the the COAB is to succeed, see following pages 5, 6, 7. 4 SOME OF WHAT IS IN THE WAY OF SUCCESS (May 2016) 1. LEADERSHIP ISSUES: a. There is no apparent leadership group/person in charge of the overall work of driving the initiatives into the institution(s) being reformed b. There is no identifiable person or entity at the City level for providing the support the COAB needs i. needs are negotiated as though COAB is a City Bureau ii. there is no structure internal to the City where final process decisions are made unless it is a legal issue c. There is no inspirational leadership (by definition a consistently visible advocate) at City Hall, championing police reform d. There does not appear to be inspirational leadership at the PPB (by definition a consistently visible advocate) e. PPB does not appear to have the skill set to facilitate the art/science of institutional transformation f. The manifestation of commitment to the success of COAB is not evident in the behaviors of the responsible entities i.e. The City and PPB. i. Advisor attendance at COAB meetings continues to decrease ii. City Council, the body ultimately responsible for successful implementation of the SA, is barely visible on the issue of the work and success of the COAB g. Communication between/among all concerned is often focused on the elements of the big picture rather than the big picture itself. There does not appear to be active leadership to build and guide a coordinated effort to discuss and set objectives for the superordinate goal of Portland police reform. (COAB should be involved.) 2. STRUCTURAL ISSUES a. The dependent relationship between the COAB and the slow moving, established institutions which influence, fund and/or direct some aspects of the COAB, results in an inability for the COAB to be agile, timely and creative in response to the challenges of doing the work of public engagement. b. The COAB is influenced by institutions that affect changes in COAB direction or operation but upon which the COAB has little/no impact and cannot rely upon timely responses to requests 5 c. The role and responsibility of the City and AMAC in COCL/COAB administrative issues needs clarification d. In this structure, the City Attorney’s office serves two masters a reality that does not engender trust of either the PPB or the City e. The COCL and COAB Chair lack the authority to make decisions that would allow for the operation of an efficient and effective COAB, i.e. timely removal of Board members. f. There does not appear to be a formal mechanism that regularly (and predictably) brings together the institutional players to make coordinated decisions and set objectives for the attainment of the superordinate goal of Portland police reform. (COAB should be involved.) The drawing below is an attempt to add a visual to the idea of how the entities that surround and affect COAB seem disconnected. It is not intended to be an accurate representation; I would need more arrows. "" The issues I have raised in no way imply malice or incompetence by anyone involved. Nor do I indict anyone in this report. I think we are not focused on one of the “real” jobs, i.e., figuring out how to work outside of our respective silos so that reform can indeed happen and has meaning for the people most vulnerable to unconstitutional practices. The upshot of all this is that a powerful opportunity to manifest expression of basic democratic principles by insuring community input and involvement, is slipping from our grasp along with the hope that “this time it will be different”. 6 C O C L P P A COMM UNITY #4 COMMUNITY #2 COMM UNITY #1 COMM UNITY #5 COMM UNITY #6 COMM UNITY #7 COMM UNITY #8 COMM UNITY #9 7 CHAPTER 4: SEABISCUIT WINS! (Making it better) # Over the past year a majority of the Portland COAB members gained a sense of their mission and an understanding of the Board’s focus. The strength of the Board will continue to improve as long as there is meaningful work to do and institutional support that 1) allows the Board to be able to do the work; 2) respects and acknowledges the work being done by the Board members. The Board is still in the “forming” stage. While not all members are in concert, those that do not support the existence and goals of the COAB are now in the minority. There are several Board vacancies to be filled by designated persons or organizations. There are no remaining alternates should another community vacancy occur. While selection and replacement needs might still be met in time, given the number of people involved on the selection committee and difficulties with meeting schedules etc., the time is rapidly passing and the COAB will be confronted with the need to quickly select replacements/new members at the risk of repeating the Dead Horse Experience. My suggestions are: • • • Expedite contact of selection committee members to determine interest Expedite meeting of the selection body Identify Process issues to be decided upon at initial meeting o Solicitation of applications for membership on the Board o Review and ranking of applicants o Interview questions and process o Final determination of how members will be selected Informed Participation on The COAB: To support the success of the COAB it is important to provide new COAB members a realistic view of their roles and responsibilities. Below is an outline of information recommended to be given to potential applicants BEFORE they complete/submit an application. The information session is intended to support self selection of candidates. The following outline was submitted to the parties in March of 2016 for inclusion as part of the the selection process. 8 RE: TWO HOUR INFORMATION SESSION Draft submitted 3/7/16 Below is an outline for a two-hour information session to be given to applicants to the COAB. It is written knowing that it is most efficient to have applicants self-select, based on the congruence (or incongruence) of their skills and expectations with realistic information about the COAB. Attendance at an information session Is a required part of the application process. If we have fewer applicants than one might expect, it means to me that we have done a good job of being clear that COAB work is hard and carries great responsibility. We are looking for people who are willing to be responsible and are also committed to hard work. The outline below addresses three significant areas in which, in my experience as COAB Chair, COAB members seemed to have the greatest problems adjusting to being on the Board. 1. Reading/understanding/agreeing with the Settlement Agreement 2. Understanding role of the COAB and relationship to other parties 3. Understanding Public Meeting/Public Records Law I propose that: • The COAB Chair act as overall facilitator for the session • #1 THE SETTELEMENT AGREEMENT information, be presented by DOJ • #2 THE COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT ADVISORY BOARD information, be presented by COAB Chair • #3 OREGON LAW AS IT RELATES TO COAB MEMBERS information, be presented by City Attorney’s Office Printed materials would be sent to each applicant prior to the session. The session would be evaluated by the attendees as to its helpfulness in making a decision regarding participation on COAB. The last page in this packet lists a few questions I believe will be helpful to ask when interviewing potential COAB members. Please keep in mind that we don’t need for all members of the COAB to have college degrees or be employed at a professional level. We want to keep the spectrum of voices and experience that will help make things better for the greatest number of people in our City. Kathleen S. 3/7/2016 9 COAB APPLICANT INFORMATION SESSION (ESTIMATE TWO HOURS DELIVERY TIME) PURPOSE: TO ENSURE APPLICANTS TO THE COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT ADVISORY BOARD UNDERSTAND ROLES, RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT INFLUENCE THE WORK OF A COAB MEMBER 1. THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT 40 MINUTES a. THE DOJ INVESTIGATION/FINDINGS b. REVIEW SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FOCUS ON SECTION IX i. COAB ii. ADVISORY NATURE OF BOARD iii. DOJ ROLE RE THE COAB c. Q & A 2. THE COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT ADVISORY BOARD -30 MINUTES a. STRUCTURE i. COAB BY-LAWS (attached) ii. GROUND RULES (attached) iii. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF COAB MEMBERS (attached) b. ROLES OF VOTING MEMBERS/NON-VOTING MEMBERS 3. OREGON LAW/AS IT RELATES TO COAB MEMBERS – 40 MINUTES a. PUBLIC OFFICIAL b. PUBLIC MEETING LAW i. REQUIREMENTS SURROUNDING PUBLIC MEETINGS ii. AVOIDING EMAIL DISCUSSIONS OF COAB BUSINESS? c. PUBLIC RECORDS LAW i. MANAGING COAB INFORMATION ON YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER 4. FINAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION 10 MINUTES INTERVIEWS: There were no interviews conducted for those selected from the Community to serve on the COAB. The following interview questions were developed to help determine an applicant’s eligibility to serve on the BOARD. These are not intended to be an exhaustive list of questions: SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (for both Voting and non-voting members) 1. Have you read the Settlement agreement? a. If the answer is no, ask if about circumstances that prevented reading it b. Consider the answer to this as it relates to doing the work, e.g. will COAB be able to make a reasonable accommodation? 10 2. Do you have any questions about section IX in the SA related to the COAB? a. Do you have strong disagreements with anything you read in the Settlement Agreement? (if the answer is “yes” ask question (b) below) b. If selected to serve on COAB, how will you handle your disagreements? 3. It is important that COAB members work with members of the Portland Police Bureau/Community at large, in order to create relevant and durable recommendations, please tell us how you will help this effort. 4. What is your approach to working as a peer with groups of people? Please tell us how you worked with Community Groups, Advisory Boards, Ad hoc committees or other groups with which you have worked. 5. How do you understand the work of this Board as it relates to the overall goals of police reform? 6. What are your reasons for wanting to serve on the COAB? While the PPB Advisors are non-voting, every effort should be made to include them in orientation and training as possible to help them feel and be considered members of the Board. 11 CHAPTER 5: THE TRIPLE CROWN: (We Are The Champions!) Intelligent, creative, committed and passionate volunteers are waiting to be used in the service of PPB police reform. One of the perhaps unacknowledged (unexplored?) realities is that associated parties and institutions will also have to change if community engagement is to be a success. Most governments are not designed to optimize involvement of the public. Some bureaus/agencies without intention, discourage involvement by use of jargon/alphabet soup and “red tape” processes that make the public feel unwelcome. Once engaged, there should be institutional efforts made to keep Portland residents involved in working with the PPB. Following are additional ideas/observations for consideration. TO KEEP: • COAB should remain unattached to any particular City body or commissioner, but the City must find ways to smooth the bureaucratic pathways so the COAB (and the PPB) can be more responsive as they engage the community • Subcommittees: keep them, they allow for greater community involvement and discussion: require each subcommittee to submit a mission statement and a work plan: COAB Chair should meet with committee Chair to review • 2-year commitment for volunteers with the option of an additional year, anything less does not allow enough time for new members to fully engage. Institutional memory and cultural carryover are important. • Police Advisors keep and clarify their role; the full COAB should have some input into this clarification but above all, the Advisors need to know they have institutional backing. There was talk of having advisors attend meetings “on demand” which I oppose (see attachment page 19) • Public Comment period: The structure of public comment period is not the problem, structure can be changed to fit the circumstances as when the COCL asks for public comment on individual recommendations in addition to general comment time or extends time for some comments TO DISCUSS - REFINE – DECIDE UPON • Chair’s position in relation to COCL o If relationship discontinued, need for COAB champions in Mayor’s and PPB offices more critical, § may politicize selection and work of the Chair § If disconnected, to whom does Chair report and still remain free influence of elected officials? o If retained in COCL, clarify relationship to local entities involved in reform § Mayor’s office § PPB Chief § PPB Advisors § AMAC § DOJ • Chair responsibility and authority to establish timelines and design processes 12 • • • and procedures for those things that impact the COAB operation, including design of selection process. (Community may have input into design and must be part of the process. Committee makes final selection using a process and operating on a timeline established by the COCL-COAB) Semi-Annual Facilitated, Closed Retreats for Board o One to two days, twice a year o Closed meeting unless COAB decides otherwise o City Attorney in attendance Quarterly meetings of involved Parties to discuss what is/is not working regarding institutional interfaces and make recommendations for resolution. Should include members of the COAB Executive Committee if that committee is retained in reorg. Resolve City problems with other committees (e.g. HRC, CRC) that have an impact on COAB as per the Settlement Agreement. COAB is dependent upon them for appointments to the board and information exchange (or remove references from SA which I think would be a mistake) TO ADD: • Visible, audible and ongoing support by City Council members for the COAB. Increase visibility by having COAB chair and COAB Executive Committee Chair give quarterly update at Council meetings (20 minutes) • Commissioners coordinate sending reps to Full COAB meetings where they announce presence and thank COAB. • Professional support to develop plan for COAB dissemination of Information to the Public re: status of implementation of settlement agreement. COAB needs office support dedicated to development of content/copy for dissemination of information to the public via print and social media etc. • Empowered contact/troubleshooting person both in Mayors office and in PPB who is dedicated to success of COAB and facilitates responses, fills requests etc. • Hire an Organizational Transformation expert to work with City and PPB to develop organizational structures and plans that facilitate the institutional change being sought. The COAB should also be educated on the complexities and processes involved in organizational transformation (this is where Cultural Change starts) CHAPTER 6: Cooling Down (Slow walk around the track avoiding the Dead Horse) Suspension of COAB meetings for a time is an excellent idea. After a year of extremely hard work and recent traumatizing incidents, there is a need to reflect and consider next steps for the COAB. Recent Disruptions cannot be resolved by the COAB. To the extent COCL and the City continue to try and solve the disruption problem by adjusting the format and processes of the COAB, the public will tend to see the problem as one belonging to COAB. This will make recruitment of committed Board members even more difficult. 13 ATTACHMENTS 1 2 3 4 5 Guidelines for Establishing Common Ground What is Expected of a COAB member Exit Letter to AMAC Co-Chairs Letter re role of PPB Advisors on COAB Links to articles on Organizational Transition p 15 p 16 p 17 p 19 p 21 14 PORTLAND COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT ADVISORY BOARD Guidelines for Maintaining Common Ground Approved September 10, 2015 As COAB members we assume responsibility for the quality of our work together, during meetings, discussions and all other communications. We agree to: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Abide by these ground rules Critique ideas, not people Work toward shared understanding Speak from personal experience, without generalizing, use “I” statements. Speak to all with the utmost respect. Avoid “cross talk,” listen respectfully when others are speaking Listen actively and attentively, seek to understand Share the air, refrain from monopolizing discussions and encourage participation by everyone Challenge ideas in a respectful manner, avoid put-downs (even humorous ones) or other attacks on individuals Ask for clarification when unsure or confused Exit meetings in a way that is non-disruptive to the group dynamic Recognize the legitimacy of people’s feelings and support COAB members in expressing their feelings in ways appropriate to the setting. Hold one another accountable to keep agenda times and focus Support the Chair in managing meetings Turn cell phones off or to vibrate and make no calls or texts during meetings except in case of an emergency During meetings use laptops only for meeting business (note-taking, assigned tasks) Use the Parking Lot for thoughts and ideas not relevant to current conversation 15 PREPARED FOR CITY’S ADA CONTACT REGARDING A COAB MEMBER DOCUMENT NOT YET RELEASED TO COAB BUT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED ALSO USED FOR ORIENTATION WHAT WE EXPECT FROM A COAB MEMBER Created by the 2012 Settlement Agreement (SA) between the City Of Portland and the United States Department of Justice The Community Oversight Advisory Board (COAB) was is authorized to:”(a) independently assess the implementation of the Agreement; (b) make recommendations to the Parties and the COCL on additional actions; (c) advise the Chief and the Police Commissioner on strategies to improve community relations; (d) provide the community with information on the Agreement and its implementation; (e) contribute to the development and implementation of a PPB Community Engagement and Outreach Plan (“CEO Plan”); and (f) receive public comments and concerns. The SA also stipulates: The COAB shall report to the COCL. The COCL will chair the COAB, preside over COAB meetings, take and count votes, and perform such other activities as are necessary for the efficient operation of the COAB.” Ultimately the COAB serves as a trusted advisor to The COCL, The City of Portland, the Portland Police Bureau and the US Department of Justice. The COAB reviews and analyzes reports, directives and processes and makes policy recommendations on same. COAB is involved in the work of Community Outreach. Community Outreach is essential if Portland residents are to become engaged in the development of the Portland Police Bureau’s Community Outreach Plan, and give feedback on what does and does not work. COAB members must: • • • • • • • • • Agree with the purpose and intent of the COAB, actively support the mission of COAB Understand and accept the stipulations set forth in the Settlement Agreement o Understand the structure created by the Settlement Agreement o Work collaboratively with the COCL team o Understand the role of the COAB Chair o Work directly with the Chair of the COAB Understand the COAB BY-LAWS o Work within the COAB bylaws o Defer to Chair for resolution of ambiguities Accept the responsibilities of being a Public Official Work cooperatively with both Voting and non Voting COAB board members o Abide by COAB GUIDEINES FOR MAINTAINING COMMON GROUND o Build positive relationships with other COAB board members o Willing to work with members of the Portland Police Bureau and COAB’s Police Advisers o Attend Trainings that provide information related to the work of the COAB Interact with members of the Portland community at meetings Demonstrate accountability o Complete assignments in a timely manner o Participate in and contribute to the work of a subcommittee o Attend scheduled meetings, using telephone or other options if you can’t be there in person o Keep appointments and let others know as soon as possible if you will be absent or need to reschedule o Contribute to the efficient and effective operation of the COAB Help establish a positive group rapport where COAB and its subcommittees can work Respond promptly to communication email, text and/or phone, that comes from o COCL Team (including the Chair), Project Manager, Administrative Support) o COAB members/Subcommittee members 16 June 7, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: 6/1/2015 1. 6/1/2016 Dr. Bethel & Dr. Haynes, AMAC Co-Chairs Kathleen Saadat, Chair COAB Exit notes: (not exhaustive) The difficulties of start up including the need for training, orientation and induction as public officials reverberated within the COAB and manifest as fragile relationships upon the board and continuing questions about roles and relationships, a lack of cohesion and focus for the Board 2. A lack of clear goals for COAB, absence of both authoritative leadership and definitions of terms created confusion among board members and the public 3. A lack of structures to enable effective processes lead to confusion as to how the Board would accomplish and document its work 1. Board members have received training in those areas directly related to their roles as COAB Members. Roles are clearer and while relationships have improved, they remain fragile. The Board works better as a unit and has passed over 50 recommendations on to the DOJ. 2. Goals and focus of the COAB have been clarified and posted and progress will be discussed by full COAB June 9, 2016. 3. Structures for processes have established and are regularly used by the COAB to accomplish and document its work In the past, most of the focus of the AMAC has been on a critical analysis of the particulars of the COAB with the goal of improving its function. To enhance that effort, it would be helpful to have leadership acknowledge the accomplishments of the COAB. The COAB needs to be inspired; AMAC leadership can provide that inspiration. Recommended Focus for AMAC 1. Publicly support the work of the COAB a. Using AMAC influence and connections to increase attendance and participation in: i. THREE BIG QUESTIONS Community input sessions ii. Attendance and public comment at regular COAB meetings 2. Support the COAB Chair a. Regular check-in b. Discuss AMAC concerns and try to reach resolution in private 17 c. Discuss needs for AMAC intervention/support d. Ask the COAB Chair about the interactions between the Bureaucratic entities involved in the reform and their impact on the ability of the COAB to do its work 3. Ask what methods are being used by the PPB to insure institutional transformation including a change in the culture? a. What systems are in place to drive initiatives into the organization? b. Within the PPB who are the persons (or positions) responsible for managing the implementation and what authority do they have 4. Make recommendations for any substantive changes to the Settlement Agreement 18 January 27, 2016 To: Dennis Rosenbaum, Rosenbaum and Watson Amy Watson, Rosenbaum and Watson From: Kathleen D. Saadat, COCL Liaison/COAB Chair RE: Role of PPB Advisors on Community Oversight Advisory Board I am concerned at the prospect of changing the Portland Police Bureau Advisors relationship to the Community Oversight Advisory Board by having PPB attend subcommittee meetings only when requested. The impact of such a change would have a negative effect on the functioning of the COAB, the viability of the work of the COAB and the credibility of the PPB. IMPACT ON FUNCTIONING OF THE COAB: The role of the Portland Police Bureau COAB members is that of advisors to the voting members of the COAB. The COAB work of making recommendations on policy, is dependent upon work done in subcommittees. This is the primary reason to have PPB Advisors involved at the subcommittee level. It is in subcommittees that information is presented, discussed by both the voting and nonvoting members of the COAB, and the public. Proposals are then voted upon by voting COAB members and if passed, forwarded to the full COAB for discussion and vote. In this process, issues and questions that may arise, cannot always be pre-determined. Issues or questions may occur “in the moment” and need a timely response from a PPB Advisor. Further, PPB Advisors often have background information and/or opinions that are also helpful to the group as it explores options. In the midst of a dynamic discussion regarding policy, it would be disruptive and cumbersome to have to postpone a discussion and/or decision until an Advisor could come to the (next) meeting. To manage the COAB this way will confuse and slow the process and will fail to create a milieu within which the voting and non-voting members begin to build (in this microcosm) the trust the public and the PPB hope to build in the macrocosm of the broader Portland community. IMPACT ON VIABILITY OF COAB WORK PRODUCT: In order for the work of the COAB to have legitimacy with Portland Police Officers, there must be a sense that the COAB has worked with the PPB in the development of recommendations. To have credibility with the public, there must be a sense that PPB has worked willingly with the COAB. The presence of Advisors helps convey that sense. The COAB as a body, received little or no direction on how to implement the expectation that voting and non-voting members work together on this board. Some members believed the COAB’s role was to investigate incidents and make recommendations for discipline, others regardless of the side with which they identify, simply have not trusted the “other” group. Input from PPB Advisors, voting COAB members and the public, help subcommittees engage in creative exploration and consideration of ways to improve the way PPB carries out it’s mission and understand the impact of policy on communities and officers. Without this mix, this effort will fail. Neither the PPB nor the Portland Community will have faith in recommended changes. The Community Engagement Plan, a required product of the SA will have little meaning if representatives of PPB and PDX communities are not visibly engaged in the process at all levels. IMPACT ON CREDIBILITY OF THE PPB The Portland Police Bureau, a public institution, expressed commitment to change the ways it does business, especially the ways in which it interacted with Portland residents experiencing mental health issues. Portland residents also raised issues of how PPB officers interact with people from other marginalized groups, with race as another category of public concern. The City of Portland Settlement Agreement with the DOJ, codifies the City’s roadmap to insuring changes in the PPB. The Settlement Agreement outlines many of the steps to be taken in the process of change, one element of which is the establishment of the COAB with PPB Advisors. COAB members represent a 19 spectrum of experience and knowledge. Working with these community representatives, PPB officers get to play the role of both teachers and students. This interaction, in and of itself serves as a model for working together. To change the relationship of the PPB Advisors to the COAB as described, makes it appear that PPB has “left the room”. Such a move suggests that PPB finds it too hard to work with the people they are sworn to serve and protect. This image creates a public relations problem for the Portland Police Bureau. It will appear as though PPB is not prepared to engage in the difficult conversations necessary for public involvement in institutional change to occur. It raises the question of PPB’s ability to work with members of the larger community, especially those who often prove more difficult than the people that sit around the COAB table. It suggests that PPB has no commitment to changing the PPB. If PPB representatives cannot work with COAB, what would make the public believe that PPB can work effectively with the broader community? THOUGHTS/OBERVATIONS: There are still role clarification and communication issues in this new endeavor. The “Storming, Forming, Norming” processes described in studies of group dynamics, are real and can take months to resolve themselves. The COAB was allowed to “storm” for over six months without being given a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all involved. As late as June of 2015, there were few policies or procedures developed to help guide the processes of the Board. These issues are being addressed and there is steady improvement in the functioning of the Board and the interaction between voting and non-voting members of the COAB. There is a concomitant increase in the frequency of requests by voting COAB members to hear opinions and suggestions from Advisors. Providing the Board information on roles and responsibilities, developing organizational structures, and encouraging COAB members to recognize themselves as doing important work, combined with a recent successful retreat, have helped improve the overall dynamic. PPB Advisors need help in understanding how to separate the call for institutional reform from their sense of being judged as individuals. They need a better understanding of the history of policing in the US/Portland. They should be helped to understand what they represent when they walk into a room in a uniform, and how to effectively respond to the reality of being stereotyped. COAB members need to learn that many of them are in fact, stereotyping the PPB, how that is wrong and how that defeats the purpose of their work on the COAB. This experiment in involving a community in the process of institutional change serves as a model for how PPB and Portland residents can work together for the betterment of our City. This is not something from which the PPB can withdraw (this would appear to be withdrawal) without consequences, the most immediate of which will be further loss of credibility with the public. Both PPB officers and COAB members need to understand the magnitude of the task and their great responsibility to the public. Meanwhile, we must all do what is necessary to help the PPB Advisors stay in the room and contribute to a successful outcome. Cc Ellen Osoniach Mike Marshall Jared Hager Portland COCL office 20 ARTICLES ON ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSITION COMPILED 1/22/2016 http://managementconsultingnews.com/interview-william-bridges/ https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/bridges-transition-model.htm http://www.moravian.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Bridges_Transition_Model.pdf http://www.c4npr.org/clientuploads/Managing%20Up/CompassPoint%20Presentation%20%20Leading%20Organizational%20Change.pdf http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1235&context=cahrswp One of these articles refers to the Ten Poems to Change Your Life. Here is the list of those ten poems. I have not read them all…. Don’t want things to change too fast. $ "The Journey" by Mary Oliver "Last Night as I Was Sleeping" by Antonio Machado "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman "Zero Circle" by Rumi "The Time Before Death" by Kabir "Ode to My Socks" by Pablo Neruda "Last Gods" by Galway Kinnell "For the Anniversary of My Death" by W. S. Merwin "Love After Love" by Derek Walcott "The Dark Night" by St. John of the Cross 21