Statement Regarding Citywide Response to Issues of Bias and Racism
Published on June 18, 2020
In the 22 days since George Floyd was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis, there have been 10 marches in Kirkland and near-daily gatherings throughout the City to protest his death and the deaths of all other black and brown people killed by law enforcement.The message of these protests is clear. Now is the time for change. Black lives matter.
Thank you to every protester, stakeholder, and community member who has reached out to us to share concerns and peacefully demonstrate in our City for change in our nation. We want to assure every member of the Kirkland community that the City Council understands the significance of this moment.
The entire nation is facing difficult conversations about structural racism, the constitutional rights to speech and assembly, the right to bear arms, and the role of police.The enormity and complexity of these issues can seem daunting. But Kirkland intends to embrace these challenges and be part of the solution.The Council, the City Manager and our Police Chief are committed to taking positive and sustainable action. We have reached out to Black leaders, religious leaders, community-based organizations, and other key stakeholders to listen and to learn. Our City Manager, Police Chief and Assistant City Manager met with representatives of the Eastside Race and Leadership Coalition to identify how Kirkland can be a city where we will never hear any black man or woman say, “I can’t breathe.”
Chief Harris has engaged her entire department in these conversations and is reviewing our policies in the context of recent events. To increase transparency and accountability, we have posted on our website a new Frequently Asked Question section on the Kirkland police use of force policies. The FAQ also includes links to the KPD policy manual and our contract with the Police Guild.
We have asked the City Manager to provide us a framework for a citywide response to the issues of bias and racism towards our Black and Brown community members. That framework will be presented to the Council at our July 7th Council meeting. That meeting will include presentations on police use of force, and the School Resource Officer Task Force report. It will include an update on our Police Strategic Plan and how 2018’s Proposition 1 is investing in community policing, behavioral health, domestic violence, suicide prevention, gun safety education and more. Finally, it will include an initial discussion of police body cameras for Kirkland. We also asked the City Manager to bring to us on July 7th a request for necessary resources for early implementation actions and community-wide conversations on these critical topics.
To the women and men of the Kirkland Police Department, we say thank you for your exceptional service supporting the rights of our protesters and keeping them safe. Thank you for protecting our residents and our businesses. Thank you for demonstrating courage, understanding and empathy. You have embodied what it means to protect and to serve. We know that the participation of our officers in these necessary conversations on race and justice will make us just as proud.
This Council knows we have a great deal of work ahead of us. We pledge that Kirkland and the Kirkland Police Department will be at the thoughtful forefront of solutions. We pledge that we will listen, learn and reflect. We pledge that Kirkland and the Kirkland Police Department will then act. Together, we will create a better future for all members of our community. Please join us on July 7th.