Consulting Group Presents OKC City Council With Recommendations To Improve Policing

The way Oklahoma City police officers do their jobs could soon change.  

Tuesday, a private consulting company, hired by the city, presented nearly 40 new recommendations to City Council.  

OKC's City Council called for the report in the wake of officer involved shootings. Oklahoma City is number two in the nation for the highest number of police killings per capita.  

At the meeting, council members voted to accept the findings to see which of the 39 recommendations will be implemented. 

"Our demand is continually stop killing us. With the OCPD, I've said it before, they make it seem like no lives matter. Not even their own," said activist T. Sheri Dickerson. 

At Tuesday's city Council meeting a woman read the names of people who died at the hands of OCPD from 2018 through 2021. It's a display of the mistrust between Oklahoma City police officers and the people they are supposed to serve and protect. 

"I've had several encounters with the police before. I've had guns pulled on me before, at age 5. Young you know." said another community member during the public comment portion. 

These types of stories and accounts are the reason the city brought in the Chicago consulting group 21CP. The group ran an 18-month study on the department. 

They surveyed 1,600 homes; 94% agreed the department needed change, and that cops shouldn't be the catch-all for every issue. 

"You have a lot going on that has traditionally defaulted to the police," explained 21CP's Brian Maxey. He continued, "mental health, youth engagement, persons in crisis all fall to the police department. Instead of thinking who can we send other than the police, it's who can we send that will best resolve this for the benefit of all involved." 

There are 39 recommendations all together. They surround the topics like law enforcement de-escalation policy, police accountability to the community, training in crisis response, alternative response to mental health calls, police and youth outreach, a neighborhood safety and violence interruption program, police access to mental health, and homeless outreach.  

Tuesday's vote just accepts the recommendations, not all have to be implemented. Some can also be implemented immediately. Others, like use of force, will have to be voted on by the council. 

"Formal recommendations are rooted in what the community said they desire and what their needs are therefore we should take those as valid," said Hannah Royce. She added, "Community oversight from the impacted communities. Those people know what is needed the most." 

The motion to accept the recommendations passed eight to one. 

You can read the full 21CP report by clicking here.