Today, a group of leaders from across Pierce County presented to the County Council the results of a review of Pierce County’s criminal justice policies and practices.
The Criminal Justice Work Group was convened by Sheriff Paul Pastor, Prosecutor Mary Robnett and Executive Bruce Dammeier. The group of senior staff conducted the review over the last few weeks and today proposed new policies and practices. The Work Group’s report, as well as a dashboard of justice data, is available here.
Sarah Colleen Sotomish, Senior Counsel for Tribal Relations and Work Group member, said, “All of us in positions of responsibility must listen to the voices of those who have not been heard for too long, to the detriment of all.”
The Work Group’s review focused primarily on issues identified by local and national organizations as contributing to the inequitable treatment of African Americans and people of color, including:
Diversity of personnel;
Bias training;
Behavioral health services;
Body and vehicle cameras;
Standards for the use of deadly force; and,
Independent investigations.
The Criminal Justice Work Group was created out of Council Resolution 2020-43.