Dec. 15, 2020 11:20p
(WGTD)---The civil unrest across the country stemming from George Floyd and Jacob Blake prompted a lot of talk about change this past summer. Both Racine and Kenosha took the cue.
In Racine, the results of a task force that spent much of the summer studying police reforms were formally laid out before the Racine City Council Tuesday night. As reported last month by WGTD, the main themes focus on giving the city’s Police and Fire Commission independent oversight, creating greater transparency and making sure the police department fully embraces best practices on the use of force.
Some action points have already been adopted while others will be debated in the months ahead. "We started with nothing. Now we have a document in hand to look at some of the areas we talked about," said Alder Maurice Horton.
Horton said it was particularly impressive that hundreds of citizens participated in the process by filling out a survey or attending virtual listening sessions.
While council members had questions Tuesday night, no specific objections were raised to anything in the report.
In Kenosha, city officials are taking a broader focus following a series of listening sessions held in the wake of the Blake shooting.
Mayor Antaramian’s office issued a report Tuesday that attempted to quantify the concerns that were expressed at those sessions. The top three dealt with police reform, training and diversity; greater communication and engagement; and racism.
Seven focus groups are in the process of being formed. Each will be charged with coming up with actionable items and ways to measure progress.
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