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I BELIEVE WE HAVE REACHED QUORUM.
I'M GOING TO CALL TODAY'S PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.
THE CALL OF TODAY'S MEETING IS TO DISCUSS THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TRACKER.
THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT.
ABSENT COUNCILLOR NOLAN, PRESENT, PRESENT, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
ABSENT COUNCILLOR SAPRINA WHEELER.
THAT'S THREE MEMBERS PRESENT, TWO RECORDED AS ABSENT.
I BELIEVE COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN WILL BE JOINING US SHORTLY.
PURSUANT TO CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING.
IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING THIS MEETING.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WE HAVE ALSO SET UP ZOOM TELECONFERENCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL SECTION OF THE CITY'S WEBPAGE, INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK OR POST IT THERE.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED SIGNUP PROCEDURE, YOU'LL RECEIVE A LINK TO THE ZOOM MEETING.
TO WATCH THE MEETING, PLEASE TUNE INTO CHANNEL 22 OR VISIT THE OPEN MEETING PORTAL ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
WITH THAT, ALL OF TODAY'S VOTES, IF ANY, WILL BE BY ROLL CALL.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, IT'D BE GREAT TO DO A QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS, MAYBE IF WE CAN START ON THE RIGHT.
UH, PATTY NOLAN, A CITY COUNSELOR AND MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
GOOD MORNING, MEGAN BAYER, CITY SOLICITOR.
FIRST ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR.
DEPUTY DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, JOHN BOYLE, CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPERINTENDENT, UH, FRED CABRAL, CAMBRIDGE PD, SUPERINTENDENT PAULINE, WELL, CAMBRIDGE PD CITY COUNCILOR, KATHY SUI, MADAM CHAIR.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS, UM, CAROLINA EL MONTE, ONLINE THROUGH ZOOM.
AND COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER IS ALSO ONLINE.
AND COUNCILOR MCGOVERN WILL BE JOINING US SOON.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TODAY ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FEDERAL IMMIGRATION TRACKER, AS WELL AS THE RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER BY THE CITY MANAGER FROM EARLY FEBRUARY, AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, UH, WHICH HAS RECENTLY BEEN AMENDED AND PASSED TO A SECOND READING.
I BELIEVE THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WILL BE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WHAT POSSIBILITIES WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN OUR SUPPORT.
THE CURRENT ORDER OF THE HEARING WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT OF WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP RIGHT NOW, PRESENTATIONS BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LAW DEPARTMENT EXPERT TESTIMONY IF THEY'RE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
PROFESSOR SARAH SHERMAN STOKES OPERATIONAL UNDERSTANDINGS IN WHICH THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS ABOUT KEY VARIABLES AND PROTOCOL, AND THEN COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
SO, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE CURRENTLY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN THE FLOOR TO YOU ALL.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AND THE FEAR AND THE UNCERTAINTY THAT RECENT FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY MAY CREATE FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT STANDS WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND REMAINS COMMITTED TO DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT, PROTECT, AND ASSIST THEM WITHIN THE LEGAL CONSTRAINTS THAT GOVERN OUR AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN LIVES, WORKS, STUDIES, AND VISITS.
THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, OUR OFFICE, OUR OFFICES OPERATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASSACHUSETTS LARGE, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, THE CITY MANAGER'S EXECUTIVE ORDER AND ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVES.
WITHIN THOSE BOUNDARIES, WE WORK DILIGENTLY TO RESPOND QUICKLY, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, DEESCALATE SITUATIONS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AND ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND FI.
WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE OF THE RESIDENTS WE SERVE.
AND TODAY WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY, THE COUNCIL, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE.
ARE YOU ABLE TO WALK THROUGH US THROUGH THE TRACKER AS WELL? I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU.
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THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR.WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO THROUGH EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY OR HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO RUN THROUGH EACH ONE BRIEFLY AND IF COUNSELORS HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, WE CAN PAUSE THERE IF THAT WORKS.
WE'RE GONNA GO FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
NINE, STARTING WITH NINE, SIX.
THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS JUST A PHONE CALL TO THE SHIFT COMMANDER.
UH, LIEUTENANT BATES WAS ON THE DESK, UH, RECEIVED A CALL FROM, UM, THE ICE TASK FORCE, REQUESTING INFORMATION ON A PREVIOUS ARREST, NOT AN ARREST THAT WAS, UH, CURRENTLY IN CUSTODY.
AND THERE WAS NO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WAS NO INFORMATION PROVIDED, UH, FOR THAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT.
THE NEXT ONE ON NINE 12, UM, WAS AN IN-PERSON ICE UH, ACTIVITY AS THEY CAME INTO THE POLICE STATION ASKING IF, IF WE HAD ANY INTELLIGENCE TO GIVE THEM AND PER, PER EVERYONE'S ORDER, THAT HAS GONE UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
UM, THE OFFICER DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AND, UM, DID NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION.
THE NEXT ONE ON NINE 15, OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO 1414, UH, CAMBRIDGE STREET.
AND, UH, FOR A DIFFERENT CALL.
AS THEY WERE FINISHING UP THAT CALL FOR SERVICE, UM, FEDERAL AGENTS WALKED UP TO THEM AND ASKED THEM AGAIN IF THEY HAD ANY INFORMATION OR INTELLIGENCE FOR THEM, WHICH THEY POLITELY DENIED.
AND, UH, THAT INTERACTION WAS ENDED ON 10 10.
UM, THESE TWO INTERACTIONS ARE PROBABLY INVERTED.
UM, SO I'LL START WITH THE BOTTOM ONE FIRST.
UM, AT 1621 HOURS, WHICH IS FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON, 4 21, ON OCTOBER 10TH, UM, UH, THE LIEUTENANT, UH, ON THE DESK RECEIVED A CALL FROM ICE, UH, INQUIRING ABOUT AN ARREST THAT WAS MADE, UM, THAT WE HAD MADE THAT DAY.
NO INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO THEM, UM, AND THEY CALLED SEVERAL TIMES ACTUALLY, AND WAS NOT PLEASED AT ALL WITH THE ANSWERS THAT THEY WERE GETTING FROM MAO SHIFT COMMANDER.
UM, AND THAT GOES INTO THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS ALSO THE SAME DATE.
UM, SAME INFORMATION, ICE ACTUALLY CAME.
UM, THEY WERE, AND THE PERSON THAT WAS ARRESTED WAS, UH, WAS BAILED ON PERSONAL RECOGNIZANT RECOGNIZANCE AND OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ICE WAS STANDING BY AND THERE WAS A SHORT CHASE.
AND, UM, THE ARRESTED PERSON WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY FEDERAL AGENTS.
UM, DURING THAT PARTICULAR INTERACTION, UM, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ICE AGENTS WHO WERE NOT PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAME BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE DEPARTMENT AND TOOK PICTURES WITH, UM, THE PERSON THAT THEY HAD ARRESTED, UM, IN FRONT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FRONT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS IN FRONT OF A CRUISER.
AND, UH, THEN THEY LEFT THE AREA.
I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, TO NOTE THAT THE NEXT DAY THERE WAS A CALL MADE TO THE SUPERVISOR OF THOSE, UH, FEDERAL AGENTS WHO APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY.
UM, THAT, AND THAT SAID THAT THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
UH, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THOSE PARTICULAR AGENTS COME TO FIND OUT WERE NOT USUAL AGENTS THAT WE WOULD SEE IN THIS AREA.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO NOTE THAT, UM, ON, I'M SORRY, ON TEN TWENTY TWO, WE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM ICE, UH, INQUIRING ABOUT A PERSON.
WELL, CHARLES ZUBY, WOULD YOU WANT TO WAIT ON QUESTIONS OR, UH, CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? YEAH, I THINK THE CLARIFYING QUESTION IS, UH, THROUGH YOU, SUPERINTENDENT WELLS, YOU MENTIONED SOME TIMING ISSUE.
SO WHAT WAS THE TIMING ISSUE OF THE ARREST? THERE WAS A SPECIFIC TIME ON THE PHONE CALL.
NO, THERE WAS TWO PHONE CALLS AND I THINK, I THINK I, IN, IN, IN, I THINK I INVERTED THEM.
I THINK THE, THE BOTTOM ONE CAME FIRST AND THEN THE TOP ONE CAME.
IT SAYS THE BOTTOM ONE, THE CALL CAME IN AT 1621 HOURS AND THERE'S NO TIMING FOR THE REST OF THE SHOPLIFTING, BUT THE BAIL WAS AT 8:47 PM RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE REST OF THAT INCIDENT OCCURRED.
WAS IT 8:47 PM SO THE ARREST WOULD'VE BEEN AT EIGHT FORTY SEVEN, BUT THE BY CALL WAS ACTUALLY, THE ARREST WAS EARLIER, CORRECT? IT WAS EARLIER IN THE DAY.
SO HE, HE GOT ARRESTED EARLIER IN THE DAY? YES.
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MM-HMMAND THEN HE WAS, A CALL CAME IN SOMETIME, AND THEN THE BAIL AND THE CLARIFYING QUESTION IS HOW, HOW DID THEY KNOW HE'D BEEN ARRESTED, UH, THROUGH THE FINGERPRINT PROCESS? THANK YOU.
UH, MOVING ON TO 10 22, UM, UH, THE LIEUTENANT ON THE DESK RECEIVED A CALL FROM ICE INQUIRING ABOUT A PRISONER THAT'S, UH, WE HAD IN CUSTODY.
UH, ALSO TOLD THAT WE WERE NOT AUTHORIZED TO SHARE ANY INFORMATION, UH, REGARDING THAT PRISONER.
NO INFORMATION WAS RELEASED AND THE CALL WAS TERMINATED.
ON TEN TWENTY NINE, LIEUTENANT, UH, THE SHIFT COMMANDER RECEIVED A CALL AGAIN FROM ICE.
UM, THEY WERE ALREADY AWARE OF THE ARRESTED PERSON, UM, THAT WE HAD TAKEN TO COURT, WAS REFUSED AT COURT.
UM, THEY INQUIRED AS WHEN THE BAIL COMMISSIONER USUALLY ARRIVES AGAIN, WE DID NOT PROVIDE HIM ANY INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEY ENDED UP PICKING HIM, WHICH ONE IS THIS, BRIAN? THEY DID NOT PICK HIM UP OUTSIDE THE STATION.
UM, AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY PICKED HIM UP AT COURT.
ON 1112, UH, LIEUTENANT RECEIVED A CALL FROM AN ICE AGENT REGARDING A PRISONER IN CUSTODY, UM, AND ASKED IF WE STILL HAD THEM IN CUSTODY.
AND PER POLICY, LIEUTENANT BATES AGAIN ADVISED THE AGENT THAT WE WEREN'T UNABLE TO FURNISH ANY INFORMATION ON 1210, UH, ICE AGENTS CALLED THE BOOKING DESK, NOT SURE HOW THEY RECEIVED THAT NUMBER AND TURNED AND WERE TRANSFERRED TO THIS SHIFT COMMANDER, AND THEN THEY HUNG UP.
TWO ICE AGENTS CAME TO THE FRONT LOBBY AND REQUESTED TO SPEAK WITH THE SHIFT COMMANDER AFTER BEING REFUSED, UH, INFORMATION FROM THE FRONT DESK OFFICER.
UM, AGAIN, WE CONFIRMED THAT WE COULD NOT GIVE THEM ANY INFORMATION, AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHERE OUR SALLY PORT WAS, WHICH IS WHERE THE WAGON WOULD NORMALLY COME AND GO.
AGAIN, WE DID NOT PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AGAIN, THEY WEREN'T HAPPY WITH, UM, THE ANSWERS FROM OUR LIEUTENANT.
UH, THAT HAPPENED TO BE ONE WHERE I ACTUALLY CAME INTO THE STATION TO DEAL WITH THOSE AGENTS, UH, AT THAT TIME.
IF THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE QUESTION, LET ME KNOW, BUT THROUGH YOU, WHEN YOU SAY THEY WERE NOT HAPPY, WAS THIS RECORDED AND WAS THERE ANY KIND OF, UH, INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR OR THREAT OR EXPLETIVES OR ANYTHING IN THAT INTERACTION? UH, NO MA'AM.
UM, THEY HAD APPROXIMATELY SIX TO EIGHT ICE AGENTS THERE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ARREST BECAUSE OF THE OPEN CASES THAT THE, THE ARRESTED THAT THE PERSON THAT WE ARRESTED HAD OPEN CASES FOR FIREARMS AND DRUGS.
SO, SO THEY CONSIDERED HIM TO BE A, SOMEONE THEY PARTICULARLY WANTED TO PICK UP.
UM, AND THEY WERE BASICALLY SURROUNDED THE POLICE STATION, UH, UNTIL THE, UNTIL THE MAN WAS RELEASED ON 1221.
UM, ICE CALLED, IN REGARD TO THE ARREST OF A PERSON.
UM, AND DUTY CHIEF, AGAIN, WAS NOTIFIED AND NO INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO THE ICE AGENT, I BELIEVE 12 21, 4 AND FOUR.
THIS ONE, UH, WAS, UH, I JUST CALLED THE SHIFT COMMANDER'S OFFICE INQUIRING ABOUT A PRISONER WHO WAS UNDER ARREST FOR DOMESTIC CHARGES AND STRANGULATION.
UM, AGAIN, NO, NO INCIDENTS WERE GIVEN OUT, NO, UH, INFORMATION WAS GIVEN OUT.
AND JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION ON THE ONE ON 1210, UM, WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE FEDERAL AGENTS SURROUNDED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, DO WE KNOW IF THAT PERSON WAS PICKED UP OR IT WAS UNDETERMINED? THEY WERE PICKED UP.
ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT? COUNCILOR NOLAN.
SO OF ALL OF THESE, HOW MANY OF THEM WERE PICKED UP BY ICE EVENTUALLY? I BELIEVE FOR US IT WAS THREE.
IN THAT CASE, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE
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AMENDMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PENDING, I THINK TO A SECOND READING OF THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS IN VARIOUS STATE AND FEDERAL STATUTES, UM, AND OTHER RULES.SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH AND IF I'VE MISSED ANY QUESTIONS OR IF ANY QUESTIONS, UH, COME UP THAT I HAVEN'T ANTICIPATE ANTICIPATED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UH, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASIEST TO START WITH A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WAS RECENTLY SIGNED.
UH, IT REALLY BREAKS DOWN INTO THREE KEY PIECES.
THE FIRST IS THE USE OF ANY CITY PROPERTY, UM, FOR FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PROHIBITS THE USE OF ANY CITY OWNED OR CITY CONTROLLED PROPERTY, UH, FOR ANY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, STAGING, PROCESSING LOCATIONS, OPERATIONS BASE, OR ANY OTHER SUPPORT OF AN ENFORCEMENT OPERATION.
SO HERE THAT INCLUDES, ISN'T LIMITED TO, BUT INCLUDES ANY PARKS OR OTHER OPEN SPACES, ANY PARKING LOTS, UM, AREAS THAT ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR THOSE USES, BUT ARE GENERALLY OPEN FOR OTHER PUBLIC USES.
UM, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ALSO PROHIBITS ANY ICE AGENTS FROM ENTERING NON-PUBLIC SPACES WITHIN ANY CITY OWNED OR CITY CONTROLLED BUILDINGS WITHOUT A JUDICIAL WARRANT OR A COURT ORDER.
UH, SO WHEN WE SAY NON-PUBLIC SPACES, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE OFFICE AREAS OF A LIBRARY.
NORMALLY THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME IN THE LIBRARY, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PRIVATE EMPLOYEE ONLY OFFICE AREAS WHERE THE PUBLIC IS NOT WELCOME.
SO IN AREAS SUCH AS THOSE, UM, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE EXECUTIVE ORDER RELATING TO CITY PROPERTY CAN BE ENFORCED, AND THAT'S REALLY GONNA BE ENFORCED THROUGH, UM, LITIGATION BROUGHT BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
THESE AREN'T SITUATIONS WHERE, UM, IF THE POLICE GET CALLED BECAUSE ICE IS STAGING IN SAY, A PARKING LOT, THAT THE POLICE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ARREST THEM FOR TRESPASSING.
UH, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THAT THEY DOCUMENT WHO IS THERE, WHAT ANY CONVERSATIONS WERE, WHAT THEY SEE, NOTIFY THE LAW DEPARTMENT, AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT CAN TAKE ANY APPROPRIATE NEXT STEPS TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE ITS EXECUTIVE ORDER THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
IN THE SECOND PART OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, THAT IS ABOUT ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THIS REALLY REITERATES PART, THE PART OF THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THAT CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
IT ALSO SAYS THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE WILL ENSURE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IF THEY ARE DISPATCHED TO ANY ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
AND I THINK HERE IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF CAMBRIDGE POLICE ARE ON SCENE, BECAUSE THEY GET CALLED AND IT TURNS OUT THERE IS SOME ICE OPERATION HAPPENING IN THE CITY, THEIR PURPOSE THERE ISN'T TO HELP WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION.
IT'S TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY OF ANYONE ELSE WHO HAPPENS TO BE ON SCENE.
SO IF THERE ARE PROTESTORS OR OUR NEIGHBORS, UM, THE POLICE, THEIR PURPOSE THERE ISN'T TO HELP THE ICE AGENTS WITH THEIR ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE ELSE, EVERYONE THERE IS SAFE.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, CONSISTENT WITH THE POST REGULATIONS AND WITH CAMBRIDGE POLICE'S, UM, POLICY ON EXCESSIVE FORCE ALSO REQUIRES THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICERS TO INTERVENE IF THEY ARE ON SCENE AND SEE ANY EXCESSIVE FORCE BEING USED BY ANY INDIVIDUAL, INCLUDING A FEDERAL OFFICER.
UM, AND INTERVENING WOULD NOT RESULT IN FURTHER HARM TO ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ON SCENE OR TO THE OFFICER THEMSELVES.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS, THERE ARE, UM, POST REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED SINCE DECEMBER 31ST, 2020 WHEN THE POST COMMISSION WAS FIRST FOUNDED.
UM, AND IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S POLICY THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ALSO STATES THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE WILL INVESTIGATE
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ANY ALLEGATIONS OF ANY PERSONAL INJURY, VIOLENCE, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER CRIMINAL CONDUCT, UM, BY FEDERAL OFFICIALS.AND I, THIS IS JUST REINFORCING THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE IS GONNA INVESTIGATE THOSE ALLEGATIONS, UH, THAT ARE MADE AGAINST ANYBODY, BUT CERTAINLY INCLUDING FEDERAL OFFICIALS, THAT THEY'RE NOT EXEMPT FROM THOSE INVESTIGATIONS AND THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OR WITH THE DA'S OFFICE OR WHOEVER IS APPROPRIATE, UH, IF CRIMINAL CHARGES APPEAR TO BE APPROPRIATE.
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ALSO ASKS THAT ANYONE WHO SEES, UH, SOMEONE WHO'S CLAIMING TO BE AN ICE OFFICER TRYING TO ENTER A RESIDENCE OR TRYING TO TAKE SOMEBODY INTO CUSTODY TO CALL 9 1 1.
UH, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE ICE OFFICERS AND NOT SOMEBODY WITH NEFARIOUS PURPOSES.
UH, AND THE POLICE ALSO, UM, HAVE EMPHASIZED QUITE A BIT THAT THEY WANNA BE ON SCENE OF ANY ICE OPERATIONS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, THEY'VE STATED REPEATEDLY WHILE THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS ROLLING OUT, THAT, UH, THEY FEEL THE CITIZENS OF CAMBRIDGE ARE BEST SERVED BY THEIR PRESENCE ON SCENE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.
THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF PRACTICE, UM, WITH PROTESTS.
THEY KNOW HOW TO DEESCALATE SITUATIONS, AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY WANNA BE ON SCENE.
AND IT'S NOT TO HELP WITH THE FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT.
AND LASTLY, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER TALKS ABOUT ENSURING THE PUBLIC TRUST.
SO IT SPECIFIES WHAT, UM, THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE NEED TO DOCUMENT WHEN THEY HAVE IN INTERACTIONS WITH ICE, INCLUDING ON THE STREET AND OVER THE PHONE, UH, AS YOU'VE JUST BEEN SHOWN WITH THE, UM, CHART PROVIDED BY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND IT ALSO STATES THAT ANY REPORTS OR ANY SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE OR ANY BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE THAT THERE HAPPENED TO BE, UM, ANY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO MAKE THOSE PUBLIC BARRING ANY OTHER CONCERNS ABOUT PROTECTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OR A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
BUT THE GOAL IS GONNA BE FOR THE CITY TO MAKE THOSE PUBLIC, UM, BARRING ANY OTHER HIGHER PRIORITIES.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT SECTIONS OF THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE AND INFORMATION SHARING, AND SPECIFICALLY, THERE'S A REFERENCE IN THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE TO, UM, FEDERAL STATUTE EIGHT USC SECTION 1373.
SO EIGHT USC SECTION 1373 PROHIBITS ANY STATES, MUNICIPALITIES, ET CETERA, FROM PROHIBITING THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT OR PERSON FROM PROVIDING IMMIGRATION STATUS INFORMATION.
SO WE, IN OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE, DO NOT PROHIBIT ANYONE FROM PROVIDING IMMIGRATION STATUS INFORMATION.
WE SIMPLY DON'T COLLECT IT, SO WE DON'T HAVE IT TO PROVIDE.
WE CAN, AND WE DO REFUSE TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER INFORMATION, WHICH IS NOT IN VIOLATION OF THAT STATUTE.
AND THAT INCLUDES CUSTODY AND RELEASE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE PROVIDED.
AND IT IS, UM, PROHIBITED TO PROVIDE THAT IN THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE.
UH, THERE WERE ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE ARE ALLOWED TO DETAIN ANYONE SIMPLY ON AN ICE DETAINER.
UH, THE CASE LAW HAS BECOME CLEAR.
THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT HAS MADE CLEAR THAT ICE DETAINERS ARE NOT ARREST WARRANTS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE POWER OF ARREST WARRANTS.
THE POLICE CAN ARREST SOMEONE ON A DETAINER, AND THEY CANNOT KEEP THEM IN CUSTODY WHEN THEY WOULD OTHERWISE BE RELEASED.
SO IF A DETAINER IS THE ONLY PROCESS BY WHICH THEY MAY BE KEPT IN CUSTODY FOR ANY FURTHER, THE POLICE ARE REQUIRED TO RELEASE THEM, WHICH IS, AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE.
UM, I THINK THOSE WERE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD ON THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE AND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE OR THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
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I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE.AND I'VE, UH, JUST ONE THING TO ADD QUICKLY, UM, UH, DIRECTOR EL MONTE, WHO'S ON THE CALL, DID FORWARD TO THE CLERK.
UM, THE CITY HAS A ONE PAGE SUMMARY OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT IT'S BEEN MADE AVAILABLE, I THINK ON CRCS WEBSITE AND MAY ELSEWHERE.
BUT, UM, DIRECTOR AMANTE JUST FORWARDED IT TO THE CLERK AND ALL OF THE VERSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED INTO THE COMMON LANGUAGES IN THE CITY.
UH, SO THAT CAN BE, I ASSUME, ADDED AFTER THE FACT TO THIS AGENDA.
AND SHE SHARED IT WITH THE FULL COUNCIL, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS PRESENT, PRESENT.
COUNCILLOR NOLAN, DO YOU HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
IT'S, IT'S CLARIFYING ON THE LAST POINT ABOUT THE, THE ICE RETAINER IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO KEEP SOMEONE, WHY WOULD ANYONE EVER BE IN CUSTODY IF IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT FOR ARREST? I, I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WOULD BE, OR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IF THIS WAS PRESENTED, THEY WOULDN'T BE TAKEN.
IS THAT, UH, I, I DON'T THINK I EXPLAINED THAT WELL.
SO IF SOMEONE WERE ARRESTED BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME OTHER WARRANT, OR THEY COMMITTED SOME CRIME, AND THEN THE BAIL COMMISSIONER COMES AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE BAILED OUT OR RELEASED ON PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE, IF THERE'S AN ICE DETAINER, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO HOLD THEM ON THE ICE DE CONTAINER.
THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME OTHER PROCESS TO HOLD THEM.
SO WHAT THAT IS SAYING IS IF, IF I WAS ARRESTED FOR SOMETHING, BUT ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE THAT I WOULD BE RELEASED, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S AN ICE DETAINER DOESN'T MEAN I CANNOT, MAY NOT BE HELD.
THEN THE OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR THE EARLIER PART ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND WHERE WE MAY PROHIBIT ICE AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS FROM ACTING, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, WE WERE DOING, WE STRUCTURE IT SUCH THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAY IT'S, IT'S AREAS WE CONTROL THAT ARE NOT ORDINARILY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IF SOME PRIVATE COMPANY DECIDED TO LEASE THEIR PARKING LOT FOR ICE, WE CAN'T PROHIBIT THAT.
BUT ANY PUBLIC PARKING LOTS OR SPACES WE CAN.
AND YET A PUBLIC, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE LIBRARY, FOR INSTANCE, IF IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WE CAN'T SAY ICE CAN'T GO IN THERE, BUT WE, WE MAY SAY, YOU MAY NOT GO INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILDING THAT ARE NOT ORDINARILY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THAT A FAIR JUST SUMMARY OF, OF THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER? YES.
ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ONLINE? YEAH.
UH, MY QUESTION IS JUST, UH, LOOKING AT THE SIX MONTH TRACKER, WHICH WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
SO WE HAVEN'T, UH, HAD ICE INTERACTIONS FOR ALMOST FOUR MONTHS, AND I THAT'S, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
BUT I WONDERED IF THAT'S A RE REGIONAL PHENOMENON OR, UH, OR IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT WHY THAT MIGHT BE, IF I UNDERSTAND YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, UH, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, YOU'RE ASKING IF, IF REGIONALLY IT'S MORE, I, I WONDER IF REGIONALLY, UH, UH, THINGS ARE FOLLOWING.
I, I MEAN, HAVE THERE BEEN LESS ICE INTERACTIONS, I I SHOULD KNOW THIS IN THE REGION, OR WHAT WOULD HELP TO EXPLAIN, UH, WHY WE HAVE NO HAD ALMOST NO INTERACTIONS FOR FOUR? UM, AND IF I COULD JUST SURE.
'CAUSE I THINK TO CLARIFY, THE TRACKER IS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE IN EVERY SIX MONTH INTERVAL.
SO I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION MIGHT BE, HAVE THERE BEEN ADDITIONAL INTERACTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CAPTURED ON THAT TRACKER? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU,
SO, WHEN, WHEN, YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T GO THROUGH, I HAVE ANSWERS FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE IN THE, UH, WHAT THE, THE AGENDA THAT I DID NOT, UH, SAY WHEN I, WHEN I HAD THE FLOOR EARLIER.
BUT, UM, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT IN THE THREE, UM, ARRESTS THAT WERE MADE OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE STATION HAS BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING.
IT'S, THAT'S NOT SINCE THE LAST SIX MONTHS, IT'S SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 20 20, 25.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, KNOW IN 2025, THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING STARTED TO HEAT UP.
PRIOR TO THAT, PRIOR TO THAT, WHAT WE WOULD RECEIVE IF WE RECEIVED ANYTHING, WHICH WAS FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, WOULD BE AN ICE DETAINER THAT WAS FAXED TO US.
AND WHEN, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WE WOULD TAKE THAT ICE DETAINER AND LET THE PERSON KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE IS DETAINER AND
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PUT IT IN THEIR PROPERTY.WE JUST NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD IT, PUT IT IN THEIR PROPERTY, AND IT WENT WITH THEM TO COURT, OR IT WENT WITH THEM WHEN THEY WERE RELEASED.
BUT AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE HAS BEEN QUITE LUCKY, UH, IN, AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT LIKE COMING TO CAMBRIDGE.
BUT WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY IF I'VE, WE'VE TALKED TO MANY OF OUR FELLOW CITIES AND TOWNS THAT ARE QUITE CLOSE TO US, AND THEY HAVE INTERACTIONS ALMOST DAILY.
UM, SOME OF THEM HAVE INTERACTIONS ALMOST DAILY NOW.
I THINK FOR THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD, UM, I BELIEVE TWO OR THREE.
AND WHAT WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO, UM, TRACK THIS COMING YEAR AS OF 26, IS ANY PHONE CALL THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT GET, AND THAT FILTERS DOWN TO US, AND THEN WE GO OUT AND WE TRY TO VERIFY, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS AN ICE, UH, INTERACTION WITH ANYBODY, SO THAT WE'RE STARTING TO TRACK THAT THIS YEAR AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE'VE ONLY HAD TWO OR THREE THIS YEAR, AND I THINK NUMBER ONE, THEY DON'T LIKE COMING TO CAMBRIDGE.
NUMBER TWO, UM, THEY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAS PULLED THEM TSA, UM, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAS PULLED THEM AWAY FROM THE PRIMARY JOB OF WHAT THEY, UH, WANTED, UH, THEIR PRIMARY JOB OF TAKING PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE TWO OF THE BIGGEST REASONS THAT, UM, WE'RE SEEING FAR LESS THIS YEAR.
UM, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT RESPONSE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING MORE OF THAT INFORMATION.
OUR EXPERT WITNESS IS NOT CURRENTLY ONLINE, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE OPERATIONAL UNDERSTANDINGS.
AND BEFORE I DO, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS A DOCUMENT SHARED IN THE PACKET WITH EVERYBODY, AND THAT IS ON THE AGENDA FROM FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS, UH, THAT WERE SECURED VIA OUTREACH FROM OUR OUTREACH TEAMS ACROSS DHSP AND CDD TO HELP INFORM OUR CONVERSATION IF THERE ARE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THEM.
I, WE HAD ASKED TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, HOW HAS THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT AROUND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AFFECTED HOW YOU OR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, INTERACT WITH CITY SERVICES, LOCAL POLICE OR PUBLIC SPACES? AND THEN THE SECOND BEING, HAVE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHERE LOCAL POLICE OR A CITY AGENCY PLAYED A ROLE, EVEN INDIRECTLY IN AN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SITUATION? WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT SHOULD THE CITY HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY? SO FEEL FREE TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IN THE MEANTIME, I AM GONNA WALK US THROUGH SOME QUESTIONS THAT ARE BASED ON TRYING TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF KEY VARIABLES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT LOOK AT IN TERMS OF HOW THEY NAVIGATE, UM, SITUATIONS.
THERE'S, WE KIND OF, I KIND OF GOT AN UNDERSTANDING ON THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY PROPERTY SIDE.
SO MAYBE WE CAN START OFF WITH THAT PIECE.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY, LIKE WHAT ARE THE KEY VARIABLES ACROSS CITY OWNED PROPERTIES IN TERMS OF HOW DO YOU DEFINE, UM, GOING ABOUT ADDRESSING LIKE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE'S IN FEDERAL IMMIGRATION, UH, AGENTS, HOW YOU NAVIGATE DOCUMENTING THAT AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS LIKE THROUGH YOU? UM, SO WE HAVE INTERNAL DIRECTIVES FOR ALL OF OUR OFFICES.
UM, AS FAR AS ANY ICE INTERACTION THAT'S HAD, HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED, UM, AND ALSO INFORMED UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, UM, RIGHT, RIGHT.
FROM AN OFFICER TO THE SERGEANT, TO THE LIEUTENANT, TO, TO THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, COMMISSIONER, AND ALL THE WAY TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
ANYTIME THAT WE HAVE ANY INTERACTION, UM, IT IS THOROUGHLY, UH, DOCUMENTED IN THAT SENSE.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, ANY ICE INTERACTIONS WHATSOEVER.
SO, IN, IN THE CASE THAT THERE ARE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENTS ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY, WILL THE, WOULD THIS ACTIVATE THE CHAIN OF COMMAND THROUGH YOU? YES, IT WOULD, AND WE WOULD RESPOND, UH, THE COMMAND STAFF WOULD RESPOND TO THAT SCENE.
AND IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SPACE AND PROTEST, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT THE KEY VARIABLES ARE THAT HELP DETERMINE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE TO BOTH THE WHAT AND WHEN, UM, THINGS HAPPEN FROM LIKE A LOCATION PERSPECTIVE, A CROWD SIZED PERSPECTIVE, PRESENCE OF FEDERAL AGENTS THROUGH YOU? AGAIN, UM, MADAM CHAIR, UM, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN, UH, DEALING WITH PROTESTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER OCTOBER 7TH, UM, EVEN MORE AND MORE,
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UM, WE WOULD HAVE 3, 4, 5, 6 PROTESTS A WEEK AT THAT POINT.UM, WE, IN ANY TYPE OF PROTEST, NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING WHERE THEY ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO PROTEST TO TRY TO ASCERTAIN WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE SAFE IF THEY WANNA MARCH, DO WE NEED TO CLOSE STREETS? THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND OBVIOUS, OBVIOUSLY TIME, UM, SO THAT WE CAN COVER WHAT WE NEED TO COVER.
UM, WE HAVE ALWAYS UPHELD IN THE STRONGEST REGARD PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO SAY WHAT THEY WANNA SAY.
UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AS FAR AS FEDERAL AGENTS, UM, COMING INTO THE MIX, AGAIN, US KNOWING AHEAD OF TIME AND BEING THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IS WHAT IS GOING TO KEEP THINGS UNDER CONTROL.
WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO PROTESTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT EVERYBODY HAS SEEN ON TV IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU'LL, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, YOU DON'T SEE LOCAL POLICE ON SITE.
UM, I THINK THAT, AND I THINK WE ALL THINK THAT THE SOONER THAT WE CAN GET THERE, THE SOONER THINGS ARE GONNA GET BETTER.
UM, WE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PROTESTS, WE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES AND BEING THE GO-BETWEEN, THAT'S POOR CHOICE OF WORDS.
TO BE IN BETWEEN FEDERAL AGENTS AND THE PUBLIC IS WHAT OUR GOAL IS.
WE WANT TO HAVE, WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
AND THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE NO MATTER WHO IT IS THAT'S TRYING TO DISRUPT THAT.
UM, AGAIN, I THINK IF YOU SEE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU DON'T SEE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT THERE, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS. YEP.
AND MADAM, UH, CHAIR, I WOULD JUST ADD ONE OTHER THING IS, UM, EVERYTHING THAT, UH, SUPERINTENDENT WELL SAID IS CORRECT, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, JEOPARDY BOYER HAS BEEN ON MANY OF THESE PROTESTS, AND PART OF THAT FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT IS BEING ABLE TO DOCUMENT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO OUR OFFICES HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THAT, WITH PEOPLE FILMING, AND WE'VE BEEN TRAINED ON THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, THE VIDEO AND THE OFFICES.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE WE ARE THERE, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE WANTING TO GET VIDEO, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THAT'S, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE TRYING TO STOP THAT.
WE'RE JUST GONNA TRY TO STOP ANY TYPE OF CON ANY TYPE OF, UH, VIOLENCE OR, UH, CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO THAT, IN TERMS OF DOCUMENTATION, IT, WILL THAT JUST BE SOLELY THROUGH BODY-WORN CAMERAS, OR WILL THERE BE A PLAN? LIKE, IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE ALSO, AGAIN, LIKE VIA EMAIL OR WRITING TO DOCUMENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON ON A GIVEN SCENE? IS THERE A PROTOCOL IN TERMS OF HOW THERE MIGHT BE ADJUSTMENTS TO DOCUMENTATION OF THESE MOMENTS? UH, TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR, UM, WE, WE DO HAVE, THANK GOD, THE BODY-WORN CAMERAS NOW, BUT WE ALSO DOCUMENT, UM, ANY CONFLICT, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT ARISE.
WE HAVE OPERATIONAL PLANS IN PLACE PRIOR TO AS WELL, BUT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS, UH, OUT OF THE ORDINARY DURING A PROTEST WILL BE, UH, THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED IN WRITING.
AND THEN THE FINAL PIECE, AND THEN WE WILL TURN TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION IS ON INTERVENTION.
I KNOW YOU, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT IN, IN TERMS OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
UM, WHAT ARE THE KEY VARIABLES IT GUIDING CPD IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EXCESSIVE FORCE IS USED OR, OR THREATENED? OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION IF THAT WERE TO ARISE, UM, BUT IT'D BE HELPFUL TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY KEY VARIABLES THAT YOU GUYS ARE NAVIGATING THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, YES, THAT WOULD BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.
AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO POINT TOWARDS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, CAMBRIDGE HAS OUR DEESCALATION TRAINING, UM, IS WELL DOCUMENTED.
UM, THE PREMIER INSTRUCTOR FOR DEESCALATION COMES FROM THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND WE HAVE TRAINED ON IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE REASON THAT I REALLY IMPLORE PEOPLE TO CALL 9 1 1 SOON AS THEY SEE ANYTHING THAT THEY COULD, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED ICE, UH, ACTIVITY OR ANY OTHER FEDERAL, UH, AGENCY.
BECAUSE THE EARLIER THAT WE GET THERE, AND I'M GOING TO POINT AGAIN TO IT, TO, TO MINNESOTA, YOU KNOW, THAT
[00:40:01]
WOMAN IN THE, IN THE MOTOR VEHICLE THAT WAS KILLED, YOU DID NOT SEE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT THERE, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, IN MY OPINION, THAT CAR WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BLOCKING THE STREET, THINGS LIKE THAT.WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO INTERCEPT, DEESCALATE, AND KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING INTO A PLACE WHERE THERE'S A, A POINT OF NO RETURN.
UM, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA TRY, NUMBER ONE, NOT TO PUT OURSELVES IN THAT SITUATION.
AND SO I, AGAIN, I AM POOR PEOPLE TO CALL NINE ONE RIGHT AWAY.
UM, EVEN IF THEY, IT'S JUST A HINT OF WHAT THEY MIGHT THINK IT MIGHT BE.
WE WANT TO GO THERE, WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, WE WANT TO VERIFY WHO'S THERE, UM, AND WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE.
AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE IN BETWEEN THIS AND THIS SO THAT WE DON'T GET INTO THAT SITUATION.
AND A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO THAT IS THE DEESCALATION TRAINING, HAS THAT BEEN UPDATED IN ANY WAY TO INCLUDE DEESCALATION IN TERMS OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, HOW POLICE OFFICERS NAVIGATE ANOTHER ENFORCEMENT BODY? YES, WE HAVE, UH, TRAINING ON, WE HAVE TRAINED ON IT AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AD NAUSEUM.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CAMBRIDGE IS A, AN INTERESTING PLACE.
AND IT'S, IT'S, AS FAR AS POLICING GOES, WE'RE THE BEST AROUND.
AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES, OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THOSE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE'VE HAD INTERACTIONS, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SO THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF, IF THEY COME INTO OUR JURISDICTION.
NUMBER ONE, THEY DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE A PART OF ANYTHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION, BUT IN THE CASE THAT THEY HAVE TO DO IT, UM, THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM, WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, THERE'S A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND WHAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE WELL TRAINED AND WE WANT TO BE THERE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
SO COUNCILLOR NOLAN, THANK YOU.
AND I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON EXACTLY YOUR POINT.
I, I HEAR, I UNDERSTAND, I SEE THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO DEESCALATION, AND HOW OFTEN HAVE WE USED THE WORD UNPRECEDENTED IN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT'S BECOMING UNPRECEDENTED.
AND I'M NOT SURE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE QUESTION ABOUT THE TRAINING.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT DEESCALATING PEOPLE.
THIS IS ABOUT DEESCALATING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO WE HAVE SEEN, AND IT'S IN MINNESOTA.
IT ALSO HAPPENED ON THE STREETS OF MEDFORD WITH OZTURK, WHO WAS, I'M NOT SURE POLICE BEING THERE COULD HAVE.
SO I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT HOW YOU NEED TO RETAIN A RELATIONSHIP.
AND YET, WHEN THE OFFENDING PARTIES ARE ACTUALLY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN I THINK MAYBE WE HAVE FACED BEFORE.
SO I REALLY WANNA UNDERSTAND HOW TO, HOW YOU PREPARE PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY FOR THAT EVENTUALITY.
AND, UH, UH, RELATED TO THAT IS, IF THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE ANOTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS ACTING INAPPROPRIATELY OR WITH VIOLENCE OR SMASHING A WINDOW, WHICH IS VANDALISM, MAY WE ARREST THEM? AND DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS NOT DOING THEIR IMMIGRATION WORK, BUT ASSAULTING SOMEONE, DRAGGING THEM OUT OF A CAR, SMASHING THEIR WINDOW OR HITTING A CAR? DO DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND ABILITY TO ACTUALLY HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR OWN STATE AND LOCAL LAWS? THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR? UM, AGAIN, I WOULD GO BACK TO OUR DIRECTIVES AND THE THINGS THAT WERE BOUND BY THE LAW, THE ORDINANCE, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
UM, WE, IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, THE SUPERVISORS, AGAIN, ARE GOING TO GO TO THAT SCENE AND NOT LEAVE IT UP TO, UM, NOT LEAVE IT TO THE OFFICES TO DEAL WITH THEMSELVES.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'LL TURN TO MY LAW, UH, DEPARTMENT PARTNERS, THAT'S DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO THOROUGHLY DOCUMENT AND THE ACTION IS GONNA BE TAKEN TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
IF I'M NOT CORRECT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I THINK THE CITY WILL ALWAYS MAKE ITS BEST EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, MISCONDUCT.
THAT'S, THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
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WHAT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY CAN LOOK LIKE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION ON THE SCENE IS GONNA BE.SO WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA BE, HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT HAS TO COME LATER.
UM, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT METHODS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO USE TO GET THAT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE CITY'S PRIORITIES.
AND TO ADD, UM, I THINK THAT ACCOUNTABILITY COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, COME OUT AS, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RELATIONSHIP WORKING WITH THE DA'S OFFICE IF THERE'S ACTION AFTER SOME TYPE OF EVENT WHERE THE DA'S OFFICE IS PROSECUTING, UM, CRIMINAL ACTION.
UM, AND THEN ABOUT HOW WE ENFORCE OUR, OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE, OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE.
UM, PREVIOUSLY THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE WAS REALLY INWARD FACING, SO IT WAS DIRECTING CITY STAFF ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO IN RELATION TO SHARING INFORMATION OR CIVIL DETAINERS.
UM, AND SO THE RECOURSE THAT WAS BUILT INTO THE ORDINANCE WAS SORT OF TURNING THINGS INTO A PERSONNEL MATTER AND REPORTING TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, SO THE CITY MANAGER OFFICE CAN ADDRESS WHETHER STAFF WITHIN THE CITY ARE COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO ONE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT'S BEFORE THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, UM, IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE'RE NOW EXPANDING THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE TO BE OUTWARD FACING AS WELL, AND HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY THAT FEDERAL AGENTS CANNOT DO THEIR OPERATIONS AND STAGING ON CITY PROPERTY.
SO THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN THESE AMENDMENTS THEN IS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION IN COURT AFTERWARDS TO, UM, OBTAIN ADJUNCTIVE RELIEF, DECLARATORY RELIEF TO DECLARE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS VIOLATED OUR ORDINANCE.
AND SO THAT TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT ALL WILL COME AFTER THE FACT, UM, AS ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR MOLA SAID EARLIER BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT TAKING ACTION AFTER THE FACT.
I, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IN SOME WAYS, AND I HOPE WE NEVER FACE THIS.
HOWEVER, PART OF WHAT THE QUESTION IS, IS IF IF I GO OUT IN THE STREET AND RAM INTO COUNSELOR SUZY'S CAR AND SMASHES HER WINDOW AND YOU SEE ME, YOU'RE GONNA ARREST ME RIGHT THERE.
YOU'RE NOT JUST GONNA WAIT TILL YOU GET THE BODY CAM AND WORK ON IT.
I MEAN, I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD ARREST ME
SO, SO THE QUESTION IS WHETHER IF WE EVER DID SEE THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S ON THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK, LIKE IN FRONT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE LEGALLY CANNOT STOP AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER FROM TAKING SOMEONE.
BUT IF THEY ASSAULT THAT PERSON, OR AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN THE VIDEOS OF, OF MUCH MORE VIOLENT REACTION BY A FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICER, I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD NOT WAIT AND HAVE IT BE MONTHS LATER OR EVEN WEEKS LATER, BUT RIGHT ON THE SPOT.
AND, AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO THAT OR ARE WE NOT ABLE TO EVEN DO THAT? AND AGAIN, I HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION ON ALL OF OUR MINDS OF IF IT DOES HAPPEN, WHAT AUTHORITY DO YOU ALL HAVE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AN ACT THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE TREATING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS, UH, OFFICERS, UM, DIFFERENTLY FROM SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS COMMITTING AN ACT THAT IS AGAINST STATE LAW, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
SO THAT'S, UH, A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY VARIABLES THAT COULD ARISE.
UM, ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT AS FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS, THEY DO HAVE CERTAIN POLICE POWERS JUST LIKE OUR POLICE OFFICERS DO.
SO IT IS NOT THE EQUIVALENT OF ANY OTHER CITIZEN WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
THERE ARE OTHER VARIABLES THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY LARGELY GOING TO DEPEND ON THE SITUATION ON THE STREET TO WHAT LEGAL AUTHORITY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE HAVE.
AND THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS GONNA HAVE TO BE A DECISION THAT THEY'RE MAKING IN THE MOMENT, HAVING BEEN TRAINED ON ALL OF THESE VARIABLES, UNDERSTANDING WHAT POLICE POWERS OTHER AGENCIES AND OFFICERS HAVE, AND WHAT THEIR AUTHORITY IS OVER THOSE AGENCIES.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO ANY SORT OF VIOLENCE, I, THERE'S JUST, UM, IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER KIND OF IN THIS ROOM RATHER THAN AS A SITUATION IS UNFOLDING.
BUT THERE ARE, UM, IT IS NOT QUITE THE SAME AS JUST ANY OTHER PERSON WALKING DOWN
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THE STREET BECAUSE THEY ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH CERTAIN POLICE POWERS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE COUNSEL.BUT POLICE POWERS AREN'T INFINITE EITHER.
AND IF A POLICE OFFICER ENGAGED IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, WE WOULD NOT SAY, WELL, YOU'RE JUST EXCUSED FROM IT 'CAUSE YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER.
CLEARLY, ALTHOUGH THERE IS QUALIFIED IMMUNITY THAT MAY COME INTO PLAY.
SO I I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL PREPARED AND I UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT EXCRUCIATING POSITION THAT YOU ALL ARE IN, IF, IF THAT SHOULD OCCUR.
UH, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THROUGH YOU MADAM CHAIR, UM, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S THE SITUATION THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO BE IN, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS AHEAD OF TIME, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE TRAINED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUTSIDE ENTITIES.
UM, SO THAT THAT SITUATION DOES NOT HAPPEN.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS, WE MIGHT SEE SOMETHING, AND, YOU KNOW, IN THAT, IN THAT MOMENT, UM, IT MAY SEEM, WHATEVER IT MAY SEEM, BUT NOT KNOWING WHY THEY'RE THERE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHO THAT PERSON IS THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ALL THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THESE DIRECTIVES TO SEND THAT UP THE CHAIN SO THAT ME, HIM, HIM OR ANY OF THE COMMAND STAFF CAN GO OUT TO THAT SITUATION BETTER UNDERSTAND AND BETTER HELP, BETTER SUPPORT THE OFFICERS THAT ARE THERE, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH AND TRY TO GIVE THEM DIRECTION AS TO WHAT, GIVE THEM DIRECTION AS TO WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO.
AND WHY, BEFORE I GO TO COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT THE MAYOR IS ONLINE, SO WE CAN TURN TO COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER.
THANKS, UH, COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THANKS TO TO CITY STAFF AND TO, UH, YOU FOR SHARING THIS MEETING.
UM, THIS IS SORT OF A, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS MEETING AND THIS BROADER CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING ABOUT THE WELCOMING COMMUNITY ORDINANCE AND HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ARE IN RESPONSE TO SORT OF THE UNPRECEDENTED, UH, TIMES WITH, YOU KNOW, RELATION TO HOW OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS RESPONDING TO, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE IN INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
UH, AND I THINK THAT CONVERSATION IS BOTH, UM, RESPONDING TO THE EVENTS WE'VE CURRENTLY SEEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, MINNESOTA, MINNEAPOLIS CLOSER BY, AND WORCESTER AND SOMERVILLE ALSO IS FIRST PROSPECTIVE THINKING ABOUT HOW THINGS COULD GET EVEN MORE DISTURBING THAN THEY ARE.
AND NOW, AND, AND HOW SHOULD WE BE PREPARED TO RESPOND IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES, DOES THINGS THAT SEEMED SEEM UNFATHOMABLE AT THE MOMENT.
BUT I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS SEEMED COMPLETELY UNFATHOMABLE, YOU KNOW, A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
UM, BUT ALL THAT, TO PREFACE, PREFACE MY QUESTION, WHICH IS THE, THE CASE I THINK ABOUT A LOT IS, IS THE ONE THAT WAS DESCRIBED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING WHERE SOMEONE WAS, UH, ARRESTED IN CAMBRIDGE, I BELIEVE IT WAS FOR SHOPLIFTING.
THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, THEY WERE FINGERPRINTED, THEY WERE, WERE LET OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, RELEASED, AND THEN THEY WERE PICKED UP BY ICE.
AND IN ALL, ALL CASES THERE, I THINK CITY STAFF DID FOLLOW THE, THE LETTER OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS NO COLLABORATION BETWEEN, UH, CITY GOVERNMENT AND ICE.
IT WAS THE ACTIONS OF, OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND, AND DETAINING THIS PERSON THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THEIR BEING PICKED UP BY, BY ICE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE PART THAT I'M TRYING TO THINK THROUGH A BIT HERE, AND THAT THIS IS WHERE IT REALLY GETS COMPLICATED BECAUSE AS, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, THE CITY STAFF SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE PERSON WAS FINGERPRINTED THAT ALERTED OF ICE, BECAUSE IT'S ALL PART OF THE SAME NATIONAL DATABASE.
AND THAT IS, I RECOGNIZE THE COMPLEXITIES OF THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE FINGERPRINTED WHEN THEY'RE ARRESTED BECAUSE WE WANNA KNOW IF THEY'RE WANTED FOR MURDER IN ANOTHER STATE.
IF THIS IS A EXTREME, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PERSON THAT WE HAPPEN TO PICK UP HERE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, WANTED FOR A, A VERY VIOLENT CRIME SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS THE CASE FOR, FOR THIS PERSON, FOR MANY OTHER PEOPLE, WE FINGERPRINT AND THINKING ABOUT THE COMPLEXITIES AND THE, THE COMPLICATIONS OF THAT, THAT WE DID NOT HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EVEN A, A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
SO MY, MY QUESTION IS HERE, CITY OF CAMBRIDGE CITY STAFF ARE FOLLOW, ARE BOUND BY, UH, STATE LAW, BY FEDERAL LAW.
WE HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE LAWS.
WHAT I ALSO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THERE IS SOME DISCRETION ABOUT HOW THOSE LAWS ARE PRIORITIZED, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT LAWS WHERE WE'RE ENFORCING AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT? THERE IS OUR VIOLENT CRIME, THERE IS NONVIOLENT CRIME.
[00:55:01]
WE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY AS MOST PLACES DO, PRIORITIZE, UH, KEEPING OUR RESIDENTS SAFE AND ENFORCING VIOLENT CRIME OVER, WE DO MORE PETTY THEFTS LIKE BIKE THEFTS OR, OR A STOLEN PACKAGE, RIGHT? THOSE ARE ALL ALSO AGAINST THE LAW.WE PRIORITIZE CERTAIN THINGS OVER OTHERS.
I AM INTERESTED TO HEAR CITY STAFF TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT PRIORITIZATION IN THIS MOMENT.
AND SO THAT, THAT PARTICULAR CASE WHERE THIS PERSON WAS ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING, THEY WERE FINGERPRINTED, THEY WERE PICKED UP BY, BY ICE.
I DON'T KNOW ALL THE, THE DETAILS OF THAT, THAT SITUATION.
I'M NOT GONNA TO TRY TO, UH, PRETEND THAT I DO, BUT IT'S ALL OF A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION WHERE THERE IS IS SOMEONE WHO IS ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING DIAPERS, MAYBE THERE'S EVEN A QUESTION OF, OF IF THEY WERE ACTUALLY SHOPLIFTING DIAPERS OR IF THEY, THEY JUST FORGOT TO PAY ON THEIR WAY OUT.
BUT IN EITHER CASE, IT IS A PERSON WITH EXTREME NEED.
YOU'RE NOT SHOPLIFTING DIAPERS, UH, BECAUSE YOU'RE A, YOU KNOW, BIG, BIG TIME CRIMINAL.
AND THERE'S A QUESTION OF OF SHOULD THAT PERSON BE ARRESTED? ARE THERE OTHER RESOURCES THERE? HOW ARE WE WE TREATING THAT CASE DIFFERENTLY? AND HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THAT CASE DIFFERENTLY IN LIGHT OF THIS PARTICULAR FEDERAL MOMENT THAN EVEN WE WERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO IN TERMS OF, ARE WE GONNA ARREST THIS PERSON AND FINGERPRINT THEM WHO IS SHOPLIFTING DIAPERS? I HOPE THAT QUESTION MAKES SENSE.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO, TO TURN IT OVER AND THINK ABOUT HERE, CITY STAFF'S RESPONSE TO THAT.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE DETAILS, BUT I THINK THE QUESTION IS ABOUT HOW WE ARE PRIORITIZING ENFORCEMENT OR DEPRIORITIZING ENFORCEMENT GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FINGERPRINTING AND HOW IT TIES INTO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO SUPERINTENDENT CABRAL WITH SOME NUMBERS AROUND THOSE IN, IN 2025.
UM, WE HAD A, A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SHOPLIFTING.
UM, AND THE INDIVIDUAL YOU'RE REFERRING TO, UM, WAS SHOPLIFTING AT TARGET IN CENTRAL SQUARE, WHICH WAS, WHICH REALLY BORE THE BRUNT OF HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF SHOPLIFTING INCIDENTS.
UM, WE HAD 1,173 REPORTED SHOPLIFTINGS IN IN 2025.
UM, ABOUT 67% OF THE TIME WE, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO IDENTIFY OR WE WEREN'T THERE FOR THAT PERSON WHO WAS DOING THE SHOPLIFTING TO COME IN CONTACT WITH US.
UM, AND OF THE REMAINDER WE THAT WE ENDED UP WITH 208 SUMMONSES AND 200, 207 SUMMONS IS IN 238 ARRESTS.
SO WE ARE NOT ARRESTING EVERYBODY WHO'S SHOP LIST.
THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF, UH, DISCRETION APPLIED BY OUR OFFICERS ON THOSE.
AND THAT'S CONTROLLED BY, YOU KNOW, THE ACTIONS OF THE PERSON IN THE STORE.
UH, ARE THEY ON A, A REGISTRY WHERE THEY, UH, A FREQUENT SHOPLIFTER IN THAT, IN THAT STORE.
UM, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE AWARE OF THAT AND WE ARE USING DISCRETION AND NOT LOCKING UP EVERYONE WHO'S, UH, DETAINED FOR A SHOPLIFTING AT ONE OF THE STORES IN OUR, IN OUR CITY COUNSELOR.
NO, I THINK THAT, UM, THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
AND I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT BACK AND FORTH.
YOU COULD GO ON THE, THE DETAILS OF THE NUANCES ON ONE, UH, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVEN SHOPLIFTING OFFENSES, BUT TO MY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME SHOPLIFTING, DIAPERS, I THINK NEEDS, NEEDS RESOURCES, UH, AND THAT WE CAN PLUG THEM IN RATHER THAN, THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MOST CASES BEING ARRESTED AND, AND THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THAT.
SO JUST HELPFUL TO TO HEAR HOW CITY STAFF ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT, WHICH WAS TRYING TO DO WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT IN MY QUESTION.
UM, I'LL YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU JUST THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE, WE, ON A CASE LIKE THAT, WE'RE MOST LIKELY OUR ARE GONNA BE EXERCISING SOME DISCRETION, AND IT'LL PROBABLY BE A SUMMONS.
WE WILL GO TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN AND THEN COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, UH, EXCUSE ME.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR THROUGH YOU.
UM, I WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF, IF YOU COVERED THIS, UH, PREVIOUSLY, BUT, UH, PART OF, UH, ONE OF THE POLICY ORDERS THAT, THAT WE PASSED WAS, UH, FOR THE CITY TO ALSO BE WORKING WITH, UH, LUE AND OTHER NONPROFIT, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT? AND, AND I KNOW WE WANT FOLKS TO CALL 9 1 1, UM, BUT THERE ARE ALSO MANY OTHER SORT OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UM, ARE OUT THERE.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT'S OUR COORDINATION WITH THEM? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE KIND OF SHARING INFORMATION OR AT LEAST, UH, HOPEFULLY COMING UP WITH SOME WAY TO, TO, YOU KNOW, NOT STEP ON EACH OTHER'S TOES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND COMMUNICATING.
SO CURIOUS AS TO WHERE THAT STANDS, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[01:00:01]
DIRECTOR EL MONTE IN ONE SECOND.UM, BUT I'LL JUST START TO OFF BY SAYING, UH, AND SO, SORRY, LET ME BACKTRACK.
SO I THINK DIRECTOR EL MONTE CAN TALK ABOUT, UM, THE WORK THAT CIRCS DOING, AND PARTICULARLY WITH, UM, LUE AND ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I WILL THEN SAY THOUGH THAT WE'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITY STAFF TO, UM, HAVE SOME TRAINING, UM, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT TO DO IF FEDERAL AGENTS COME TO CITY BUILDINGS AND ABOUT WHAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER COVERS.
AND, UM, THOSE TRAININGS AND DISCUSSIONS HAVE COVERED, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE WORK OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LUE AND WHAT THEIR, THEIR WORK IS, UM, AND WHAT THEY DO.
BUT WE'RE ALSO CAREFUL, UM, HERE WITHIN THE CITY WHEN TALKING TO OUR, OUR STAFF TO WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THE RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORK THEY'RE DOING, BUT NOT TO GIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, DIRECTION TO CITY STAFF THAT THEY HAVE TO CONTACT LUE.
UM, BECAUSE WE ARE WANNA BE VERY CAREFUL THAT THE CITY'S, UH, YOU KNOW, OFFICIAL MESSAGE TO STAFF CAN'T BE CONSTRUED AS ASKING STAFF TO, UM, INTERFERE WITH ANY FEDERAL OPERATIONS.
AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE CAUTIOUS ON WALKING THAT LINE, BUT ALSO LETTING STAFF KNOW ABOUT WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE FOR THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR, THEIR PRIVATE LIVES OR WHEREVER TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY WANNA DO.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR EL MONTE, IF SHE'S STILL ON TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, CRCS WORK.
UM, NICE TO BE WITH YOU ALL THIS, UH, AFTERNOON.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN ENCLOSED PARTNERSHIP WITH LUE, UM, IN THREE INSTANCES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, THE FIRST WE PARTNERED WITH 'EM FOR A MOVIE SCREENING AT THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY, UM, WHERE WE SHARED A MOVIE ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS, AND THEY GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE END OF THAT SCREENING, UM, AND SHARED SOME CAMBRIDGE STATS, WHICH WE HAVE FOUND AT THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY, UM, UH, BENEFITED FROM HEARING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE HAS BEEN LOWER ICE MEMBERS IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, SO THAT WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED.
AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THEM FOR, UH, A RECENT EMPLOYEE FORUM THAT WE HAD A FEW WEEKS AGO, UM, WHICH WAS A PRESENTATION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, UM, ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, AND THEY SHARED REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, HOW TO SPOT ICE ACTIVITY AND THE DIFFERENCE, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ICE OFFICER AND A CPD OFFICER, UM, WHICH I FEEL THE EMPLOYEES FOUND VERY HELPFUL AS WELL.
AND THEN NEXT WEEK, ACTUALLY A WEEK FROM TODAY, UM, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH MAYOR SIDIKI, UM, FOR A LU SAY, BYSTANDER TRAINING.
IT WILL BE LIVE AT THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND ALSO, UM, ONLINE WE ARE OFFERING INTERPRETATION FOR THAT TRAINING AND IT WILL BE RECORDED AND THE FOCUS WILL BE, UM, AGAIN, ON HOW TO, UM, IDENTIFY A ACTIVITY.
UH, THERE'LL BE A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS COMPONENT AND THEN ALSO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL LUE.
UM, AND IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED WITH BEING INVOLVED WITH THEM, THEY'LL ALSO SHARE THAT AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO THEY'VE BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT PARTNER, UM, AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEM, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, JUST A, A QUICK SECOND QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR THROUGH YOU.
UM, AND THEN WHAT, WHAT WORK HAVE WE DONE, UM, WITH THE SCHOOLS? AND I KNOW YOU DO THE TRAINING, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TRAINING FOR STAFF, WHICH I ASSUME INCLUDE SCHOOL PERSONNEL AS WELL, OR MAYBE THEY'RE DOING THEIR OWN THING, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING? ARE WE USING, ARE WE GOING THROUGH THE SCHOOLS TO REACH OUT TO PARENTS TO SHARE INFORMATION, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT THROUGH THAT AVENUE AS WELL? SURE.
UM, SO WITH THE SCHOOLS, WE HAVEN'T, UM, WORKED WITH THEM AS CLOSELY OTHER THAN, UH, WE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THESE TRAININGS AND WE MAKE SURE THAT TO, UM, ADVERTISE, UH, THESE TRAININGS, UM, BUT HAVEN'T WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THEM OTHER THAN WE DID PARTNER WITH 'EM TO SET UP, UH, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING WITH, UM, I BELIEVE THE OFFICE OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS RAMIRA.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA DO A TRAINING FOR, UH, CRS STAFF.
UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT AND WE COULD PROBABLY DO MORE OF, BUT NO, KIND OF DIRECT, EXCUSE ME, UM, UH, COMMUNICATION WITH 'EM RECENTLY.
UM, I'LL YIELD MADAM CHAIR WE GOT A RESPONSE FROM CITY SOLICITOR MAYOR, GO AHEAD.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD, UM, THAT SUPERINTENDENT MURPHY I KNOW DOES HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROTOCOLS IN PLACE FOR HOW THE SCHOOLS WOULD EVER DEAL WITH FEDERAL AGENTS.
[01:05:01]
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT AND EDUCATED THEIR STAFF ABOUT.UM, AND WE COULD FOLLOW UP AND GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT ELSE THEY'RE DOING.
THROUGH THE CHAIR, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILOR GOVERNOR.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING MY QUESTIONS.
SO THAT MEANS I DON'T HAVE TO TALK AS LONG.
UH, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND KNOW WHAT, WHAT KIND OF TRAINING THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY SUPPORTING PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND THE LIKE.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD BE, WHAT THE STEPS ARE TO HAVE A, MAYBE A RICHER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT SO THAT, NOT TO INTERFERE BECAUSE THEY'RE THEIR OWN GOVERNING BODY, BUT JUST SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NO LOOPHOLES.
THERE'S NO SHORTCOMINGS, THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT, UM, FAMILIES.
AND OF COURSE OUR, OUR STUDENT
SEEING THE QUESTIONS YOU, SO I'VE BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED.
I, I'LL JUST KINDA LEAVE THAT ALONE.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I JUST MIGHT WANNA SAY, I, I OFTEN NOT DO NOT SAY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT KEEPING THE PUBLIC SAFE.
I DO WANT TO JUST BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS 'CAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN THE MOMENT.
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNELS, I UNDERSTAND IS I HAVE SEEN THEIR JOB AND THEY DO IT EXTRAORDINARILY ITSELF.
SO I SHOULD HAVE SAID BY, STARTED BY SAYING THANK YOU TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE JOB THAT THEY DO IS NOT AN EASY ONE AT ALL.
YOU CAUGHT BETWEEN TRYING TO SERVE THE PUBLIC.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE YOU, SOME PEOPLE WANT YOU THERE.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT, UH, SITUATION TO BE IN.
AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THE MEN OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT DO.
THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANNA CAUTION US ABOUT HYPOTHETICALS.
FIRST OF ALL, SOMETIMES SOMEONE'S GONNA HEAR SOMETHING AND THEY'RE GONNA THINK THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS DOING OR CAN DO MORE, THAT THEY CAN.
I DON'T WANT US THROUGH POLICY, PRACTICE OR PROCEDURE, PUT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL IN HARM'S WAY.
I WISH WE DID OVER BECAUSE WE HAD CONTROL OVER ICE.
WE'D JUST SAY, YOU HAVE A SIGN AT AT, AT THE, UH, BRIDGE.
YOUR YOUR BARRED FROM BEING IT.
SO I JUST WANNA BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT HYPOTHETICAL PUTTING THROUGH AND SUGGESTING HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
AND THEN THE LAST THING, UM, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES MAY NOT KNOW BECAUSE THE TENURE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT BRIEFER THAN OTHERS.
THE, THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT HAS DONE AROUND DEESCALATION AND DETERRENCE.
'CAUSE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE SHOPLIFTING, UM, HAVING SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING TO PEOPLE THAT CAME AROUND CENTRAL SQUARE IN PARTICULAR, THE TARGET HAS THE TARGET STORE, NOT THE TARGET, UH, HAS HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS AROUND SHOPLIFT TO THE POINT THAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT PULLING OUTTA CENTRAL SQUARE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE, THAT THEY LOSE.
SO WHILE WE ARE, AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT OUR BENEVOLENCE AND OUR SOFT, OUR SOFT TOUCH AND OUR APPROACH, WHICH IS EVIDENCED IN OUR REDIRECTION AS OPPOSED TO ALWAYS ARRESTING SOME SITUATIONS, UNFORTUNATELY AS THEY ARE, UM, WHEN SOMEONE DOES GET ARRESTED, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM HAVING TALK TO FOLKS IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CONTINUE OUR, WHAT YOU CALL, REPEAT OUR FEMINIST, UH, CONTINUE TO, UM, UPLIFT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
SO I THINK THAT'S ALL I WANNA SAY RIGHT NOW.
THE CONVERSATION'S QUITE INTERESTING.
I DO WANNA ENCOURAGE US, AND WE'LL HAVE TO, AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, THINK THROUGH PERHAPS HAVING A JOINT MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM.
I KNOW, UH, UH, THE MAYOR SITS ON THE, UH, SCHOOL COMMITTEE NOT AS CHAIR.
SO PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH CONTROL AS, AS WHEN THE MAYOR WAS THE CHAIR, UH, EXISTS.
BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT TO ENCOURAGE, ENGAGE, REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM, UH, TO HAVE A, A CONVERSATION.
SO WE ARE, WE'RE CLOSELY IN LINE AND WE UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THAT I YIELD THE FLOOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSELORS? IF NOT ALL? GO AHEAD.
UM, THANKS FOR ALSO INCLUDING, UH, TARA ZUBIE.
THE COMMENTS FROM THE QUESTIONS AT THE BACK OF THE AGENDA I THINK WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR.
AND THE REALITY IS, FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY FEEL THAT, UH,
[01:10:01]
THE WORD HAS GOTTEN OUT, THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTING THEM AND THAT THEY FEEL QUITE, UH, SAFE AND GRATEFUL FOR THE, THE APPROACH THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING WITH OUR WELCOMING CITY.I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO, TO ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
THERE WAS A, A NOTION, AND I'M NOT SURE UH, IF THIS WAS EVER REPORTED, BUT SOMEONE SAYING THAT THEY HAD BEEN PICKED UP, THEY SHOWED THEIR GREEN CARD, THEY WERE RELEASED, BUT THEIR FRIEND WAS NOT.
IF, IF SOMEONE IS PICKED UP THAT HAS NO RELATION WHATSOEVER WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, DO WE GET NOTICE AFTER THE FACT OF SOMEONE HAVING BEEN DETAINED BY ICE OR RETAINED? BECAUSE IF, IF A POLICE OFFICER'S NEVER CALLED, NEVER INVOLVED, IT WOULD NEVER SHOW UP ON THAT LOG.
SO WOULD THE CITY EVER GET NOTICE OF THAT AFTERWARDS THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR? UM, UNLESS IT'S THROUGH, UM, SOME PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW IN CERTAIN PLACES IN THE FEDERAL, IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S, AGAIN, THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT WE CAN'T HEAR ABOUT IT.
AND I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY AND UNDERSTAND WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF WHAT THEN DISSEMINATES FEAR THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THAT I HEAR FROM MY NEIGHBOR THAT THEIR FRIEND GOT PICKED UP AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY CONCERNED.
AND I KNOW OUR, OUR ROLE IS TO SAY, CALL 9 1 1.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUESTION IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHETHER THAT MAKES SENSE.
I THINK PART OF WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING IS THAT THAT CAN ACTUALLY DEESCALATE, NOT ESCALATE.
IT CAN, IT IS ALSO PROTECTIVE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, THERE'S ALSO SOME, I THINK, CONFUSION AND CONCERN AMONG SOME, UH, IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES THAT THAT MAY BE THE WRONG THING TO DO.
SO I JUST THINK GETTING THE WORD OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHY THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR A POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO LITERALLY WILL GIVE NO INFORMATION WHATSOEVER TO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
AND ALSO WHETHER SOMEHOW AFTER THE FACT, WE CAN VERIFY WHETHER PEOPLE ARE BEING PICKED UP WHEN THERE HASN'T EVER BEEN INTERACTION WITH ANY OFFICIAL IN THE CITY.
AND IT MAY JUST HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, TOO LATE FOR SOMEONE TO REPORT.
SO I, I'M, I'M JUST FLAGGING THAT AS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE AWARE OF AND, AND THROUGH YOU, UM, MADAM CHAIR, I, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, STRONGLY AND APPLAUD PEOPLE TO CALL 9 1 1 BECAUSE I, WE WANNA VERIFY THERE'S, THERE'S SOME CALLS THAT MIGHT COME IN, HEY, WE SAW ICE HERE.
WE WANNA VERIFY WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ACTUALLY ICE OR IT'S SOME OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BECAUSE, AND WE WANNA LOG THAT BECAUSE WE WANNA KNOW WHEN THEY'RE IN OUR CITY AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO VERIFY.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET A CALL THROUGH A COUNSELOR OR THROUGH SOMEBODY ELSE AND WE'LL GO VER WE'LL GO VERIFY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT ICE.
SO, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO, TO CALM PEOPLE'S FEARS TOO, THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT IN THE CITY AS AS MUCH AS PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THEY ARE.
I HAVE A QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION BEFORE MY TWO QUESTIONS.
ON THE 10 29 20 25, UM, INCIDENT, THE FINAL SENTENCE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD AND ADVISED THEY MAY POST A TEAM OUTSIDE OF THE STATION.
WAS THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHO RECOGNIZED THAT THEY CAN JUST STAY POSTED OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? SORRY, IT MIGHT TAKE YOU A MINUTE TO READ IT.
AND YES, THROUGH YOU MADAM CHAIR, HE UNDERSTOOD COMPLETELY THAT WE WEREN'T GONNA GIVE HIM ANY INFORMATION AND UM, AND THAT THEY WERE GONNA POST OUTSIDE.
SO, AND THEY KNEW THEY WERE IN PUBLIC, IN THE PUBLIC.
THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD POST IN THE PUBLIC AREA.
SO THAT'S TIED INTO MY QUESTION AROUND WHAT LEGAL PATHWAYS DO WE HAVE TO POSSIBLY SHIFT PROTOCOL SO THAT WE PROTECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE MR. MEJIA OR ANYBODY WHO'S KIND OF TRANSITIONING FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OUTSIDE.
'CAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THESE CASES IS ONE, NOT ONLY DO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KNOW AND WANT TO POST OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE ARRESTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN WERE IN THE CASE IN WHICH, UH, THEY WERE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEN RELEASED.
SO ARE THERE LEGAL PATHWAYS WE CAN EXPLORE TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SO THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE CASES FOR? THAT'S FOR, THAT'S THE CASE FOR YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I THINK THAT'S, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF CHANGING OF PROTOCOLS YOU HAD IN MIND.
UM, BUT THERE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
[01:15:01]
ALTHOUGH WE DON'T NEED TO HELP IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, WE CAN'T OBSTRUCT THEM EITHER.UM, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING IS NOT OBSTRUCTING ANY OTHER, UM, STATE, FEDERAL, OTHER LOCAL AGENCY.
SO ANY PROTOCOLS THAT WE MAY WANNA CHANGE, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT WE CAN'T OBSTRUCT THEM.
I'M, I'M NOT COMING IN WITH ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT THAT COMES TO MIND.
IT'S MORE SO A QUESTION OF DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXPLORE WHAT WAYS WE CAN CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR SUPPORT SO THAT SOMEONE WHO IS LEAVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, CAN FEEL SAFE KNOWING THAT THE ENFORCEMENT AGENTS ARE WAITING OUTSIDE AGAIN.
UM, IN THAT PARTICULAR SCENARIO WHERE THE ONLY OPTION WOULD BE TO NOTIFY SOMEONE THAT THEY'RE WAITING OUTSIDE, UM, THAT WOULD BE SEEN AS OBSTRUCTING THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN'T LET THEM OUT A DIFFERENT DOOR.
YOU KNOW, JUST TAKING THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE SPECIFICALLY, UM, THOSE ARE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, DONE IN ONE CASE BY A JUDGE IN THE NEWTON DISTRICT COURT AND SOME COURT OFFICERS.
AND THEY WERE THEN CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE IN THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM.
SO, UM, WE KNOW THAT EVEN PRIOR TO THIS YEAR THAT ANY ACTIONS OF THOSE NATURE WOULD BE SEEN BY FEDERAL OFFICIALS AS OBSTRUCTION.
SO WE ARE BEING VERY CAREFUL TO NOT PARTICIPATE, NOT AID, BUT ALSO NOT OBSTRUCT.
THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT, THAT EXAMPLE, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM CHAIR.
I WILL SAY, UM, WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE IN CUSTODY, UM, WE, AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION, AND THIS GOES WITH ANYBODY WHO'S ARRESTED, WE, IF, IF COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO BE MADE PHONE CALLS OR WHATEVER, THOSE ARE, UH, ALWAYS ALLOWED.
UM, AND THAT WOULD GO WITH ANYBODY THAT'S ARRESTED, WHETHER THEIR STATUS IS AS QUESTION OR NOT, NOT BY US, BUT BY ICE.
THAT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO KNOW IT.
MY SECOND QUESTION FOR NOW, AND THEN I'LL TURN TO MAYOR SIDIKI.
HOW ARE WE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICE AND LAW DEPARTMENTS ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH EACH OTHER SO THAT DOCUMENTATION TRANSLATES INTO ACTION? UM, I CAN SAY THAT THREE, YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I CAN SAY FROM THE SIDE OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT, WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE COMMAND STAFF.
THEY KNOW THEY CAN REACH OUT AT ANY TIME.
UM, WE'RE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION ABOUT A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE CITY.
UM, THEY'RE WELL AWARE OF WHAT WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN DOCUMENTATION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME FURTHER APPROPRIATE ACTION.
SO IF THE TIME COMES, I THINK WE'RE WELL POSITIONED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER CLOSELY.
UM, THANKS FOR THE, UH, THE CONVERSATION AND, UH, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ASKED.
I'LL, UM, I HAD ONE JUST FOLLOW UP.
UH, I CAUGHT THE TAIL END OF THIS.
THERE WAS A QUESTION AROUND DEESCALATION AND DEESCALATION SPECIFIC TO FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION.
UH, AND SO WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT YES, THERE HAS BEEN TRAINING.
IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY HOW, WHO HAS BEEN TRAINED.
UH, IS IT, IS EVERYONE AND IS THIS A SPECIFIC, IS IT, IS IT A SPECIFIC TRAINING THAT CAN BE FOUND SOMEWHERE, ANY INFORMATION IF FOLKS, UM, ASK US.
AND THEN, SO THAT WAS THE FIRST QUESTION.
AND THEN SECONDLY, ON THE SCHOOL FRONT, I'M HAPPY TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION.
I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF INFORMATION SENT OUT, RESOURCES SENT OUT.
THERE'S BEEN, UM, THE SIGN IN SHEETS AND PROCEDURES AND ALL BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN UPDATED.
UM, SO THERE'S MORE I CAN SHARE AND I CAN PROBABLY PUT THAT IN, UH, COMMUNICATION TO, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL, UM, IN ADDITION TO HAVING A BROADER, UH, CONVERSATION.
BUT YEAH, THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS REALLY MY ONLY QUESTION THROUGH YOU MADAM CHAIR, IF I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION CORRECTLY, WHO, WHO WAS TRAINED REGARDING DEESCALATION
[01:20:01]
THESE CERTAIN SCENARIOS? UM, AND I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OF COURSE.UM, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE SET UP TABLETOP TRAININGS IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, ROLL CALL ROOM AND TAKE, UH, OFFICERS OFF THE STREET AND RUN THEM THROUGH DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
UM, AND WE DID THAT, WE DO IT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, BUT WE SET IT UP SPECIFICALLY FOR ICE SCENARIOS.
UM, I WOULD SAY WE TRAINING PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY ON THE TABLETOP EXERCISES.
UM, IF THAT'S, UH, IF THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
I GUESS, UM, MORE SPECIFICALLY IS RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT EVERYONE ON THE FORCE.
OKAY, SO EVERYONE ON THE FORCE HAS BEEN GONE THROUGH SOME OF THIS, GONE THROUGH THIS TRAINING THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE TWO OTHER QUICK QUESTIONS.
ONE IS RELATED TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER UNDER THE FIRST PIECE OF THE RESTRICTION ON THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY.
IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH NOTES THAT THE CITY WILL IDENTIFY ALL CITY OWNED AND CITY CONTROLLED PROPERTY.
DO WE HAVE CURRENTLY UPDATES ON WHEN THAT WILL BE IDENTIFIED OR, UH, THANK YOU TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND I, UM, I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED MORE WITH, UH, DEPUTY, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WATKINS IN ADVANCE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHICH PROPERTIES.
BUT I KNOW THAT SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, DPW COMMISSIONER NARDONE TO IDENTIFY THE PROPERTIES THAT WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO BE USED IN THIS MANNER.
UM, AND SO LIKE, I THINK FOR EXAMPLE, ONE IS, UH, LIKE THE PARKING LOTS AT DANEE.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE BIG OPEN PARKING LOTS, UM, THAT COULD BE USED FOR STAGING.
UH, AND SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES, BUT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROPERTIES AND HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING ON, UH, DESIGNING AND HAVING THE SIGNS MADE AND THE SIGNS ARE ON THEIR WAY AND WILL BE PUT UP SOON TO INDICATE THAT THOSE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CITY PROPERTIES.
AND I, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDING, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PER THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, UM, NO ICE ACTIVITY ALLOWED OR ALONG THOSE LINES.
THAT'S HELPFUL TO GET THAT UPDATE.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS RELATED TO ON THE PIECE OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT TALKS ABOUT ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN CONFUSION AROUND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THEIR AGENCIES AND THE WARRANTS THAT THEY'RE USING.
IN FACT, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE BLURRING SOME OF THOSE LINES TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S REAL AND WHAT'S NOT? ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THERE ARE CASES IN WHICH, DEPENDING ON THE WARRANT, GIVEN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES GO AND SUPPORT WHATEVER IS BEING CONDUCTED.
I'M THINKING BACK TO THE LESLIE INCIDENT IN WHICH THAT WASN'T A JUDICIAL WARRANT.
SO HOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE WE CLEARLY IDENTIFY, UM, WHAT'S THE CASE? YEAH, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, UM, SORRY.
UM, WE DO VERIFY WHETHER OR NOT WARRANTS ARE JUDICIAL OR NOT AND DO NOT, UM, THAT PARTICULAR ONE THAT YOU'RE, UH, REFERRING TO.
THERE WAS A JUDICIAL WARRANT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
UM, IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, UH, WE ARE, WE ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EYES ON, UM, WHATEVER WARRANTS ARE, UM, BEING PUT FORTH TO US.
AND IF IT'S NOT JUDICIAL, WE DO NOT, UH, ENTERTAIN.
I, I DO THINK IT'LL BE HELPFUL TO WORK, TO MAKE SURE TO SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN CLARIFY THAT TO THE PUBLIC.
'CAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, YOU SEE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, IT'S VERY EASY TO QUICKLY THINK LIKE, OH, LIKE I'M, THIS ISN'T SAFE.
UM, WHAT'S GOING ON IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE US.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.
I, I KNOW THE PURPOSE OF THIS.
I, AGAIN, WANNA CLARIFY THAT THE GOAL IS NOT TO DO HYPOTHETICALS, BUT TO ALSO JUST ADDRESS KEY VARIABLES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LAW DEPARTMENT ARE, ARE WORKING THROUGH, OR THAT THEY ASSESS AND THE PROTOCOL THAT IS AT PLAY.
UH, I, I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHO IS WORKING WITH, WHO ARE WE WORKING WITH AND WHO WE'RE NOT.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU GUYS ALSO NOTED THAT YOU HAVE A LOT
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OF EXPERIENCE WITH PROTESTS, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO THAT SAFETY.AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT PROTESTERS IN THE PAST HAVEN'T NECESSARILY FELT SAFE BY THE WAY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NAVIGATED THEM.
SO THE PIECE THAT I TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS THAT WE HAVE TO CENTER OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FIRST, ESPECIALLY IN THESE DISCUSSIONS WHERE THE THREAT THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IS FROM ANOTHER ENFORCEMENT BODY, WHICH IS A VERY COMPLICATED AND TOUGH SITUATION TO BE IN.
UM, SO ALSO RECOGNIZING THE GROUPS LIKE LUE WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK.
UM, IT'D BE GREAT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM AS, UH, CAROLINA MENTIONED, UH, WOULD BE GREAT.
AND AS I KNOW THERE, THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF VALID CONCERNS AROUND WHAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN POLICE, ICE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ALL IN ONE PLACE, UH, TOGETHER.
IF THERE ARE, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANYONE ONLINE? OKAY.
AND THAT CAN, THAT CASE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO ADJOURN.
ABSENT COUNCILLOR SPRAIN WHEELER.