I want to call towards Legal City Council.

Public Safety or Criminal Justice Reform Committee meeting of four 16, 2026.

Clerk, please call the role.

Hobbs.

Here.

Williams, Kramer, here.

McVearson, Meldon, Morris, Saranto.

Here.

Also present, Driscoll and Gaddis.

All right, we're gonna have our quarterly updates.

First up is Chief Alison Armstrong.

Thank you for being here today.

Thank you, Chairman Hobbes, Vice Chair, President Williams, members of the committee.

Alison Armstrong, Chief of the Fire and Rescue Department with me today, Assistant Chief John Kaminsky, here to present a very brief overview of the fire and rescue department.

Current uniform staffing is at five eighty-three.

Uh year-to-date separations.

We've only had one so far, nine additional confirmed upcoming, and we expect about ten more.

Um so our class of twenty will just offset retirements.

And that class begins seven thirty-one with a graduation end of February of twenty-seven.

Total incidents through the first quarter, just over fifteen thousand, which is just a slight one percent increase of what we were in twenty-six over the same time period.

But I want to note that uh utility firefighters are responding to an average 172 incidents per day.

Total responses at the bottom, that would be total rig responses because some incidents have more than one responding, and that's an average of 314 rig responses each day.

Uh busiest ambulance is Medic 3 over on Bush with over a thousand responses.

Uh then engine 23, which is in West Toledo, and then rescue seven, which is on Franklin near Bancroft.

And then our tower ladder is off of Central Avenue.

And we have three of those in the city, so they primarily respond only to structure fires or extrications because of the specialty equipment that apparatus has.

One of those is a HVAC upgrade, uh which they have a boiler system now, and and we need to put air conditioning in, and I think forced air is what we're looking at, but um that's held up because we're waiting on a waiver um from the government that has yet to come through.

Also doing some concrete work at 21s, that is a station that's about a hundred years old and waterproofing there, which we've struggled to get bit out.

Uh for our fire vehicle replacement.

We just received four new Spartan engines, those are all in service now.

Uh and the other engines has a trick-a-down effect that you know they'll go in the reserve status uh and we move vehicles around based on mileage and year.

So we have three ambulances on order right now.

Delivery date is the first quarter of 27, and then we're also preparing to send two more ambulances for a remount, which means they'll take our existing rig and basically redo everything on it, new chassis, new box, and the the turnaround time for that is shorter, about six to nine months, depending on how involved it is once they they get in there.

Um last thing, which I'm very excited to mention is that we're putting together a plan to update our current memorial site uh over across from fire headquarters.

Uh we've tried this a couple of times in the past and for various reasons uh the project didn't move forward.

So um looking to do that, and once I have some more information, I'll release it.

But you know, basically the idea behind it is is to get donations um from various places within the community to support that.

Uh with that, I'll take any questions.

Councilman Saratsu.

Thank you.

Uh Chief Armstrong, could you give us uh um idea of how much work, how many fire stations still are gonna need uh major remodeling uh renovations and so forth.

I I think at the stations we've tackled most of the major projects.

I can give you a list of our upcoming projects by way of referral.

Okay.

Uh but also I'll say this, you know, Imlay is a building that is shared by us and fleet, and um you know that building needs work, it needs a roof, and so you know, we're gonna have to have some conversations about what that looks like and a plan to move forward.

Okay.

And which building was that you're MLA.

Okay.

Our shop.

All right, I'll I'll make a referral.

If you could just give us an outline of what needs to be done.

Uh if you have projected costs, that would be very helpful for us also.

And when you it would expect to have completion.

Yes.

Those uh remodeling options.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Councilwoman Kramer.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you for that report.

Um Councilman Seranto asked one of the questions I had about kind of deferred maintenance.

Um, but my second question is um I know we have received four engines, but what is the turnaround time right now if we did need more?

Um, how long is it taking upon order and then receipt?

So it it's about 600 days, six to eight hundred days.

Okay, yeah.

We received these four Spartans, I think in a little less than two years.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Council President Williams.

Thank you so much.

Um thanks for being here.

I uh have a question concerning a um the recent death of Horace Oates.

Um he died in a fire that on April 7th, I think it was.

I'm not I just I wanted to see I just had specific questions on um.

I know you can't go in too deep because it was considered a homethi because it was a fire set.

Um wanted to see what station was close to their Evansdale.

Do you know?

So that that's sort of in the middle of 16s, 17s, and 25s, I believe.

Uh-huh.

Okay, and all of them responded, right?

Okay.

Yes.

Okay.

And um there were a significant amount of people in there.

Right.

Yes.

You know, nine people in there.

I believe ten total.

Uh I can give you the information by way referral, but my understanding is mm all of them except for um the deceased were outside upon our arrival.

Was it a single family home?

Uh Madam President John Kaminsky assistant chief.

Yes, it was a single family residence, probably about 1,500 square feet.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

That's all I really had.

Thank you, Council President.

Um Chief, uh again, thank you for being here.

The um fire that we had on Detroit.

Um I think it was a seven-year-old in the um or we lost two lives here.

Nebraska, Nebraska, Nebraska, sorry.

Um, how are we doing as far as the amount of smoke alarms and um detectors that we have to um give out to the public?

How's that going?

The program itself is going well.

I mean, we received funding through this budget to purchase more smoke alarms because as I reported previously, we were running low on them and we were running out, so those have been purchased and replenished.

Uh, they went out after the fire on Nebraska, and I can get you the numbers.

I think it was about a dozen homes that they went into and installed alarms, and then they just went out Monday in the Evansdale neighborhood, and I I want to say they installed about 20 to 25 smoke alarms.

What is the um if I need a smoke alarm?

What's the best way to get one from fire department?

All the fire stations have them, so they are able to distribute them, and then they have a form that you fill out just with your information so we can collect that on the back end and know what kind of need there is in our community, but all of the stations should have them now.

My second question is on the ambulance remount.

Um that's is that engine as well, or the engine stays and you do everything else.

And do you kind of have an idea?

Like how much does that save us on a remount versus buying a new one?

So the the remount is only uh my understanding, and I can look into this a little bit further by way of referral, but my understanding is that we can only do it for our ambulances.

And so six to nine month turnaround time, I think it saves around 150,000 per unit.

Okay.

All right, that's good.

Um I know you couldn't tell us too much today, but can we kind of get a general idea of what may be happening at the memorial?

Um you're planning on doing some improvements at the memorial.

What are some of the things you're looking at?

So we're we're still working on a design, but we're just looking to you know update the current site, and you know, in talking with the arts commission, we probably will have to replace the actual monument only because of some structural issues with it, but the intention is to keep it in the same design, but add maybe some um designs and elements that that really show that it's a Toledo Fire and Rescue Department memorial, and just to make it a little bit nicer.

I think that's long overdue.

I think our our fallen firefighters deserve it, and our community um deserves that.

Thank you.

Thank you for your report.

Thank you, Chi.

Next, um, I believe uh Ms.

Falgiano from the judge, judges.

Thank you for being here today.

Good afternoon, Chairman Hobbes, President Williams, members of council.

I appreciate the opportunity to be here.

I want to talk to you about two um items from the court.

The first item is um I want to update you on where we are on mental health evaluations.

So I've been before uh counsel before talking about the increases that we are seeing for mental health evaluations to determine whether or not an individual is competent to stand trial, and also evaluations to determine whether someone is not guilty by reason of insanity.

In 2024, we had 73 of these evaluations.

In 2025, we had 110 of these evaluations.

That represents an increase of 50 percent in the referrals, and for not guilty by reason of insanity, we have seen a 360 percent increase in referrals.

Um part of the challenge in this area is the limitations set by law of how the court can be involved and what the court can do with these cases.

Despite that, we have been working to find different options to try to help people not become involved more deeply in the criminal justice system and to keep communities safe when we have individuals who have mental health issues that include um disruptive or violent behavior or adequately addressed.

The first thing we've done is we've um assigned an MOU with the Lucas County Common Peace Court to supervise individuals who are not guilty by reason of insanity who are eligible for um community placement, so that there is a program to monitor these people in the community.

Unfortunately, for this for my court, the time under which we can have those individuals monitored is very short, but we do now have a contract for services that is being funded by the um the Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services.

In addition, we have a hospital collaboration pilot project that we've extended to 18 months.

This particular project targets people who are incompetent and unrestorable.

For someone to be incompetent, they're not capable of cooperating with their defense counsel, and they don't understand the nature of the proceedings, which prevents us from doing anything with their case other than dismissing it or referring it to probate court to determine whether someone needs emergency hospitalization.

Cases that go to probate court often are confronted with lack of options and bed space for these individuals.

So we have a pilot program that involves the board as well as St.

Charles for people to be placed in St.

Charles for restoration so that they can be stabilized and be returned safely to the community.

That program has been moderately successful.

I think we've done 16 people in the 18 months that we've had the program with a majority successfully returning to the community.

The other thing I want to make sure that you're aware of is that this year we learned from the our community community-based corrections facility, the correctional treatment facility, that they will no longer serve women.

This was because of budget cuts for them.

What we are prepared to do is to put a request for proposal out so that we can replace the services that we are we've lost at uh CTF.

So we'll be publishing that request for proposals next week so that we can continue to provide inpatient residential treatment for substance abuse for for uh individuals in our community.

Subject to your questions, that's all I have.

Council President Williams.

Um that's interesting.

Um can you tell me when that's supposed to take place?

Are they closing the women's unit just down?

They have eliminated women from their program.

Like they when did they do that?

In January.

I we are deeply concerned.

I think just as a way of background, um, CBCFs are really to serve um common pleas level courts so that there is an option before people are sent to prison.

Right.

We have in our community a CBCF that we have been able to access through a contract for inpatient residential treatment prior to our contract with them.

We had a contract in the community.

The problem with those sorts of contracts is people can walk out.

If someone is at CTF, they cannot walk out, it is not an option.

And it has been an incredibly valuable asset for us because part of getting in treatment and staying in treatment for some people is not having the option to leave.

So I have a question because they CTF has been really involved in the Harvard study.

How does that look if they're not serving women?

Does it still is that separate from is that program separate from CTF's operation?

How does that look?

Does it affect the Harvard program?

The so the study?

So, yeah, so for you're referring to our partnership with Harvard's Access to Justice Lab study our diversion program.

That program, which is an educational three and a half hour block, is not affected by this.

Okay.

This is specifically for the in-patient residential, which is 30 to 60 days of treatment.

And for like common pleas, they are contracting with a CBCF outside of the county to serve the women that are going through that court.

We've tried to work with that.

Uh it's Wood County CBCF, and they're not interested in in having us as a as a contract partner for that work.

Oh, okay.

Well, this is interesting.

I know you have nothing to do with it.

I guess we can just reach out to the county to see what that looks like.

But thank you for the updates.

Can you talk a little bit about the updates with the uh diversion program?

I would love to.

Yes.

So I am if chair allowed.

I I am like so proud of how we're doing.

We uh we just reached our 52nd week of enrollment for the program.

We are ahead of pace by over two months, and we are the only study that they have ever done that has been ahead of pace for enrollment.

Um our on-site um coordinator that works for Harvard is doing a great job of talking to the community about the study and and having people be willing to enroll in it.

So we're doing really, really well.

Well, I'm hopeful we'll get uh a full update soon soon about it because I love those updates.

I know councilwoman Hobbes does as well.

Um just send kudos to Judge Coleman and his activation and really pushing his program.

So thank you so much.

Yes, ma'am.

Thanks, Chair.

Thank you, Councilwoman Gaddis.

Thank you, Chair.

Um you had brought up about the increase in the non-guilty by reason of insanities, and there's only a limited time you can monitor.

What is that time that you can monitor?

It is fairly short.

I can give you a more complete answer by way of referral, but generally two to three months.

Okay.

And then do you keep data on our residents that go through that?

Like, do we keep data on age or if if they're uh repeat offenders?

Do we keep any data on that?

The that we do keep data.

The data we keep tends to be about our efficiency in processing these cases and trying to ensure that the evaluations are done in a timely manner and that we are either dismissing the case or getting it over to probate court for consideration in a timely manner.

Okay.

Um I will say we keep more and better statistics for the pilot program with St.

Charles because we are looking at things like recidivism.

Um, but that is that because of the intervention, we're being more proactive about keeping the data so that we can understand the success of the intervention.

Is there any community partners that would keep that data that we could tap into?

That might be something we could work with the board and Norris in terms of of looking at data if if we were interested in that and and wanted to make the commitment to to fund it.

Okay.

Um thank you.

And then the um uh the second one you brought up was the um incompetent.

Do we keep data on those citizens of residents as well?

We I have basic data, I have names, you know, dates of birth, um I can tell you with a little bit of research how often people come through.

And that is one of the issues, right?

So when law enforcement encounters someone in the community that is trespassing and has been somewhere before and won't leave, and they need to do something, people get arrested, only the people that are getting arrested are incompetent of going through our process.

Right.

And so the the lack of um options to deal with those individuals.

We have some different resources in the community, like the ACT teams, and we have officers that have their um their certification for um CIT that help with those things.

So it's a definitely a multi-layered approach.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Councilwoman Kramer.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you for this report and congratulations on the diversion program.

That's amazing.

Um I have a question about um the funding that was cut for CTF for the women being served.

Where was that funding coming from?

So the um the way we pay for um individuals to receive inpatient treatment is from a series of sources.

The first source is we receive um over a million dollars in grant funding from the state of Ohio.

Okay, and part of that funding goes to pay for treatment.

We also have um funding through um a set aside in the in the state that is through the board, mental health and recovery services board, where we can declare a surplus in that funding and reallocate it to treatment, which is what we do.

So those are the two ways we pay for treatment for these individuals.

So the the cuts in the bed usage relate to what's been related to me is that CTF was losing money on these beds because they had an entire unit set aside for women that they couldn't adequately fill to justify the cost of operating the unit.

Okay.

Thank you for that clarification.

I appreciate it.

Sure.

Ms.

Fowl Gentleman, the question I have was you talked about a client not being able to understand or operate with their attorney.

When that happens, is that are they automatically considered?

Does the insane piece that you talked about automatically apply if they can't work with their attorney, or is there some difference?

So it it there are two different things, right?

So someone, the first thing is in this moment in court, can someone understand what is happening and cooperate?

So that is the first thing that we look at.

Someone can be sane at the time of the offense, but not competent enough to cooperate.

If someone is incompetent but restorable, um we have education that helps them understand what is going on and then treatment to it restore competency for not guilt guilty by reason of insanity.

Those cases we can't do anything with until they're restored if they're restored.

And again, because of such a short time that we can put people in a in a lockdown situation, there's just not a lot we can do with those cases.

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Thank you for the court.

Thank you for the update.

Thank you.

I appreciate your time.

If there's anyone that would like to speak uh later, there is a sign-up sheet on the table to my right, your left if you want to speak.

Um we're gonna have um Chief Trendley and TPD to update, please.

Thank you, Chief, for being here today.

Thank you, Deputy Chief, for being here.

Good evening or afternoon, I guess whatever you want to call it.

Uh Chief Mike Trendley with Assistant Chief Kevin Braun, just to give a brief update of some of the things that are happening inside the total police department.

I will start with our current crime numbers.

Overall, we are seeing reductions in the majority of the categories, including a 33% reduction in homicides, a 37% reduction in robberies, a 23% reduction in theft from motor vehicles, a 6% reduction in auto thefts, and the we're uh three incidents higher than we were last year for persons shot.

And the one area of concern right now is our burglaries.

We are actually seeing a 17% increase in burglaries this year.

Um and this is the first year really since uh 2011 that we've not had a declining burglary uh statistic, um, which is concerning, and we're looking through our criminal intelligence and using all of our tools there to do predictions and series on uh burglaries to make sure that we stay on top of them and to keep them under control.

Um as we look at burglaries as uh a statistic back in 2011, which I referenced, we were roughly 9,000 burglaries, we're now roughly 2,000 burglaries, and it's been going down every single year.

And at some point, unfortunately, I think we will reach a point where we will find the baseline of burglaries, and we'll be struggling to maintain and just to keep them at that level.

But for the last 15 years, basically, we have been reducing burglaries year after year.

Um to me, from the police department standpoint, I think burglaries are a very important stats.

It's something that we focus on and through our intelligence-led policing, it is definitely something that we concentrate on.

So we are working to get that number back down and hopefully end the year in a negative number there.

Looking at our calls for service and our incidents currently through March, we're sitting at 44,028 incidents, and that is a number that is actually 8%, you know, 8.24% higher than last year.

So we are seeing increase in calls for service and an increase in activity this year.

So we are, as we're looking at our manpower, making sure that we have enough officers assigned to our field operations to handle those 911 calls for service is a priority.

As you guys know, our budget, we are only going to have a class of 20 starting in uh April 24th next Friday.

So unfortunately, it is anticipated that that number will not adequately cover the number of retirements we have this year.

So we will be seeing a uh shrinking police department this year, and we are in the process of assembling our leadership team to look at what services or what units that we currently have that we may not be able to support past this year.

So that is something that we will be taking a look at through the summer and into the fall because even though the numbers will start to deplete slowly, um for us, the end of the year and beginning of the year is a critical time for contracts and assignment of personnel.

If uh they're not assigned there beginning in January, we're not able to change their shifts without compensation uh for changing their hours.

So it is something that we're going to do this year to make sure that we are able to move forward through 2027 as well.

And when we talk about manpower, we currently sit at 604 as of today.

Um we do anticipate uh that throughout the year we're gonna have roughly 35 to 40 retirements.

Um as we look at our retirement, sometimes it's tough to predict exactly how many people will leave because of the drop program and the way our pension system is set up, our officers do not have to indicate when they plan on retiring or when they enter the draw program.

So that being said, if we do look at our staffing levels, as of today, we have 87 officers eligible for retirement, and by October 19th, we will have 105 officers that are eligible to retire.

So they could leave at any time.

Now, as we project, we do not anticipate that we're gonna have that many retirements this year, but over the next several years we have several larger classes that will be uh maxing out and will be retiring.

One of the other things I wanted to touch on is uh with the passage of the budget and the allocation of money for our West Toledo uh community uh station, we are moving forward on that and are hoping to have uh a lease signed sometime here in May, so we can begin um working on the building uh to get it ready for personnel to be inside.

We are currently looking at a building at Jackman in Sylvania, and our hope is to have uh the lease secured the updates done to the property and a viable staffing plan before the summer hits.

And as far as updates go, that is uh that is all we have for updates right now, and I will gladly ask or excuse me, answer any questions you may have.

Thank you, Chief.

Um councilwoman Gaddis.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chief.

Um the calls for service increasing.

Is that for both um non-emergency and 911?

So it's a that particular number we're talking about is all of our incidents.

So it does include 911, it does include our non-emergency calls that are actually entered as a response needed.

Um so these are the actual number of incidents that we respond to, not just the number of calls that we get.

Um, so that number will include if it is referred to what we call like our telephone reporting unit for a report to be made.

Um, but if it's just a general information call or if it's a duplicate call and there is no police service needed, that would not be included in that.

Do we include the engage?

Because I know sometimes people call in and it's something that's transferred to our community officers.

Is that included?

So no, because that that gets through the engaged tolerous, that is a separate mechanism or metric that we have that comes directly from engaged Toledo.

Okay, thank you.

And then when we um uh made when we passed the budget, one of the things on um that was in the in the possibility of things you were willing to cut um was the celebrate software.

Do you know the status of that software?

Yes, so it is a it is a very important piece of software for investigations, so we are finding alternate funding uh models to try to pay for that right now.

Um it is anticipated that we are going to uh find a way to pay for that this year.

We did have um well, I believe it was in May we have to pay I think it's May we have it coming forward.

Um we're we're able to look at some of our different line items and using some of our trust funds to find a way to get it paid for.

Do you know off the top of your head and um financing by referral but how about how much we pay a year for that?

It's I think it's about 87,000 dollars.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Um Councilman Driscoll.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh Chief, I'm curious.

You say we have a hundred and five officers by October 9th, something by October that will be eligible for retirement.

How is it?

I understand that uh like because of our pension program, we don't necessarily know who is going to retire.

But how is it then that you come to the conclusion that between 35 and 40 officers are going to retire this year?

Yeah, so what we do is number one, we do have officers that will actually sign up with our fiscal and tell them they're going to retire this year.

So we do have that base number that we work off of.

But then we also look at the age of our officers and how long they've been on the department because uh for our drop program, we know the maximum number of years they can do is eight.

Um so as we look at those that have been eight years past their eligible retirement dates, we start to recognize the fact that they're they're probably gonna have to leave here shortly, whether they wanted to or not.

Okay.

Is there any coordination between uh your department and finance department uh about trying to understand that uh tar that number a little bit better or so we we do um every year work with uh finance in when we're doing our budget and we give them our anticipated number of retirements each year.

Now I will tell you for the last four years, our anticipated number of retirements and/or people that have left the department has been exceeded every year than what we actually anticipated, but they're not privy to like the data that you're using necessarily.

No, so we our uh Lieutenant uh uh homes when they work with the budget, they give them the number because there is some money that is built into our particular budget on salary savings that is based off of uh how many people we believe are going to retire that year.

I'm wondering if a little more stronger coordination between the department and our finance department just from like an actual perspective, uh they might be able to give us a cleaner not that I think you guys are doing a bad job, but I mean they're accountants, you know, this is what they do for a living.

So I I wonder if uh that kind of coordination might be helpful in terms of understanding um projected retirements maybe that's something we we could look into in the future.

Absolutely always willing to look into uh a better way of doing it because it helps us for staffing and have a better understanding of what we're looking at in the future.

I think so too.

Thanks very much, Chief.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um Council President Williams.

Thank you, Chair.

Um thanks, Chief, for being here, and thank you, um, assistant chief for being here.

Appreciate you.

Um, and I want to say I thank you again for meeting with me the other day concerning probably why everybody is here, because it definitely ain't about trash.

Um, and it's definitely not the same crew that was here to talk about trash, which is unfortunate because that same crew that talked about trash should be talking about this topic.

Um I've been I did do a press conference on this week, and I want to clarify a statement um that I made, and then I'll move forward from that.

And I also have a statement from councilwoman Dr.

Jones, who had a family obligation and couldn't be here.

Um there was a there was a statement that was misconstrued, and it may have been for my delivery.

Um, but uh I want to make it clear.

I would not ever encourage anyone not to comply with Toledo Police Department or any police.

What I said and I want to clarify is I feel like black parents have to tell their kids prior to even pre-teen, because I told my daughter at 10 how to interact with police.

Why do black parents have to have their children comply and teach them that when they do nothing wrong?

That was my statement.

Yes, we should comply with every police department.

We should, we should follow every law, but at 15 years old, and you don't have a driver's license or temps.

That's not something that we should have to teach.

We should comply with the police.

That was my statement, and I hope I clarified that as much as possible.

I am not suggesting that we shouldn't comply with police.

I'm saying we shouldn't have to teach our kids earlier than others to comply.

Now I move into my questions.

Yes.

Okay.

So there are some parts of our training that have been the same for dozens of years because laws haven't changed or policies with the state haven't changed.

But every single time we have a academy, we do have to update all of our syllabuses and all of our topics for that we're teaching in the academy based on legal updates, based on uh a myriad of other things, uh, including what a PATA comes forward with and says that they need to have this particular topic taught, or there's a new avenue to uh to teach something.

Um so every year we do.

Uh two years ago, I believe it was uh when Lieutenant Tony took over, um, he did a major kind of overhaul of our training, um, including um adding different uh training courses like ICAT and also doing uh different uh community-based uh service hours with our cadets to get them out into the community working at the boys and girls club or serving dinners or picking up uh trash at parks or something like that.

Um that is something that he added to the Academy for Service Hours.

So there was a major overhaul done two to three years ago, but every year, every time we have academy, we have to refresh that training, and that goes for our in-service training as well.

Uh every year there are certain things that are required by the state, um, and there are certain uh portions of that training that is changed, whether via law or updates and best practices, so those trainings get uh amended every year as well.

I want to go back to uh ICAT.

Um I did some research on ICAT um I could because I did not see it in I didn't see it.

I don't even know what I received because I asked for we asked for specific things from the administration, and I'll tell you what we got.

I got the the class schedule, that's all I got.

I actually wanted to see the content of what we worked with because I was looking at ICAT and I have some research here because as I stand up and I say it, I want to change.

This is the change that I'm talking about.

Um it says ICAT training um was associated with a statistical significant 28% reduction in the use of force in Louisville Metro officers, and I don't know if you know that statistic, but is there a reduction in our police department um in the use of force?

Do you know that?

I I don't know that now.

It's something that it is relatively new for our academy training, and this is the first year for our earns in service training that we're actually giving it to all officers.

Um so it is a relatively new program, so to have any kind of uh statistical analysis of that program right now and to be able to make the correlation to the program itself, I I don't think we're there yet.

Okay, so I I I definitely dug into this ICAT and I actually like that we're using that because it also says that is there's a decline in citizen injuries 26%.

There was a decline 36% and reduction of injury to officers.

Um I definitely want to want to dig into that and see how we can incorporate that more.

Also, the uh do we use anything from the Ohio State University, um John Glenn College of Public Affairs because they're doing some good things there and they have grant part grant funding for these programs.

Are we using anything from there that you know of?

Uh I don't know if there's any of the specific programs that we're teaching came directly from there because a lot of our stuff comes via the state as well.

So the state could be uh kind of piggybacking off of Ohio State there to for the program and introducing it into a paddle.

It is something that uh by referral we can take to see if there's any of that training that is actually right into our programs.

And I'll I'll go ahead and do that.

Georgetown Law Center also has some information, some programs that they're using.

It's called ABO, active bystanders for law enforcement.

Um do you know if that actually is being used in training?

I do not recognize that specific uh program as part of our training curriculum.

Okay, so I'll just send a referral just so that we can go through it because I think that this will definitely benefit our community based off what happened the other day.

You and I had a great discussion, and I think that um you understand my position and I understand yours.

My position is I'm a black woman.

I'm advocate for black women.

I I I got I raised black women, I take care of black women.

Um the incident that happened on this past weekend um in my district was unfortunate, and I felt like it was unnecessary.

Um I understand the position that the police have to take.

Um I understand that.

I understand that that doesn't make it right.

So uh thank you for being here to listen to the community, and I'm not gonna keep talking because everybody heard my voice enough.

Um and I want to make sure everyone is clear um on where I stand.

I do not believe that young lady was treated fairly.

I do not think that the children were treated fairly, and I probably never will.

Um I I feel like that there is some things that could have been done better.

Um I have been educated from people in the community, I've been educated from you, and I still believe she was still treated unfairly.

I think that um as a as a mother of a uh a young woman that I had to teach at 10 and I had to learn at 10.

Um it's unfortunate.

Um District 4 is probably I call the police more than any other district, I think.

I think so.

I think I do.

I mean, let's be clear, I got the most concentration of poverty in my district.

So I have to call the police, and I want the police to be safe and also the residents to be safe.

And the situation that happened was not safe for either residents or police.

Um I'll read Dr.

Jones and then I'm gonna let the the public speak uh to this because um I want them to I want them to have their opportunity to voice their concerns.

This is Dr.

Jones.

Good afternoon, President Williams.

Um I was not able to meet tonight's meeting for my prior engagement.

Good evening.

Please accept my apologies for my absence due to my son's appointment because this is an important meeting.

I felt the need to share my words.

I know most of you are here to express yourself concerning the abuse of that young lady.

As I stated during President Williams press conference, what happened was unacceptable.

It was abuse, a use of excessive force and a display of dominance due to a fractured ego.

This was a traumatic core memory for that young lady that will carry call for therapy, her rebuilding trust, dealing with her fear of police and working towards being a productive human being again.

I stand with President Williams in asking for a full investigation and all charges drop.

The officer involved should not hold any police position in the police department or similar job.

This incident has crumbled all the work invested in police community relations.

As a black woman, daughter, friend, sister, aunt, and now mother to two black daughters and a son.

I fear for their future in this city.

This is not how I envision a world for them.

I want to thank all who are standing up against this behavior and calling for change.

I stand with you and want to work with you all to protect our youth, especially black girls.

Sincerely, councilwoman Dr.

Brittany Jones.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Um Council President Williams.

Thank you, Dr.

Brittany Jones, in your absence.

Thank you.

Just two quick questions.

Our um police are they trained in any curriculum around childhood development or milestones?

Yes.

That actually is a very interesting question.

I know as an educator, like we there are definite milestones that we have.

Yep.

So there is training along juveniles and but to say the milestones of the development, I I don't know for sure.

Um by referral, I'll look into that and see exactly if the juvenile training actually covers those specific topics.

Okay.

And then do we have disability and accessibility training for our officers as well?

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Councilwoman Kramer.

Thank you.

And I kind of want to piggyback off uh councilmember Gaddis's uh question.

And I wondered when the last time our de-escalation uh techniques, when was that training last updated?

That's been updated uh every year for the last several years actually, and the ICAT actually builds into that de-escalation training.

So that being a new program actually goes a larger step forward than just straight de-escalation training that we've been uh training for the last several years.

Um watching that video, was did the officer use the de-escalation techniques that he was taught?

Because it doesn't seem like it was an appropriate use of de-escalation techniques.

So as far as using de-escalation training that he's taught that's so here's um we're currently investigating the um the incident and our internal affairs is doing that.

And I'd be I'm very careful on the public statements I make before the investigation is complete because I do not want to influence one way or other that investigation.

So in the internal affairs, while it's been stated and in truth does uh report directly to the chief of police, the captain there and myself have a standing rule that I don't get involved in the investigation itself because I am very big on letting the investigation go where the investigation goes.

And once he has that investigation completed and then briefs me on it, that's when we start talking about the different aspects of the case.

Um so I do I I will make some I'll make a blanket statement that I don't think that you know there is always room for improvement.

These were very young officers that actually graduated from their academy in January of 2025.

So there they are very young officers that there is uh need for growing and experience, and they will get better as time goes on, just like every other we have to have order, please.

We have to have order.

Please respect, as we will give respect to everyone that is speaking, please.

So from my perspective, not talking about the policies and or um procedures that were used that may be subject to discipline.

I will say that there is always room for improvement, and there are certain aspects of the stop in the incident that I've had some conversations with that I think need improvement.

Um where it will get down to our internal investigation is whether or not those areas of improvement boil down to procedures or policy or legal violations, because that's what our discipline is based on.

One final question.

What's the timeline for the investigation?

So I actually believe this one will be done fairly soon.

Um they it's uh something that our internal affairs took immediately and started investigating.

Um so they they are pushing forward as fast as they can on this one.

Um technically they have uh depending on whether it's considered a minor or major, they have certain timelines by contract, but uh those are usually like 90 days.

That is not going to take that long.

That is something that we have prioritized, and I I anticipate within the next week we'll have a decision on it.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Colmees.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon, Chief and Deputy Chief.

Thanks for being here.

Um I'm curious about recruitment.

Um the class begins next Friday, so do we have demographical information on those members that we're hiring and how many of them are from Toledo?

We do have that information.

I'll have to give it to you by referral.

I just don't have that information in front of me right now.

Okay.

I will take it by referral.

Also, by way of referral, I would like to see a list of all of the tickets that have been issued over the last three years for jaywalking.

And I'm gonna ask our um information.

I'm also gonna ask our IT department to map those out for us so we can see.

Sure.

The actual comments that said we had word that the officers actually did not elevate their language until several times of trying to talk to the mom about standing back.

And several times the mother was swearing at the officer, swearing at the officer.

There is been proven whether you call it verbal judo or wherever you want to talk.

Sometimes raising your language, your voice to the level is the only way you can get attention to then start being heard.

So that is the comment what I made to Mr.

Murray.

Okay.

I appreciate you clarifying.

I would also love to I'm gonna do some research and look at it.

I I find it to be interesting.

At least I I certainly don't appreciate when someone cusses at me, and it certainly doesn't make me feel calmer when somebody does that.

Um I also have a belief that if I were in a situation in the public and I were getting into uh if if somebody was yelling at me, I'm I'm not gonna match their their tone.

I'm gonna choose to take a higher road.

I'm gonna choose to be a professional in that situation and not rise to the level that we witnessed in the video.

And I think it's important.

I think it's important that we all remember the importance of service and what that means and and what it means when we I I think that we've done a real disservice with this, unfortunately.

And I appreciate the comments made about uh breaking of trust.

I I I'm fearful for this summer.

I think that what we just what we are seeing now is uh is a a lot of kids who feel like they may be targeted.

Um you know, tensions are already high.

There's an awful lot happening in the economy politically, globally.

Um we are short on a budget, we are gonna have fewer opportunities for kids to have uh summer opportunities to potentially keep them out of trouble.

And I just really think that this is a really excellent opportunity for the police department to truly show uh their work toward remedying uh fixing fixing this relationship that exists between the public and police.

And so I appreciate that you've been a part of conversations so far, and I would also appreciate I think today if you could stay for some time today uh and listen to the public as well.

Um I know that you all are busy and many of us may also leave a little bit early if we have to to, but I think it would be really great if you could stay for some time.

I always do.

I um you also mentioned uh that these officers were new, and so uh I I will also request by way of referral any disciplines or actions taken uh that are on the record for uh Officer Routson.

Um since this experience has happened, I I have been reached out to by several people uh about his behavior in the community, um, including uh an incident that happened at a Lagrange at the LaGrange Street Library where he was raising his voice, cussing and screaming at librarians uh that are there.

I've requested that information from the library, and I will be sharing it with you when I receive it.

So thank you very much.

I want to say I'm asking everyone, please, as we get ready to start comments tonight to observe.

I'm asking everyone to please listen to everyone else, whether we agree or disagree with comments being made there by our police chief, deputy chief.

I'm asking everyone to please be respectful of everyone else and listen.

Number two, you have three clocks here.

One, two, and there.

Each person that has been asked what is requesting to speak will have three minutes.

So you will be able to see the clock.

I see what the time is, and because we have uh so many that are asking to speak.

Um I think right now we have 20 or 21.

We are going to hold you to the three minutes, please.

Please use the clock and stay to the three minutes.

And then uh lastly, I'm going to do my best to pronounce everybody's name properly.

The names are written in cursive.

If you've at set up here, some of them are extremely hard to read.

I am not trying to be disrespectful to you.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you.

I am going to do my best to read the name.

Thank you.

Number one, first we have Miss Brenda Gibson.

Do we come down?

Yes, ma'am.

Please come.

Right here to the podium, Miss Gibson.

Does it clock start now?

Oh, sorry.

Um, hi, thank you so much for giving us this opportunity, first of all and foremost to be here as a community.

My husband and I have lived in Toledo now 26 years, and we're planning on retiring here.

I'm already retired.

Um, really love this community, and now that I'm in retirement, I have much more time to kind of notice what's really going on.

And um our son sent me the video, and it hurt my heart as a mom, as a community member, and what really sunk me was I'm a white woman that can move around freely in our community.

I never had to be trained how to respond to police when I was growing up.

And I grew up in St.

Louis, Missouri, and um kind of a rough area.

Um, but I want to really kind of keep it simple, um, because I don't want to take up anybody's time, but I'm wondering if um when such a situation is so it's so stressful, it's a stressful experience.

The and and I could see that, and what you were saying, President Williams, is you know, do 15-year-olds even have the capacity to understand what had happened.

I have walked down our street, I don't know how many times, middle of the street, just having a good time, never even fearing that I would be pulled over.

The only time I've been pulled over is speeding.

Sorry, but um, and even that was cordial, completely cordial.

Ma'am, do you know what you were doing?

Yes, I was speeding.

You know, um, so I'm wondering if it could be something as simple as instead of training just with with black parents, could it be in grade schools as social justice class that say know your rights, know your parents' rights, know your neighbor rights, and things like that that could actually bring the community together and coordinate like that so you don't feel like the burden is on parents, the burden is on the police to teach while you're doing your job.

But what I kept coming back to when I was kind of doing some research is it's not the re the burden of de-escalation does not fall on private citizens.

And I really liked what you said, um, council member.

I don't know how to pronounce that really struck me as it does fall on police officers to de-escalate it.

And I don't believe bad language would do that.

I would think that would keep escalating it.

You're gonna get mad, I'm gonna get mad.

And the only way that poor girl had to fight back was to spit.

You know, it if I'm cornered like somebody, I I would come out fighting too.

I look to policemen to actually calm things down, and I didn't see that at all in that time frame.

They were asked to, you know, why were you know, trying to keep them safe?

Well, then they called them back into the street to talk about what they had done.

So that didn't make sense.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Gibson.

Good evening, everyone.

Uh to Councilwoman uh Williams, excellent, excellent um news conference.

Um, some of you may know me, some of you may not.

My name is Maurice Morris.

Uh I used to be a law enforcement officer.

Um, as of February of this year, I now hold a current Ohio Peace Officers uh certification.

So I have the same certification the both of you have.

I grew up in law enforcement, father, uncles.

I'm from Charleston, South Carolina.

Well, your modern day policing started called the slave patrol.

So I grew up in law enforcement, but I also grew up understanding what law enforcement was all about and how uh I should move about my community.

I do understand the culture in law enforcement is not good towards the black people all across the country.

There is a video that's surfacing now of a white deputy sheriff taking a black female to jail, and he said, You want to know why white people are afraid of you, how you look, your violent tendencies.

And that's just not only in that area, it's across the country.

To the chief.

No, I'm sorry, I need to step back.

This was considered a pretextual stop.

You know what pretextual stops are.

Because they could do it, doesn't mean that they should do it.

Because she was in violation of a Toledo ordinance.

The cops thought by stopping that they could find a bigger crime that's pretextual stop.

And sometimes pretextual stops are used on black people across this country as punishment.

One million incidents resulted in use of force used by law enforcement.

If you're black, you're two to four times more likely to have force used against you than if you're white.

And I'm gonna leave with this.

This is from Connie Rice.

The purpose of American policing is to control the contained populations of people who aren't meant to be in society.

That's a problem.

That's the prevailing attitude among police officers, white police officers.

We want, I'm pro-police, anti-corruption.

We want good police officers that's going to serve our community, but respect us for who we are.

This is what we need.

Now you offered uh during the meeting we had with the NWCP that we could come and be a part or at least listen to your DX escalation classes.

I'm gonna take you up on that.

I want to see that I just went through it last month or a couple months ago, so I'm all about that.

What we need now is we need some type of a unification because this summer is not going to be a good one.

Thank you.

I believe Audrey Ramsey.

Hello, City Council.

My name is Audrey Ramsey.

I am a spiritual leader in this city.

I am a grief pastor of sorts.

Um I retired from General Motors after 36.4 years.

Uh I work with a lot of people who are hurting.

Um, and I have a business in the city.

I want to know, Chief, how did you view the video?

I want to know what you saw.

Okay, but I want them to answer that because at dinner, as me and my husband sat and we watched the video together.

This is what we saw.

We saw police officers going speeding down the street.

It seemed that as they were speeding, they passed some boys playing basketball in the street, they ran the stop sign, went around the block, and targeted some teenagers who could have been crossing the street instead of walking in the street.

I'm like councilman here.

I am so fearful for this summer.

It breaks my heart to see what that family went through on that video.

My next question to you is how do you think that African American officers would have handled that same situation because I guarantee you they would have handled it differently.

Hey, y'all, get out the street.

Walking on the street is illegal or against the law.

And then for him, he is supposed to be a professional, higher standard in service work.

You guys are supposed to protect and serve us.

I got a lastly, I got a Facebook post I want to read to you.

This is my niece.

So yesterday, my 15-year-old grandson was walking back from the family dollar on Bancroft and Forrest to basically cross the street to East London Square by himself.

He had encountered three black unmarked undercover SUVs, pull up on him because he crossed the street in the middle of four.

They told him that he was jaywalking.

They asked him for his ID.

Had he ever been in trouble?

He gave him a Central Catholic ID and told them that he had never been in trouble.

They scared him to death.

Good evening, council members.

I'm a mother, grandmother, great grandmother.

I have daughters.

What I saw on that video, I was appalled.

That young lady, first of all, they asked for ID.

Why would she have to have ID to walk down the street?

That street had no sidewalks.

I bet you this morning, that child's body felt like a whole army battalion walked over it.

That young man that is working, still working.

He's only been on the force for a year.

He just should be still on probation.

I don't believe that he stopped her just to be stopping.

Our Gerald crawled up his butt and he was in for just wanted to do something.

I really do.

Because it was uncalled for.

No, no, no, no.

That's wrong.

And as far as the cursing, that was uncalled for as well.

The name calling.

If I know if the shoe was on the opposite foot, I know that we would not have been suspended.

I mean, still working.

We would have been laid off, uh fired.

And I know that.

But I'm not saying that you should you know stop doing what you're doing because I have police officers, like I said, on both sides.

But I like to know what McDonald's was he at for the coffee and have coffee and friends with the police officers.

He should not even be on the police force.

Twin years old, only been on there a year, and this is how he's doing and showing his how he uh uh share himself.

In a year.

In a year.

He still should be on probation.

Thank you.

Hello, and thank you so much for allowing me to speak tonight.

Thank you, Council Chair and Council President Williams.

I appreciate your strong um press conference.

We really needed that.

And um, I'm gonna direct my questions to counsel um because I believe the bigger issue here is accountability, and the the police department is operating the way they've been operating.

So I would like to ask you a few questions.

Um, when I first became aware of this incident, I sent three separate emails.

The first was to the civilian police review board, which I quickly found out is no longer functioning.

That might be a city of Toledo question.

Um I sent an email to all the members of City Council, and I'd like to thank uh councilwomen McPherson and Kramer for responding, and also Councilman Sermanto for taking the time to um reply to my email, and then I also sent an email to the mayor, and I appreciate his assistance reply for addressing all of my questions.

And so this afternoon I would like to take this opportunity to ask my questions directly to counsel while I'm standing before you.

We've also seen the video, and so what I want to know is what policies govern use of force on minors and how are those policies being enforced and overseen.

I don't expect you to probably answer all of these now, and I I don't mind following up to my email.

Um what actions are taking are you taking to ensure this incident is independently reviewed and addressed?

And I believe you might have answered that already.

What oversight role will you play to ensure accountability in this matter?

And how will you ensure the public is informed of the outcome of this investigation?

And then I I would also like to add another question.

Um will community policing ever come back, or how will you enforce or introduce that back to the community?

And that is all.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Georgia Daniel, and I am an uh adjunct professor of women's studies, racism, and sexism, and currently I'm a community activist through the National Action Network, founded by Reverend Al Sharpton.

And what I found in looking at the video was totally appalling.

Chief racism.

That's racism.

To our council president, council members, committee members.

Thank you for putting this on the agenda.

Thank you, Council President, for your strong stand.

I am demanding as a taxpaying citizen that the officer be fired.

Second, I am demanding that all charges be dismissed against the young lady.

And third, I'm asking that we reinstitute a civilian board with the citizens.

I think it was a billion-dollar budget.

What percent of that budget is going toward our youth?

Our youth are our future.

I don't have to tell you that, but I'm saying it again.

Our youth are our future.

And we need to take we need to take control of this.

Chief, I don't know you, but I trust that you will take this very seriously.

Our community is hurting because of this.

Angelo says, when you know better, you do better.

We can do it.

Thank you.

Brother Washington Mohammed.

I'm Brother Washington Mohammed, co-founder of CSRN and also an active and registered member of the Nation of Islam here in Toledo and a CSRN.

We put together a lot of the Black Lives Matter protests, the defund the police and the end qualified immunity.

I want to thank you for allowing me to speak these few words.

I want to thank President Williams.

We love you, we respect you.

My wife is black.

My mother is black.

My sister is black.

My daughter-in-law is a black.

And um it was six years ago in May when we had the Toledo Police accountability rally.

All of us showed up with t-shirts and flip-flops, and it was the Toledo police force that showed up with snipers on the roof.

We're showing up peaceful.

And they know it.

It was us that were uh pepper sprayed and tear gas.

It was us that was shot by rubber and wooden bullets.

It was us that sold the city of Toledo for 1.2 million dollars in one.

I want to thank Councilman Harper, Sykes, and Raleigh, Riley, because I don't think you all realize that they were on the forefront of police reform.

They were this closed, they were this closed before they were betrayed in our community.

They were betrayed by their own.

And I stand on that.

The city, the city of Toluna put together after our uh rally, its own civilian review board, which was one of the weakest boards of Viberson was cherry-picked with some of the most compliant, white made, handkerchief, people that I know.

And within a few months, they couldn't even stand their own selves.

That's why that doesn't exist today.

I say the CSR, and we've already drafted the framework for our own independent review board that doesn't need the police and friends of the police for us to be able to charge them.

Why shouldn't they have they deserve uh a hard night's sleep?

They deserve to be traumatized by their own guys.

We can no longer continue to just have uh President Williams come out and stand in front.

Dr.

Jones to come out and stand up in front, make the come.

When is it gonna be our time to say enough is enough and make our community a safe and decent place to live?

I want to thank you, um Councilman Hobbes, for chairing this.

Um, this is my passion, and I believe that this summer will be great if we take the lead.

We have to take the lead, they work for us.

I am a lot.

All right, they work for us.

So let's act like it.

Thank you.

Beatrice Daniels.

Uh Bishop Thomas.

Mr.

Thomas J.

Thomas.

Good evening, City Council members.

Uh-huh.

I am not here to test a resident, but I am here as a mother of two daughters, two black daughters.

And when I seen that video about a 15-year-old child being harassed, physically attacked, and abused by an officer over jaywalking.

I didn't hear just a news story.

I saw my own daughters.

I thought about them walking down the street, maybe laughing, maybe distracted, maybe just being kids.

And the idea that a simple mistake turned into fear, force, or harms at the hands of someone of authority, is unacceptable.

Jaywalking is not a violent crime.

It does not justify aggression.

And it certainly doesn't justify traumatizing a child.

As a mother, I have raised my daughters to respect authority.

But I also need to know that authority will respect them.

Right now, my trust feels broken.

I have a daughter that's eight hours away, learning to be a dog.

I don't know what I would do if I got a caught apart being abused by an officer in a new city.

Because what message are we sending to our young black girls and all of our black children?

When an interaction over something so minor escalates like this, that they should be afraid, that they are not safe in their own neighborhoods.

We cannot accept that.

Not just as an isolated incident, but as a warning sign that we need stronger de escalation training, especially when officers are dealing with minors, black minors in black neighborhoods.

Clear accountability when that training fails, transparency, so families like mine know the truth about what happened and what will be done to prevent it from happening again.

And we also need to know that officers are leading by examples.

It's about every black child, including my black daughters who deserve to grow up feeling safe, protected, and respected in this city, more so country.

I shouldn't have to fear for them doing something as simple as walking in the street.

So I ask you guys do better for them and for all of us.

Thank you.

As we move forward, we're trying to fix our clock.

So we'll keep it ready.

All right.

Um I think I have Nicole L or Nicole.

It's no last name here, just says Nicole.

I can give you that if it's needed.

I can give you, I can provide that if it's needed.

Okay.

No mail, no mail.

I just wanted to make sure I'll call the right Nicole.

My name's Nicole.

I don't have any fancy credentials.

I'm just a citizen that would like to share some points that may or may not be reflective of what everyone here is talking about.

Um, I think Toledo Fire is gone.

But Teresa Gaddis, can somebody give her some support in East Toledo and all the houses that are have been marked by TFD?

How long?

How long do we wait?

Because in three months, this conversation will be another tragedy, right?

So Teresa Gaddis deserves some help in East Toledo and getting these houses torn down.

Um Toledo Fire and TPD, neither um shared any diversity numbers.

I did see the video.

I do have concerns that are maybe maybe because there was no data shared specific to this.

Does our people that wear a uniform for Toledo Fire and Toledo Police reflect the members of this community?

Do they have enough color that when they go into those neighborhoods is reflective of safety and trust?

And what we do today, whether you're a citizen, normal person, you know, not on council, what we do today will reflect who's serving in these uniforms in five years.

Um I have I have no idea.

Maybe we do have good numbers.

20 people, I don't know what of those 20 new recruits that are coming in.

I hope that there's a couple that are not white men.

Um TPD, I hope that there's some sort of program that offers council and other members in our community that can understand what citizen programs are to help.

But I also want to um I'm a little disheartened about some of the conversations that have been going on this week.

As a single woman, if there is something that happens in, I don't want to take matters in my own hands.

I don't want my neighbor to avoid calling 911 because he can handle it.

We do not deserve Trayvon, another Trayvon Martin situation.

We deserve in Toledo a peaceful society, and as somebody said, we can coexist and live in harmony.

I I truly believe that.

Um I hope that the four individuals who beat down the elderly man a couple weeks ago in the courthouse.

I hope they are taught better.

I hope that elderly man feels safe soon in Toledo.

Whether he's I think he's unhoused individual.

Um that's our three.

Am I done?

The jaywalking.

Um I cringe every time I'm through uh Central and C Corps, somebody is not crossing in the intersection.

So the numbers that went up on squads that went out.

Thank you, Miss Nicole.

That's your three minutes.

Thank you.

John Bibbish.

Thank you.

I'm here to um brighten the atmosphere.

The first good news is I don't have any questions for you, Chief Trindley.

And I'm also want to congratulate City Council as a whole for passing the $500,000 supplemental appropriation for a police presence in West Toledo, and specifically to thank Councilwoman Gaddis, Councilman Seranto, Councilwoman Kramer, and Councilman Driscoll for supporting that legislation.

Now we've got a 500,000, and but I am here to make a request of the safety committee.

And that's that request is simply that they pass a con pass a referral to either the administration or to the or to safety administration to ask for a specific project plan on how that $500,000 is going to be spent this year for the implementation of a location pro I suppose on the corner of Jackman in Sylvania.

Project plans are how things get done.

Timelines, charts that show completion dates or percentages of completion, responsible parties, or how things are done properly, and for this amount of money being dedicated by city council, I don't think anything less is adequate.

It'll keep everybody under toes to reward the successful and keep an eye on the rest.

Thank you very much.

Um shoemaker.

What is it?

Aisha shoemaker, I disha shoemaker, I disha.

Well, I wanted to applaud Miss Williams.

Um really felt empowered as a black woman and a black mother when you were speaking.

But I am a mother of five boys, and I'm a mother of two daughters.

And it was bro, and when I seen that video, it broke my heart.

And it took me back to a time like 10 years ago when I got stopped by the police.

I was I was just sitting in the car with my friend and her and her cousin, and your police officers came and told us to get out the car and pat me down, you know, and y'all didn't have a reason.

You know what I'm saying?

But I just feel like as a black woman, we should be protected.

And that day, Friday, them them kids wasn't protected.

I'm just gonna be honest.

And I have and I personally have sat, you know, with you at the table, you know, when Gerald Rose came.

And you remember we had a conversation, and you were like, Oh, I don't have no bad apples, and I said, We got bad apples in the world.

I said, You got bad apples, you know, in your department.

And Friday, you had your bad apples out there, and I just feel like everybody, even your other officers didn't do the code of conduct because at the end of the day, when my partner is going something foul, nobody stopped them.

So I just feel like something needs to be done because it's all kids that suffer, you know, like eventually I'll be a grandmama in boohoo years.

I don't want to have this story or see anybody else go through this story.

But we do need to come together, and we do need to come up with a plan, and we do need to be up close and honest, because all I can see is that was redlining.

It's straight with redlining, and and and I I even went to a meeting about redlining, and I just could not sit there.

I said, you know, we're discriminated constantly, as black women, like you know, you know, I'm in the documentary about infant mortality and losing babies or whatever.

But to see my see our babies out there suffering, and nobody was there to help, code of conduct was broken.

So something's gotta something's gotta be, something's gotta give, and folks need to be honest.

Yes.

Yes.

Hello, um council uh chair, um East Williams, council members, Chief Trodell.

Thank you, everyone for having this meeting.

Um the reason uh why I'm here today is um I have a personal issue with the Toledo Police Department.

I won't get into that.

I'm here because I have I live in West Toledo, but I have family and friends who own businesses and residential and commercial properties in North Toledo.

Okay.

I'm a proud citizen of Toledo, and the Toledo police department right now is not making me proud at all.

I don't believe it should make anyone proud at all.

Recently, the mayor came and he announced that he wants to draw people into the city of Toledo.

I have people in Atlanta, Georgia, who have heard about this incident in Toledo.

It is national news about how a Toledo police officer, a grown man, body slammed a 15-year-old girl to the ground.

You can call it taking her down, restraining her, placing handcuffs on her.

But the fact of the matter is it was a minor misdemeanor that was alleged in the first place.

The Ohio revised code 4511 defines pedestrians walking in street.

The first clause of that states that if the people don't move out of the way, the children in this video moved out of the way.

Second of all, second of all, the police vehicles all have a Yelp button in there.

We all know what that yelp button is.

But in this situation, they chose not to uh use that Yelp button.

The equipment that they had in their patrol vehicles.

I heard that proposed new training should be uh instituted.

I would like to know what is wrong with the training that is in place before any officer becomes a Toledo police officer, they have to be certified.

They go through a rigorous academy and training out there in Petysburg.

The Toledo Police Department has a social media site, and they post, they even posted today and yesterday about the upcoming events.

Okay.

So when you have those training academies, Mr.

Dorn.

Thank you, Mr.

Dorn.

That's your time.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

The Toledo police officers, policies, the procedures that are already in place.

And we don't want officers called.

That is your time, sir.

It says Carla Thomas again.

Is there another Carla Thomas here?

Did she already speak?

I already spoke.

Okay, I'm sorry, your name is on two different sheets.

I apologize.

I apologize.

Alicia Lawson.

Alicia Lawson.

Thank you.

Sorry, Alicia Lawson.

Thank you.

Um I just want to say that uh Chief Trent Trinley, right?

Um, you know, we grew up with police being our heroes.

You know, I always wanted to be a police officer because I wanted to be a hero.

And I invited you to come and talk at the period made spaces downtown.

Thank you, Venice, for showing up yourself.

And um at our grand opening three years ago.

You spoke, and you spoke about safety downtown for you know, for everybody there, and they they asked you a lot of questions.

You did a great job.

And I told you that my husband and I, we practice de-escalation because we're opening the first African American, you know, off of superior made spaces.

You know, we branched off of that.

We partnered with Metro Parks, and uh we're opening the first African American, you know, RV park here in near Toledo in Swan.

It was rough, okay.

A lot of people left because we were black.

That's fine, we're used to it.

De-escalation.

We opened the first African American RV resort in Alabama.

Okay, it sold quickly, we came back home.

We're from Toledo.

First camp at Gunkle, okay, Duke Moe College, all right, had a good time.

All right.

But I want to say that with de-escalation, it was tough.

My husband still struggles with it.

But we have to put our pride down.

We have to help.

We have to say hello first.

We have to let that person scream and holler.

But you know, we have to stand there with pride.

We have to stand there and we have to take it.

And we have to show love regardless.

We have to show them that we care because we are humans.

We have to show them that, no matter what they're doing.

Our goal is to make sure they're safe and to make sure that the situation is handled with the utmost professionalism.

That's what we do.

I'm very disappointed at this video.

Let's put the girl aside for a minute that was thrown to the ground.

Let's talk about the young man that had his hands, had to put his hands out, okay?

Let's talk about him because had he ran, he'd be dead.

Okay.

I mean, let's let's face it.

This young girl may have saved his life because he had to deal with her.

I feel for the fact that hey, she she got thrown down, maybe a broken arm.

Had he ran, he wouldn't be here today.

Or for a J Walk.

Okay.

I asked you at the meeting, is there anything we can do to help you know, maybe get involved with the community.

We have practiced de-escalation so bad, and you know, we got a grand opening coming up, and it's a it's a struggle.

Black and white, you know, they're all fighting to be, you know, part of this, but my husband and I take one stand.

Look, we're campers first.

We are human, we love everybody, and we stick to that.

No matter what we do, we stick to that.

You're gonna have to make a decision here soon.

You're gonna have to get off the awesome, that's your time.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, all of our council members.

Uh for Mr.

Halls to pay attention so they're not gonna lose the own explanatory of the person that spoke before me.

Only kidding about that.

I will not talk about anything that's been talked about because I think you heard them quite clearly.

But I do want to clarify as a little more that what the chief and I talked about already that uh councilman comes, I asked him, and I asked the chief, when is using propriety word de-escalation?

So it's not just a discussion as he put it, it was greater than that.

And we should have been line for the clock.

I was troubled by the fact in talking with the chief, and others who were present, but the officer and all officers involved was still patrol in the area or a little bit of this way to the extent that I asked the mayor, who was present.

And to the large credit, but we directed order to put in the order on the chief told the world person from the labor affected readily because our lady passed in the short patrol in the soul area.

That should ever have occurred.

Well, I did not and had not prior to talk about credentials, but I retired your lawyer case professor, former professor vice probability for the University of Toledo and assistant to the president of the University of Toledo.

I'm also a former commissioner for the city of Calebs, and the first African American big commissioner in this position because I won all the rooms for the civil service commissioner in Columbus, as well as when we're hawking with sitting behind you here.

I want more civil service rooms.

I also developed the chest for firefighters and police officers.

So along with a pretty source of goals through, we take a test, bought the culture, and both the realtor.

I am troubled by the fact that the chief did not belong the person with an active duty, not withstanding the fact that even after collective Bible and agreement with their grade Bible officers and the women of the public of the collective bargaining law.

Because I am one of the authors of the state of public relationship for collective bargaining stable house.

So I don't understand collective bargaining too.

So having said that, and more about the clock, it is disrespectful at this for the chief, not to have a role, but officer, temporarily a public.

And I do understand but the police called state.

In fact, while we talk about that, O'Shea Jones, so many years ago, was he doing idea?

But an officer, whole detective.

She got promoted.

That is not good political relations.

I see y'all about three seconds over.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Bactero.

I believe it is Janessa Bugatti, I think.

I'm sorry if I didn't say that correctly.

No, you said it exactly the way.

Thank you.

Uh giving honor, power, glory, praise to the most high who strengthens me and guides me.

Also to Emmanuel, the true son of the most high.

Blessing City Council, Toledo Police Department, and the community.

Thank you all for being here.

President Williams, uh, thank you for that clarification.

I understood you, however, I do understand why it might not need to have been addressed.

As a military brat, I grew up sitting on the curb waving at police officers.

I love that you were all brave enough to serve and protect.

However, my heart is sad, not broken, just hurt.

This is why.

From before 2020 until now, I have kept my eye on Toledo Police Department, and I felt as though you all had been making necessary changes to be above all the controversy.

Even telling my children that there are right and wrong behaviors and everything.

So to still wave at the police officers, to still respect them and to still hold true to what I had taught them about police officers.

That it's how you handle a situation, how a hand situation is handled by the administration that should be remembered.

Right now, all I remember is that a peace police officer is not being held to his expectations, and yet you are comfortable charging a still developing teenager with charges.

Now I fear that the force might have might have only just gotten better about hiding their behaviors.

I wrote this poem called 56 Signatures.

On July 4th, they wrote the declaration.

It stated, we come together to create this great nation.

That government was put in place to bring injustice to an end.

All men created equal, that's the American blend.

What happens when a government is destructive from within?

It's our job as it says it's our job as the people to come together and abolish it then.

Once the old one is torn down, a new one can stand tall.

The key is to not let the good old boys in at all.

How do we do that?

How do we keep the government clean?

Just look at who's being mean.

If it isn't fair, if the judge isn't fair, don't be nervous, don't be scared, stand up and stand tall.

Corruption can't win it all.

I have a quote that thank you.

I have a quote that says, racism thinks it will cause us to sin, not having hate for races.

That's how we win.

Toledo says we can do better in Toledo.

Now it's a it's time to prove we can do better in Toledo.

I'm concerned about this summer, but I'm faithful in the Toledo Police Department and the community that you will and we will come together to resolve all the issues that we're having, and we realize above.

We are in Ohio, the heart-shaped state of America.

We are the exact pulse that John F.

Kennedy was talking about.

We have to change.

Thank you very much.

Have a blessed day.

I believe this is LaShayna Alfred.

Alf Alf Alfred.

Thank you.

Sorry.

Hello, and thank you.

Um, I just wanted to come on, come up to share something behind the scenes that you may not know.

So I am a licensed independent social worker.

I'm the CEO of Youth Change, Behavioral Health, and the president of Legacy Change Consulting and Training, and also an adjunct professor at the university teaching social master level social works classes.

I had the opportunity to do culture sensitivity training with the police, want me police department.

And um, one of the evaluations, they said this was the first non white that we had teaching a cultural sensitivity training.

The other thing I wanted to share was some of my students, and I thank God that I get an opportunity to really impact and influence the lives of young minds.

And I had a young man who was in a class.

He said, I want to go to be a police officer.

So I'm not the normal everyday type of professor, adjunct professor.

I'd like to get to the root.

So I asked the question, well, why?

He said, because I want to get I want to deal with the bad people.

So now I'm like, okay, yeah, because I'm from the hood.

So you know, I want to know who are these bad people?

He said, drug dealers.

So now I'm like, okay, because there's certain words that's associated with certain cultures.

So now I asked the question.

I said, okay, well, when you say bad people, tell me a little bit more.

Who he said, well, drug dealers.

And so as we began to talk, he shared a story about his dad being on drugs.

And so he contributed his trauma as a child to the bad drug dealers, right?

Who affected his life.

So now just think about we having these individuals on the police force who is literally targeting because they have their own undealt with trauma.

And so I know please don't hear the um, you know, the communicate the community and come in and have a stance as if it's us against you, right?

It's not that.

It's us against the problem.

And so as I I literally thank you, I literally had to not see a trauma client because I needed to be here today.

And I was like, man, God, what was this that I seen on this video?

And I'm gonna share with you what I seen.

I seen arrogance and pride come up against trauma.

And so when those two collaged, this is exactly what we're gonna have.

I've seen implicit bias because in certain cultures or communities, they don't think people care.

But this situation let them know that they were wrong.

The community does care.

We care, and it's not about you against us.

It should be about us against the problem.

And so while they're asking about trainings, as a trainer, I understand that you can have the best practice curriculum, but if you have the wrong people training it, it really doesn't matter.

Thank you.

And so thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you, Dr.

Alfred.

Sabina Rodriguez, if I said that correctly, Sabina.

What is it?

Sabina Rodriguez.

And after she has spoken, our last speaker will be Nate Lawson.

How are you?

My name is Sabina Rodriguez, and I carry a lot of hats, but the most important hat that I carry is a mother.

I come up here as a mother.

We've had interactions.

When he was originally arrested, he was charged with disorderly conduct because they said he used curse words.

After they were on the tape, they said he used a curse word, so that's why he was arrested for disorderly conduct.

And then when he was taken to the county jail, he was charged with well, he that's what he was told he was going to be charged with.

Then he was charged with public intoxication.

They got into the county jail.

He hadn't had one drink.

The county jail refused to charge him with public intoxication.

And mind you, this is somebody that my son went to high school with.

Well, he had altercations in high school with.

So when she was talking about past trauma, and when I went and talked to Chief Trundle, guess what?

Nothing was done.

My son's equipment, my son was downtown video recording, and his equipment was destroyed, nobody paid for it.

Nobody is being held accountable when our kids are being assaulted.

I talked with Chief Trundle, Baldemar Velasquez from FLOC joined me so we could have that meeting, and we had a sit-down meeting.

The officer did not have to be present.

He did not have to be held accountable for what he did to my son.

And my son was charged.

Later, the charges were dropped.

I think I spoke with you also, Mr.

Hobbes.

We met, you had a talk with them and had them return my son's equipment.

But why are our kids falling on the wayside?

Why do our kids not mean anything?

Why are they not being held accountable?

I work with kids in the neighborhood all the time.

And you know when I saw this video, the first thing I did at my class that day, I said, what do you do when you encounter the police and they asked for your ID?

Half of the kids didn't know how to answer that because they've never had an altercation with the police.

And that saddened me because any one of my students could be assaulted by an officer because they don't know how to interact with the police.

And that's sad.

And we had talked about it then.

You guys said we were gonna start having these events in the parks.

We were gonna start introducing our kids to the police and creating a relationship between our kids and the police.

And I've yet to see that.

I've yet to see that all the things we talked about have yet to come to fruition.

You told me you were gonna call me back and let me know what went on with the officer that assaulted my son.

Nothing was done.

He's still out on the streets.

Actually, there was another video that surfaced after that of him assaulting somebody else.

So we need to start stop talking and start taking action.

Because here we are, a year later, somebody else's child was assaulted.

I had to sit there and think.

My kids don't know how to interact with the police.

What are we gonna do?

We can't talk, we gotta have action.

Thank you, Miss Robriguez.

Nate Lawson.

What's that?

Oh, good evening, everyone.

Uh thanks for coming out, uh being here again, allowing us to speak.

You guys, much respect.

I know y'all got a big job on your shoulders.

I know a lot of people came up here fighting and saying, hey, all the cops are bad, and this and that.

I respect you guys, you got a bad job.

But I have to hold you accountable for taking that job.

You know, it's a hard job.

You took it.

I can't do it, so I'm not gonna try.

But councilwoman, president, it spoke about the speech.

My speech came at about 12, 12, 13 years old.

Boy, and this is how it came to me.

Boy, sit down.

I said, What did I do?

He didn't do nothing.

I talked to you.

I want to tell you about your life.

You have two strikes against you.

You're born black in United States.

You're already born with two strikes.

So when you go out here in these streets, this is how you interact with the police.

Comply, of course.

Do not be combative or anything to them.

And just respect the situation and hope you get out of it alive.

That's the speech I got in the long run.

And it wasn't cool.

Because now I'm almost 60 years old and I still have to live that way.

It was just two or three weeks ago.

I got a ticket for obeying the law.

Imagine that.

The law was simple.

I'm on the highway.

Just a pulled over vehicle.

The law states in the literature.

You slow down or you move over.

To make a safe passage on that vehicle that's parked alongside the highway.

I couldn't get over, so I slowed down.

I got pulled over.

He gave me a ticket for what was it, Bag?

Uh huh.

Might as well have been.

I'm a black man driving a Cadillac.

That's why I got a ticket.

He said, Well, this is not gonna put any points or anything on your license or anything like that.

It was something, what did he say?

Impeding traffic.

That's what it was.

It said it on it.

But that's what I was supposed to do.

Slow people down, slow myself down so we pass this vehicle safely.

I paid 100 and something dollars.

So I'm still going on 60 years old, and I've still got to deal with this two strike.

That's gotta change.

We need more diversity in our police department.

We truly do.

I don't know how we're gonna do it with these kids today.

I can't get them out of the bedroom and off the phone.

But we we gotta figure out something, y'all.

Um and as far as that young girl and that police officer, I'm just gonna wrap that up real quick and easy.

He gotta go.

If he already smelled kids, all kids.

Because what is he doing with them behind closed doors?

We don't know.

How did he pass his psych evaluation?

Oh, I forgot.

You know, it's a biased test.

They already know the answers.

Change the test.

But thanks, guys.

Y'all have a good evening.

I'm sorry.

At this time, I want to thank everyone that spoke.

We did have some some come in after we cut our initial sheets off.

There is a time uh that we had that we wanted to be here.

So for those couple that were the ones that signed up afterwards, um, we've got to move on with this meeting um and finish up.

I want to ask Council President and then Councilman Driscoll, and then we're going to be uh dismissed.

Thank everyone, thank our chief, thank all of you that came and had words today.

Thank you for our community.

Thank you for us keeping this in an environment where we were able to listen to each other and hopefully learn from each other today.

Council President Williams.

Thank you so much.

Uh Chairman Hobbes, I do have a uh question that came in afterwards.

Um and it it's been a rising chief.

Um you can answer it in front of everybody or answer it by referral.

Um why was the officer reassigned and not suspended until the investigation was completed so basically for this particular incident, he was reass when we say reassigned, he was moved to a different district.

Um for this type of incident, there's uh investigation that happens.

We don't suspend people unless usually it's a criminal charge or there's something else that happens, but for general policy for this in the using the contracts and past practice on how we do um things according to collective bargaining, that is not something that we would suspend somebody for.

We moved him to a different district for the community and for the officers, uh their own protection and for the community to feel safer and to know that he's not in that area.

Thank you so much for answering that.

Um I actually um I want to thank everybody from being for being here as well.

Uh this is something that we have to collectively do together to help because there are some things that aren't understood from different communities, and to bring this together will be beneficial, and I'm ready to get in the weeds of it because I don't meet to meet, I don't talk to talk.

I actually want to do stuff.

And being an educator, if we gotta have a safety city to teach our kids to comply or a safety city to teach our officers how to interact, I'm ready to do that.

I don't know what it looks like.

But like uh I I'll say Brother Mohammed said it best like we gotta do something.

We gotta do something within our own community as well.

Um, because we do need more black police officers, but situations like this keep us from getting our fellas here.

And I did have a conversation.

Uh most I can tell you in my family, most black males in my family are felons because of how our community is police.

So I want to work together, and chief knows my heart.

I want to work together to make sure that we get this, get this good.

I want to make this good.

I want to make it's unfortunate that this young lady had to uh experience this, but we can't let her experience go in vain.

We have to fight for her and envision her and the work.

Um, and if it is a situation where this is just a bad seed, then that's what it is.

Like he said, we got situations that's been coming in to us that's crazy.

And I and I let the chief know that.

So I will definitely love to work with the community.

I'm definitely gonna be digging into this.

I've been digging into this.

I can read, write, do curriculum, I I can teach it, but this one I'm I know I can't do.

I want to make sure that we're putting our officers in the best situation possible within impoverished communities, black communities, and make sure that this does not happen anymore.

First of all, it's costing the city too much.

Our financials are trash, and if we have to keep paying out for for situations like this, I don't want to.

So um, thank you so much, Councilman Highs, for chairing this.

This is this was a good and thank you, community for coming out.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Driscoll.

Thank you, Chairman Hobbes.

And I'm not a regular member of this committee, so I appreciate the opportunity to comment not once but twice.

I um I just have to say uh my wife and I every night uh because of the condition of the sidewalks in the old west end where we live, every night we jaywalk every night.

Uh when we take our uh little baby boy on a walk because the stroller it bounces around too much and he's too heavy to carry.

So we put him in the stroller and we walk in the street every night.

And I know um, and I'm not sure I don't want to comment too much about what happened in the video because I I think it's important to let the investigation take place.

That's fine.

Um what I will say is um I I think uh it's evocative of the uh of the Malcolm Gladwell uh book, Talking with Strangers, and the incident that took place with Sandra Bland when she was killed.

Uh well when she died in custody, excuse me.

Um in the sense that I uh it was clear to me um what what took place with the with the mother in the video is she was afraid, and I think that's really what she was conveying.

And maybe it looked like non-compliance, but to put to me as I watch it, she was scared.

I can tell you as uh as a parent now, but also uh unfortunately having to watch my mom and dad bury their son uh last year.

Um it's the it's the worst fear you can imagine, losing your child.

And I and I think uh that's all that's taking place in that video is that that mother is afraid, and um and we we gotta have the cultural sensitivities and the understanding as human beings, let alone uh people who are entrusted with public safety, we gotta have the understanding to uh to be able to know that and and act um at the at the level that that that situation deserves.

Uh I will say again, I don't want to comment too much about the video, but um you know we'll let the investigation play out and then we'll see what happens after that.

We there I do feel like there there have been some situations that have taken place that make me think maybe there's some processes on our end that need to change regardless of what happens with the investigation.

The jaywalking is something I think about.

Um Ms.

Gibson and Mr.

Morris brought it up when they the first two speakers today.

Um there's a lot of communities that are either getting rid of their jaywalking laws or decriminalizing them because of the over-alliance for pretextual stops, um, something I think worth looking into.

And then obviously the civilian police review board.

Um the 12 of us need to have a real conversation about um the status of that organization and and uh and how we move that forward.

But I do want to thank the chief and deputy chief for being here and hanging in there.

Uh this is a tough conversation, but I appreciate the comments from the community because it was a necessary one, and I hope that uh all of us can do better moving forward.

Thank you.

To all of our council members, thank you to our chief and deputy chief, thank you to our community, thank you to our media, thank you.

This meeting is adjourned.