12-09-21-Agenda-PEACE Commission
Remote Attendance: Members of the public may attend this meeting in person or via Webex
by calling 1-415-655-0001 and entering event number 2467 422 7936.
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
1. Call to Order
2. Attendance/Roll Call
☐ Randy Anderson ☐ Madeline Ryan
☐ Shelli Bakken ☐ Jessie Smith
☐ Henry Crosby ☐ Marshall Tanick
☐ Alicia Dang ☐ Sergeant Dan Wilcox
☐ Trey Gladney ☐ Andrew Wold
☐ Chris Hartzler ☐ Acting Sergeant Jerad Zachman
☐ Charles Quimby
3. Approval of Agenda
4. Approval of Minutes
5. Old Business
A. Oath of Office & Guiding Principles
6. New Business
A. New Commissioner Orientation—Part II: PEACE Commission Mission and Purpose
B. Officer Election—Chair and Vice Chair
• Chair responsibilities include: (1) work with staff liaison to develop meeting agendas (2)
conduct and preside at all meetings in a productive and time-efficient manner (3) ensure
the Commission conducts its activities within the stated mission and bylaws of the
Commission (4) appoint Commissioners to subcommittees (5) monitor and ensure the
progress of the Commission (6) report to the City Council
December 9, 2021 – 6:30 pm
Council Conference Room
Golden Valley City Hall
7800 Golden Valley Road
City of Golden Valley PEACE Commission Regular Meeting
Jan 1, 2019 – 6:30 pm
2
• Vice-Chair responsibilities: (1) perform the duties of the Chair in the absence or incapacity
of the Chair (2) perform all other duties as prescribed by the Commission
C. Preview of next meeting—January 13, 2022
7. Adjournment
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 1
BYLAWS
POLICE EMPLOYMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (PEACE) COMMISSION
Article I: Purpose, Mission, and Duties
The Commission shall be an advisory commission to the City Council.
A. Mission. It shall be the PEACE Commission’s mission to help the Police Department, as defined in City
Code section 2-130, innovate and transform its provision of public safety services based on community
input and needs, and to assure that the department provides inclusive, community-centered service. The
Commission shall carry-out this mission by:
1) Establishing transparency and accountability to the public;
2) Enhancing communication and understanding between the Police Department, and the people it
serves through community dialogue and engagement; and
3) Ensuring the Police Department applies practices that promote equity and inclusion and
prioritize hiring and retaining officers with diverse backgrounds.
B. Duties. It is the duty of the PEACE Commission to advise and make recommendations to the Council on
matters relating to and affecting policing in the City of Golden Valley for the purpose of furthering the
Commission’s mission. All of the Commission’s work shall be performed pursuant to an annual work plan
approved by the Council. Specifically the Commission may:
1) Conduct programs of research and study, in conjunction with the Police Chief and City Manager
that analyze Police Department practices, internal controls, and compliance with applicable law
and regulation relating to: police policy and procedure; community engagement and attitudes
toward policing; training, recruitment and retention initiatives; and other matters related to the
mission of the Commission. Research and study includes programs that collect, review, and audit
summary data and compile aggregate statistics relating to the Commission’s mission.
2) Present the results of programs of research and study on a periodic basis to the City Manager,
Police Chief, or City Council for the purpose of ensuring Police Department operations are
conducted in a lawful, effective, transparent, and nondiscriminatory manner.
3) Make recommendations to the City Council, City Manager, and Police Chief relating to internal
controls, police policy and procedure; community engagement and attitudes toward policing;
training, recruitment and retention initiatives; and other matters contained within a program of
research and study.
4) Celebrate exemplary police work and highlight examples of positive contributions to public
safety by community members.
5) Educate and learn from the community. Create and implement a community engagement and
outreach program for the purpose of building trust and communication between the police and
community members and facilitate community space in response to current events related to
public safety. Community engagement includes but is not limited to: community forums to
facilitate discussions with community members about their experiences with the Golden Valley
Police Department, programs to educate the community about policing, and informal
relationship building activities.
6) Collaborate with the Community, City Manager, Human Resources Director, and Police Chief to
develop and maintain equitable and inclusive recruitment and hiring processes.
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 2
7) In August of each year as part of its annual report, review and provide feedback to the City
Council on:
i. The previous year’s hiring data;
ii. The hiring and promotion processes employed by the department in the previous year;
iii. The Commission’s previous year goals and how the goals were advanced;
iv. The Police Department’s previous year goals and how the goals were advanced; and
v. The City’s prosecution philosophy, data, and goals, and how the goals were advanced.
Article II: Membership, Appointments, Terms, and Officers
A. Membership. The Commission shall consist of:
1) Three individuals that represent populations historically and presently harmed by policing
2) Two employees of the Police Department which shall include:
i. One licensed Peace Officer, as defined in Minnesota Statutes section 626.84, subd. 1(c),
that supervises other licensed Peace Officers in the Police Department, such as a
commander, sergeant, or the Chief; and
ii. One Police Department employee (staff or licensed Peace Officer) in a non-supervisory
role.
The two Police Department members shall be non-voting, ex officio members and shall not be
counted in determining the number required for a quorum. If an ex officio member leaves City
employment, their membership shall automatically terminate. In appointing ex officio members,
the Council shall endeavor to include a variety of perspectives, experience, and roles.
3) At least one and no more than two youth, 21 years old or younger, who live, work, or attend
school in the City of Golden Valley;
4) One individual with professional human resources or recruitment experience;
5) One individual or social service provider with knowledge or experience of mental health,
substance use disorder, or homelessness;
6) One individual or caregiver with knowledge of or experience working or living with the senior
population in Golden Valley;
7) One parent, teacher, or administrator at a school that serves Golden Valley residents;
8) One individual who is a renter or lives in multi-family housing or group housing in Golden Valley;
and
9) At least one individual that has been impacted by the criminal justice system for example, a
criminal defendant or criminal defense attorney.
If the City does not receive qualified applications from one or more of the above categories, the
remaining spots may be filled with any qualified applicant with substantial ties to the City of Golden
Valley.
In making appointments to the commission, the Council shall endeavor to maintain a membership that
reflects the many different social identities represented in the City of Golden Valley, including but not
limited to race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
disability, age, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, socioeconomic status, or
familial status.
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 3
B. Appointments and Terms. Appointments are made effective May 1 of each year. The Council shall
appoint regular members of the Commission for three-year staggering terms. Youth members may be
appointed for one, two, or three year terms. The terms of Commission members shall be fixed and
determined at the time of appointment by the governing ordinance. City Council shall appoint the
members of the Commission and to fill vacancies for unexpired terms.
Commissioners may serve up to two consecutive three year terms. Partial terms shall not be counted
toward this term limit. Former commissioners may be re-appointed for additional terms so long as they
have not been on the commission during the twelve months prior to the effective date of any
subsequent appointment.
C. Participation, Expectations & Sentiment. The City of Golden Valley has a history of confronting the
impact of policing of racially marginalized groups in the City and in the Twin Cities Metro Area. It is in this
spirit, the City Council requested a Task Force to develop a framework for community members to
provide recommendations to further equity in all facets of policing. The Task Force recommended the
creation of the Police Employment, Accountability, and Community Engagement (PEACE) Commission
and were initially responsible for drafting the Commission’s Mission and Bylaws. The Task Force worked
together from November 2020 to June 2021. The work of the Task Force was influenced by the social
context of the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020 civil unrest and subsequent trials of the
involved officers.
In this complex social context, the Task Force worked hard to reconcile many different views of
community policing and systemic racism in public safety. In that spirit, the Task Force envisions this
commission and its members will accept the following sentiment as the foundation of their work:
Commissioners should approach their duties and responsibilities with a growth mindset. They should
create opportunities for mutual respect, listen to understand, and value the perspectives and opinions
of all stakeholders.
D. Officers. The Commission shall elect officers of Chair and Vice-Chair from the Commission membership by
its voting members at its regular annual meeting, (no later than the second meeting after May 1 in each
year). The Chair and Vice Chair positions rotate, and members may only serve two consecutive years as
the Chair or Vice-Chair. Should the office of Chair or Vice-Chair become vacant, the Commission shall
elect a successor from its membership at the next regular meeting and such election shall be for the
unexpired term of said office. Officers may also delegate the duties of their position to other
Commissioners as deemed appropriate by the Commission.
Chair responsibilities include:
1) work with staff liaison to develop meeting agendas
2) conduct and preside at all meetings in a productive and time-efficient manner
3) ensure the Commission conducts its activities within the stated mission and bylaws of the
Commission
4) appoint Commissioners to subcommittees
5) monitor and ensure the progress of the Commission
6) report to the City Council
Vice-Chair responsibilities:
1) perform the duties of the Chair in the absence or incapacity of the Chair
2) perform all other duties as prescribed by the Commission
Article III: Meetings and Attendance
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 4
A. Meetings. All meetings of the Commission shall be conducted in accordance with the Minnesota Open
Meeting Law and City code. This means all business and discussion occurs at a meeting that has been
posted and is open to the public.
The presence of a majority of all regular members currently appointed to the Commission shall
constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting its business and exercising its powers and for all
other purposes. In the event a quorum is not reached, a smaller number of members may meet to have
informal discussion, however, formal action shall not be taken and must be reserved for such time as
when a quorum of the Commission is reached. A quorum of the members should not discuss
Commission business by email, forms of social media, telephone, or informal meetings. If there are no
items on the agenda, the meeting shall be cancelled and the staff liaison shall communicate the
cancellation to the commissioners.
The proceedings of meeting should be conducted using standard parliamentary procedure.
1) Regular Meeting.
The regular meeting of the Commission shall be held on the second Thursday of the month at
City Hall at 6:30 pm. The Commission may, by a majority vote, change its regular meeting dates
for any reason provided proper public notice of the changed meeting is provided.
2) Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting of the commission shall be a regular meeting, typically the first meeting
after May 1 of each year, at which time officer elections will be held.
3) Special Meetings.
A special meeting of the Commission may be called by the Chair or two commissioners, or by the
City Council, for the purpose of transacting any business designated in the meeting notice. The
notice for a special meeting shall be posted in compliance with the Minnesota State Statutes
governing public meetings. The staff liaison shall notify Commissioners at least three days prior
to the meeting of the date, time, place and purpose of the special meeting. A special meeting
must also be posted in accordance with the requirements of the Minnesota Open Meeting Law.
B. Attendance. Members are expected to attend all meetings, including the annual board and commission
joint meeting. Ifa member is unable to attend a meeting, they should contact the staff liaison, who will
inform the chair. If is known in advance that a quorum will not be attained, the meeting will be canceled.
Staff liaisons will track attendance at each meeting. Each April, the City Manager’s office will review
attendance records for the preceding calendar year (April-March) and send a standardized letter of
warning to any member that has missed:
two consecutive or three total meetings for groups that meet once a month; or
two consecutive or five total meetings for groups that meet twice a month.
Because attendance is so important to the work of the City’s boards and commissions, the City
Manager may ask the member to explain the reasons for their absences. If circumstances prevent the
member from committing to consistently attending future meetings, the member may be asked to
step down. The City Manager will not ask the member to step down if their inability to attend meetings
is due to health reasons. If the member’s attendance does not improve within 3 months after
receiving a warning, the City Manager or their designee shall ask the member to step down. If the
member chooses not to step down, the Council may take action to remove the member.
Article IV: Rules
A. Agenda
1) Preparation of the Agenda
The agenda for regular and special meetings of the Commission shall be prepared by the staff
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 5
liaison. Items to be placed on the agenda may be proposed by the Chair, a Commission
member, the staff liaison or at the request of the City Council. Residents, businesses, or other
interested parties may contact the staff liaison to request that an item be placed on the agenda
for consideration. All agenda topics presented by the City Council will be placed on an
appropriate agenda; requests from other parties will be placed on an appropriate future agenda
at the discretion of the staff liaison.
2) Approval of the Agenda
The agenda shall be approved at each meeting prior to discussion of any item on the agenda.
At the time of agenda approval, items may be removed and the order of business may be
modified by a majority vote of members present at the meeting. No items shall be added to the
agenda unless deemed as urgent by the staff liaison.
3) Future Agendas
At each meeting, the staff liaison shall provide a list of future agenda items. Commission
members present may communicate items recommended for inclusion on future agendas. All
items must be consistent with the Commission’s mission and annual work plan. The
Commission may ask the Council to amend its work plan if it wishes to add or remove items
from its work plan during the year.
B. Records. All minutes and resolutions shall be in writing and shall be kept in accordance with City
procedures, Minnesota Statute and Rules regarding preservation of public records and the Minnesota
Government Data Practices Act. The following is an inexhaustive list of Commission records. The
Commission may approve any document or record not listed to be retained as an official record by a
majority vote
GVPD Organizational chart
Anonymized recruitment and retention demographic report by position maintained by the
Human Resources Department
Records of classification studies, actions and job descriptions (describing typical duties,
responsibilities and minimum qualifications)
Documents produced as a result of commission work or relied on by the commission to carry out
its work
All data published by the Golden Valley Police Department on the GVPD window or similar data
portal.
C. Work Plan. The Commission will draft an annual work plan that details activities and projected timelines for
the upcoming year.
The Chair may appoint Commissioners to be primarily responsible for each work plan activity.
The Commission may establish subcommittees to oversee work plan activities. The
subcommittees will be chaired by Commissioners appointed by the Chair.
The Commission’s work plan will be submitted to the City Council, typically during the first
quarter of the calendar year. The Chair and/or Commissioners will attend a Council/Manager
meeting to discuss the annual work plan with the City Council.
The Commission’s work plan must be agreed upon by the City Council.
D. Annual Report. The Commission shall submit an annual report to the City Council summarizing the past
year's activities. The report may highlight information the Commission finds appropriate to convey to the
City Council.
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 6
The Chair or Vice-Chair will prepare the report for approval by the Commission.
Commission members may submit signed addenda presenting alternative conclusions or
perspectives.
The report and addenda are submitted to Council with the current year work plan in the
first quarter of the calendar year or as soon thereafter as possible.
E. Subcommittees. The Commission may create subcommittees to plan and direct activities related to the
duties and responsibilities of the Commission and to facilitate and implement work plan activities.
Subcommittees will be chaired by Commissioners appointed by the Chair and shall not consist
of amajority or more of currently appointed Commission members.
A majority of the subcommittee must be present to conduct business, including the
subcommittee chair.
The Commission may consolidate or dissolve subcommittees at any time.
The subcommittee chair may appoint other Commissioners and community members to the
subcommittee, provided that the subcommittee at no time consists of a majority or more of
currently appointed Commissioners.
The subcommittee chair shall report back to the Commission about its activities as an agenda
item at regular Commission meetings.
Subcommittee meetings shall be held at a date and time that does not conflict with the
Commission’s regular and special meetings. The staff liaison shall be notified of the date,
time, location and topic of all Subcommittee meetings.
F. Performance of Duties. Commissioners are expected to adequately prepare for meetings. Commissioners
unable to complete anassigned task should notify the commission chair or subcommittee chair as soon as
possible. All members are expected to actively participate in the substantive work or participate in a
subcommittee. The staff liaison may ask the City Council to review a Commissioner’s appointment based
upon its assessment of significant lack of performance.
Article V: Amendments and Revisions
The Commission will review these bylaws no later than the second meeting after May 1 every three years.
Members may present recommendations for changes and amendments. These bylaws can be altered or
amended at any regular monthly Commission meeting with a majority of members present, provided that
notice of the proposed changes and amendments is provided to each member at least 10 business days before
the meeting. The Council must review and approve any changes to, and has final authority regarding, these
bylaws.
Article VI: Definitions
For purposes of the of the PEACE Commission’s work, the following terms shall have the meanings given
below:
Accountability: A range of actions to mitigate harm and to restore mutual respect, as defined by
impacted parties and the Commission.
Community: Residents, visitors, businesses owners, workers and members of surrounding communities
that interact and utilize GVPD services.
Community Engagement: Conversations and activities that promote reciprocal communication of
knowledge, perspectives and ideas to build trust and mutual respect between and GVPD.
Data: Quantitative and qualitative information, including narratives from all perspectives, gathered,
synthesized and published by GVPD, the PEACE Commission or other organizations relevant to the
BYLAWS – PEACE Commission 7
work of the Commission.
Gender fluid: Individuals whose gender varies over time. A gender fluid person at any time may identify
as male, female, gender, or any other non-binary identity or some combination of identities.
Gender non-conforming: Individuals who do not adhere to the traditional gender expectations for
appearance and behavior of people of their assigned gender. Some identify as transgender, but others
do not.
Historically harmed: Individuals and groups associated with social identities that have been historically
and presently harmed by the American system of policing (i.e. LGBTQ+, American Descendants of
Slaves (ADOS), Black, Indigenous and Latina/o/x community members, individuals with mental and
physical dis/abilities, immigrants, refugees, etc).
Public Safety Services: Programs, responses, and interactions provided to meet the safety and wellness
needs of all community members, including both the providers and recipients of the services, with the
intent to maintain dignity, build respect, detect and prevent crime, or enforce the law. The term Public
Safety Services reflects the evolution of the role of peace officers from a focus on criminal detection,
prevention, and enforcement, to a community-driven service model that values learning from and
sharing power with community and aims to reduce trauma responses traditionally associated with
policing in historically harmed communities like members of the Black, Brown, Indigenous and LGBTQ+
communities.
Racism: The normalization and legitimization of an array of dynamics – historical, cultural, institutional,
and interpersonal – that routinely advantage Whites while producing cumulative and chronic adverse
outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (racialequitytools.org).
Transparency: A principle of institutional commitment to be open and forthcoming with data and
information.
Created: 2021-08-30 19:38:50 [EST]
(Supp. No. 34, Update 2)
Page 1 of 3
Sec. 2-130. Police Employment, Accountability and Community Engagement Commission.
(a) Establishment. A Police Employment, Accountability, and Community Engagement Commission (PEACE
Commission) is hereby established, composed of 13 members, who shall serve three-year staggered terms,
except that youth members may elect to serve one, two, or three year terms.
(b) Definitions. The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this section only, shall have the meanings
ascribed to them:
Police Department: The Golden Valley Police Department and all other departments of the City of Golden
Valley that provide public safety or law enforcement services, but only to the extent those other departments
provide public safety or law enforcement services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Police Department does not
include the Golden Valley Fire Department.
(c) Term limits. Commissioners may serve up to two consecutive three year terms. Partial terms shall not be
counted toward this term limit. Former commissioners may be re-appointed for additional terms so long as
they have not been on the commission during the twelve months prior to the effective date of any
subsequent appointment.
(d) Composition. The Commission shall consist of:
(1) Three individuals that represent populations historically and presently harmed by policing.
(2) Two employees of the Police Department which shall include:
i. One licensed Peace Officer, as defined in Minn. Stats. § 626.84, subd. 1(c), that supervises other
licensed Peace Officers in the Police Department, such as a commander, sergeant, or the Chief;
and
ii. One Police Department employee (staff or licensed Peace Officer) in a non-supervisory role.
The two Police Department members shall be non-voting, ex officio members and shall not be
counted in determining the number required for a quorum. If an ex officio member leaves City
employment, their membership shall automatically terminate. In appointing ex officio members,
the Council shall endeavor to include a variety of perspectives, experience, and roles.
(3) At least one and no more than two youth, 21 years old or younger, who live, work, or attend school in
the City of Golden Valley.
(4) One individual with professional human resources or recruitment experience.
(5) One individual or social service provider with knowledge or experience of mental health, substance use
disorder, or homelessness.
(6) One individual or caregiver with knowledge of or experience with the senior population in Golden
Valley.
(7) One parent, teacher, or administrator at a school that serves Golden Valley residents.
(8) One individual who is a renter or lives in multi-family housing or group housing in Golden Valley.
(9) At least one individual that has been impacted by the criminal justice system, for example, a criminal
defendant or criminal defense attorney.
Except for the ex officio seats, if the City does not receive qualified applications from one or more of the
above categories, the remaining seats may be filled with any qualified applicant with substantial ties to the
City of Golden Valley.
Created: 2021-08-30 19:38:50 [EST]
(Supp. No. 34, Update 2)
Page 2 of 3
In making appointments to the commission, the Council shall endeavor to maintain a membership that
reflects the many different social identities represented in the City of Golden Valley, including but not limited
to race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability,
age, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, socioeconomic status, or familial
status.
(e) Mission. It shall be the PEACE Commission's mission to help the Golden Valley Police Department innovate
and transform its provision of public safety services based on community input and needs, and to assure that
the department provides inclusive, community-centered service. The Commission shall carry-out this mission
by:
(1) Establishing transparency and accountability to the public;
(2) Enhancing communication and understanding between the Police Department, and the people it
serves through community dialogue and engagement; and
(3) Ensuring the Police Department applies practices that promote equity and inclusion and prioritize
hiring and retaining officers with diverse backgrounds.
(f) Duties and responsibilities. It is the duty of the PEACE Commission to advise and make recommendations to
the Council on matters relating to and affecting policing in the City of Golden Valley for the purpose of
furthering the Commission's mission. All of the Commission's work shall be performed pursuant to an annual
work plan approved by the Council. Specifically the Commission may:
(1) Conduct programs of research and study, in conjunction with the Police Chief and City Manager that
analyze Police Department practices, internal controls, and compliance with applicable law and
regulation relating to: police policy and procedure; community engagement and attitudes toward
policing; training, recruitment and retention initiatives; and other matters related to the mission of the
Commission. Research and study includes programs that collect, review, and audit summary data and
compile aggregate statistics relating to the Commission's mission.
(2) Present the results of programs of research and study on a periodic basis to the City Manager, Police
Chief, or City Council for the purpose of ensuring Police Department operations are conducted in a
lawful, effective, transparent, and nondiscriminatory manner.
(3) Make recommendations to the City Council, City Manager, and Police Chief relating to internal
controls, police policy and procedure; community engagement and attitudes toward policing; training,
recruitment and retention initiatives; and other matters contained within a program of research and
study.
(4) Celebrate exemplary police work and highlight examples of positive contributions to public safety by
community members.
(5) Educate and learn from the community. Create and implement a community engagement and
outreach program for the purpose of building trust and communication between the police and
community members and facilitate community space in response to current events related to public
safety. Community engagement includes but is not limited to: community forums to facilitate
discussions with community members about their experiences with the Golden Valley Police
Department, programs to educate the community about policing, and informal relationship building
activities.
(6) Collaborate with the Community, City Manager, Human Resources Director, and Police Chief to
develop and maintain equitable and inclusive recruitment and hiring processes.
(7) In August of each year as part of its annual report, review and provide feedback to the City Council on:
i. The previous year's hiring data;
Created: 2021-08-30 19:38:50 [EST]
(Supp. No. 34, Update 2)
Page 3 of 3
ii. The hiring and promotion processes employed by the department in the previous year;
iii. The Commission's previous year goals and how the goals were advanced;
iv. The Police Department's previous year goals and how the goals were advanced; and
v. The City's prosecution philosophy, data, and goals, and how the goals were advanced.
(g) Minimum training requirements. Within one year of appointment, all new members must complete the
Golden Valley Citizen's Academy or similar training as arranged by the Police Chief.
(h) Requirement of cooperation by police department and all other city employees and officials. The PEACE
Commission shall have full, free, and unrestricted access, to the extent authorized by law, to the records of
the Police Department and prosecutor's office in order to facilitate research and study projects authorized in
section (f)(1) herein and to conduct special reviews at the request of the City Council.
(Ord. No. 719 , § 1, 8-4-2021)
Editor's note(s)—Ord. No. 718 , § 1, adopted Aug. 4, 2021, repealed the former § 2-130, which pertained to police
civil service commission and derived from Code 1988, § 2.55. Ord. No. 719 , § 1, adopted Aug. 4, 2021 then
enacted § 2-130 to read as herein set out.