Explanation
BACKGROUND: The policing of First Amendment crowd events has been a major driver of recent challenges to police legitimacy both in Columbus and nationwide. In response to the civil unrest of 2020, police agencies across the US have therefore been re-evaluating their crowd management strategies. Accordingly, the Columbus Division of Police has developed partnership projects between Crowd and Conflict Management Ltd (CCM Ltd), the Columbus Division of Police (CDP), The Ohio State University (OSU), Keele University, and the City of Columbus.
ENABLE Columbus which was the first phase of this partnership was authorized via ordinance 2167-2023 passed on 7/31/2023. ENABLE Columbus aims to utilize this knowledge production partnership to embed and enhance the CDP’s new science-led approach to crowd policing, develop new research expertise based at OSU, gather primary data on the effectiveness and limitations of the new approach, use this evidence to further enhance CDP’s crowd management strategies, foster dialogue between police and demonstrators, help safeguard First Amendment rights, and position the City of Columbus as providing the nationally leading approach to crowd management policing.
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into contract with CCM Ltd. and enter into a separate contract with The Ohio State University for the implementation of Project LEGACY, a science-based approach to policing and the management of police legitimacy. The scope of work and specific tasks and deliverables by OSU are on EXHIBIT A and specific tasks and deliverables by CCM Ltd are on EXHIBIT B, attached to this legislation.
Comprising the phases of ENABLE, UNVEIL, and FORTIFY, Project LEGACY aims to reshape policing paradigms through comprehensive knowledge co-production strategies, partnerships and impacts. The three phases are outlined below.
The ENABLE Columbus work program will continue from phase one by building on research insights and remain focused on advancing the CDP’s innovative Public Order and Public Safety (POPS) graded tactical model. The model involves the deployment of specialized Dialogue Police Officers to establish positive rapport with protesters, proactively defuse tensions, minimize unnecessary use of force, and facilitate peaceful demonstrations. However, the Columbus POPS approach aims to prevent disorder and safeguard constitutional rights by employing proportionate force when necessary. Consequently, the ENABLE work program will utilize a Participant Action Research framework that incorporates a series of systematic observations, strategic leadership alignment, training, and accreditation to enhance tactical coordination and develop closer collaboration with fellow law enforcement agencies. CCM will lead on the delivery of ENABLE but supported by OSU's John Glenn College of Public Affairs (JGC)
In addition, the UNVEIL Columbus Work Program recognizes the corrosive impact of public skepticism on police legitimacy. Consequently, this work program adopts a data-driven approach to promote police transparency, legitimacy, and evidence-based policing practices. Through the analysis of routine police data as well as data from external sources such as census, crime, and public health data, the initiative aims to uncover the potential for analyzing underlying causes of racial and ethnic disparities in policing. In collaboration with data scientists and researchers from OSU and Keele Universities, the program will undertake preliminary analysis and derive an outline framework of actionable insights to guide future analysis and inform current strategies for rebuilding trust and reducing disparities in policing outcomes.
Finally, the FORTIFY Columbus work program will focus on cementing the collaboration between the CDP, JGC, and the City of Columbus. This multi-faceted initiative seeks to establish the potential for fostering academic-practitioner partnerships that bridge gaps between academic research, operational leadership, and excellence in policing. Leveraging the strategic commitment of OSU and its broad array of policing-relevant research expertise, this work program aims to broaden the co-development and growth of evidence-based practices in ways that have the potential to enhance police-community relations. Moreover, FORTIFY will set out the required processes necessary for JGC to offer accredited postgraduate continuous education tailored for police officers. These courses will aim to enhance skills and science-based knowledge whilst simultaneously generating strong pathways to impact empowering CDP’s capacities to conduct policing operations in line with community expectations.
Professor Stott is the Director of CCM Ltd and is the world's leading expert in crowd psychology and policing. He has worked with governments and police forces internationally and is at the forefront globally of developing new science-based approaches to crowd management utilizing specialized units of Dialogue Police.
Professor Russell Hassan, Wolf Chair in Public and International Affairs at JGC, will be the lead for OSU and will organize an academic research team that includes faculty and graduate students from Ohio State as well as experts from other academic institutions.
Contract with CCM LTD. =$130,000.00
Contract with the Ohio State University: = $262,145.20
Emergency Action: This is the second phase of a project already in progress and emergency action is requested in order to make a smooth transition from Phase One of the project to the second phase given the complexities and importance of the work involved.
Fiscal Impact: This legislation authorizes the expenditure of $130,000.00 to enter into a contract with Crowd and Conflict Management and the expenditure of $262,145.20 with The Ohio State University for a collaboration to implement Phase Two called Project LEGACY: a science-based approach to policing crowd events. Total expenditure is $392,145.20 from a combination of General Funds and COPS Grant Funds. This ordinance also authorizes the transfer of funds within the General Fund, from the Citywide account to the Department of Public Safety for this contract. This ordinance is also contingent on the passage of ordinance 3290-2023 which appropriates the Grant Funds.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into contract with Crowd and Conflict Management Ltd. and the Ohio State University in a collaboration to implement a science-led approach to policing called "project LEGACY"; to authorize the transfer of funds within the general fund from the city-wide account to the Department of Public Safety; to authorize the expenditure of $217,145.20 from the general fund and $175,000.00 from the General Government Grant Fund; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes; and to declare an emergency. ($392,145.20)
Body
WHEREAS, the City has a need to build on the consultancy work undertaken in Phase One of "ENABLE Columbus" by building a science-based approach to policing crowd events in Columbus; and,
WHEREAS, Phase Two "Project LEGACY" is a wide-ranging initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between the Columbus Division of Police, the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and the City of Columbus.
WHEREAS, this ordinance will establish two separate contracts; One with the Ohio State University for $262,145.20 and the other with Crowd and Conflict Management Ltd for $130,000.00
WHEREAS, Under the second phase, the project is tailored to develop research and education at JGC in ways that address key aspects of community and public safety policing to enhance police legitimacy and create a framework for professionalizing policing in the city of Columbus; and,
WHEREAS, the transfer of funds is necessary in order to properly align appropriation with projected expenditure, and
WHEREAS, It is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $217,145.20 from the General Fund and $175,000.00 from COPS Grant Funds with the Crowd and Conflict Management and the Ohio State University.
WHEREAS, a waiver of the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes is necessary as Professor Stott of Crowd and Conflict Management Ltd is uniquely well-suited to serve as consultant to Columbus' law enforcement and community partners in their implementation efforts and is already under contract to implement Phase One of the project; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Public Safety Director to enter into contract with Crowd and Conflict Management Ltd and with OSU to implement Phase Two of a science-based approach to policing crowd events and help the Division of Police re-evaluate their crowd management strategies without delay due to the complexities and importance of work involved, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Crowd and Conflict Management Ltd for $130,000.00 to help the Division of Police to implement the second phase (Project LEGACY) of a science-based approach to policing crowd events in the City of Columbus.
SECTION 2. That the Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized to enter into contract with the Ohio State University for $262,145.20 to collaborate with CCM Ltd in the implementation of the second phase (Project LEGACY) of a science-based approach to policing crowd events in the City of Columbus
SECTION 3. That the amount of $217,145.20 or so much as may be necessary, is hereby authorized to be transferred within the General Fund, fund 1000-100010 from Finance and Management to the Department of Public Safety per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this Council finds it is in the best interests of the City to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code to enter into this contract, and hereby waives such provision.
SECTION 5. That the expenditure of up to $217,145.20, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTIONS 1 and 2, is hereby authorized in the General Fund 1000, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the expenditure of up to $175,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTIONS 1 and 2, is hereby authorized in the General Government Grant Fund 2220, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance
SECTION 7. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 8. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing sections shall be paid upon the order of the Director of the Department of Public Safety, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 9. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 10. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part thereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.