EAST LANSING, Mich. — In response to a petition received from community members, the East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission (ELIPOC), will be hosting an upcoming public hearing on best practices in police use of force.
The hearing is being held jointly with the Michigan State University College of Law (MSU College of Law) on Wednesday, March 29 from 7-9 p.m. at the MSU College of Law, 648 N. Shaw Lane. The event will also be made accessible via Zoom for community members who cannot participate in person: https://msu.zoom.us/j/96845131212 (Meeting ID: 968 4513 1212 Passcode: Oversight).
The ordinance under which the East Lansing City Council created ELIPOC in October 2021 mandates that ELIPOC hold a hearing if a petition signed by at least twenty members of the community has been received. ELIPOC received a petition from 33 East Lansing residents for the March 29 public hearing.
“Calling for a public hearing is one method the City Council put into place so people in the community can engage with the Oversight Commission and other community members to talk about policing policy in East Lansing,” said East Lansing City Councilmember Dana Watson, a Council liaison to ELIPOC.
The hearing will open with national perspectives on best practices in police use of force policy.
“This will be a unique opportunity in East Lansing to consider policing policy with people who have been involved in the national debate about police use of force,” said ELIPOC Chair Erick Williams. “We are excited to partner with the MSU College of Law to bring these experts to our community.”
Speakers at the March 29 hearing include the following:
- Dr. Angie Weis Gammell, Policy Director of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke University, will present the American Law Institute’s Principles of Policing regarding use of force.
- Dr. Chuck Wexler, Executive Director of Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), will discuss PERF’s Guiding Principles on Use of Force, which were developed over an 18-month period following the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. in 2014.
- Dr. Trevor Bechtel, Student Engagement & Strategic Projects Manager of the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions, will discuss findings of a paper he recently co-authored, “Evidence on Measures to Reduce Excessive Use of Force by the Police.”
- Pastor Sean Holland, representing One Love Global, Black Lives Matter Lansing and Black Lives Matter of Michigan, works with others to support families and victims of police violence and to address police use of force in East Lansing, Lansing and Grand Rapids.
The presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer discussion session.
ELIPOC is planning to hold a second public hearing for community members to share their thoughts on the recommendations that come out of the first public hearing related to the ELPD’s use of force policy, procedures and training. Information on the second public hearing will be shared once it is finalized.
Everyone in the greater East Lansing community and at Michigan State University is invited and welcome to attend this event.
For more information, email elipoc@cityofeastlansing.com.