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Kristine Lizdas, J.D.


3013 Townview Avenue NE
St. Anthony Village MN 55418
kclizdas@gmail.com

September 7, 2016
Mayor Jerry Faust
City Council Members: Bonnie Brever, Hal Gray, Jan Jenson and Randy Stille
3301 Silver Lake Road NE
St. Anthony Village, MN 55418
Cc:
Mayor Peter Lindstrom
City of Falcon Heights
2077 Larpenteur Ave W
Falcon Heights, MN 55113
Dear Mayor Faust and City Council Members of St. Anthony Village:
I am writing on behalf of the undersigned individuals. We are an organized group of St. Anthony
residents, business owners and interested colleagues, who are deeply invested in our citys response to the
shooting death of Philando Castile by St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez.
We are writing today to express concern over a proposed Tri-City Task Force that the Falcon Heights
City Council will be considering this week it is on the agenda for their September 7th City Council
Workshop. We understand that because the St. Anthony Police Department provides policing to all three
communities of St. Anthony, Falcon Heights and Lauderdale, that policing concerns are shared in these
three communities.
We, the undersigned, find the Tri-City Task Force proposal presently before Falcon Heights City Council
to be enormously wanting in vision and detail, and consequently do not support the proposal as is. The
effectiveness of any proposed task force hangs entirely on who comprises it, the activities it assumes, and
the authority it is given. All of these must be addressed with meaningful specificity before it will have our
support.
We would support the creation of a collaborative Work Group tasked with conducting a formal racial bias
assessment of policing by the St. Anthony Police Department and the City of St. Anthony. The Work
Group would consist of representatives from the St. Anthony Police Department, including the Chief; the
City Administrators and/or Managers of St. Anthony, Lauderdale and Falcon Heights; as well as
residents, business owners and other substantially invested individuals from the three cities. The Work
Group would heavily represent communities of color, and other communities most deeply affected by St.
Anthonys policing practices. The Work Group would consult with non-governmental organizations
experienced in conducting racial bias assessments of public institutions, and avail itself of existing tools
and processes for identifying and mitigating racial bias in said institutions.

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We believe that while overt racial bias still pervades our City and society at large, an even greater concern
is the institutionalization of racial bias whether intended or not into the formal workings of
municipalities, schools, and other social institutions. We propose very specific activities for the Work
Group in identifying how and where racial bias is built into the otherwise innocuous workings the
policies, practices, forms, communication channels, etc. - of the St. Anthony Police Department.
The first activity, or step, for the proposed Work Group is for all members to take part in a six-month
intensive assessment of the St. Anthony Police Department. This is not the standard Citizens Academy,
which is not useful or appropriate for a work group focusing on a racial bias assessment.
As a result of this assessment, all members of the Work Group would develop a deep understanding of
how and why St. Anthony police officers do the work they do. By reviewing (redacted) Incident Reports,
Supplemental Reports, and 911 calls (recordings), members will develop a much clearer and more
detailed grasp of patrol officers routines and standard responses. Members would participate in ridealongs with all SAPD patrol officers, covering daytime and evening shifts over both weekends and week
days. The St. Anthony Police Department would arrange for Work Group members to sit-along with 911
operators and dispatchers.
Besides the data that has already been requested by residents of St. Anthony, Work Group members
would have full access to the St. Anthony Police Departments Standard Operating Procedures and
policies, including insurance policies and relevant city contracts if needed. Work Group members would
be provided access to police department staff and relevant city staff/officials for interviews and
shadowing opportunities.
The second activity, or step, of the collaborative Work Group would involve the analysis of the data
collected over the six month period. The Work Group members, including the St. Anthony Chief, other
officers of various ranks, and City staff, would participate in collaborative work sessions in which the
Group would map the workings of the St. Anthony Police Department, identifying the points at which
racial bias manifests in the operations of the police department such as through formal and informal
routines, department priorities, funding pressures, worksheets and forms, insurance mandates or state law.
Finally, the Work Group would develop, collaboratively, a Blueprint for moving forward, which would
include new forms, procedures, supervisory practices, etc., as well as articulated short- and long-term
goals for the Department and the three Cities. The Work Group members would commit to oversee
implementation and long-term oversight of implementation efforts, making adjustments to the Blueprint
as needed. The ultimate goal of the collaborative Work Group is to create a model comprehensive law
enforcement and municipal response to racial bias that would be shared with communities around the
country.
Thank you very much for considering our ideas. We are more than happy to discuss these ideas further
and in greater depth.

Sincerely,
Kristine Lizdas, J.D.

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We, the Undersigned, Support this Letter Proposing a Racial Bias Assessment Work Group for the St.
Anthony Police Department:
Nancy Robinett
Jenifer McGuire
Paul Verrette
Nancy Gonzales
Nona Carlson
Sandi Sherman
Lori Haddad
Juli Thompson
Mitch Martin
Maggie Whiting
Ike Whiting
Moira Heffron
Kristen Morris
Maureen Ulbee
Andrea Voss
Mel Chaput
Pamela Metcalf
Rossi Cannon
Kate Martin
Sharon Boone
Robert Chance
Ariane Kokes
Mageen Caines
Luann Zappa
Garrett Larson
Robin Solboe
Brian Caines
Laurie Parker

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Mankpondehou Djevi
Bernard Walker
Jennifer Martin
Jackie Blagsvedt
Nicole Franzese
Kacy Rainaldo
Julie Pierce
Ruth Asbu
Marcy Nutt
Anne Kennedy
Jamila Keisar
Deanne Miller
Rose Porwoll
Kelly Wilson

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