FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS

Tanisha Jumper, Media and Communications, tjumper@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152
Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054

City Council Passes Resolution Affirming the City of Tacoma’s
Commitment to Anti‐Racist Systems Transformation

TACOMA, Wash. -- The City Council has passed Resolution 40622, acknowledging the disparate impacts of systematic racism and affirming the City of Tacoma’s commitment to anti‐racist systems transformation.

"Dismantling more than 400 years of systemic racism will not happen overnight. This must be a sustained effort that invites the whole community to join us in radically reimagining our institutions and the services they provide," said Mayor Victoria Woodards. "I am grateful to my Council for joining me in this initial first step. Hearing from those most impacted by systemic racism and collaborating with partners across every sector will be vital as we move forward with comprehensively transforming how we operate as a city."

Resolution 40622 affirms the City Council’s dedication and commitment to comprehensive and sustained transformation of all of the institutions, systems, policies, practices, and contracts impacted by systemic racism, with initial priority given to policing in the City of Tacoma. It also expresses the City Council’s commitment to a comprehensive transformation process that will establish new practices based on community and expert opinion as well as past reform efforts, centering the voices of those most impacted by systemic racism.

It also directs the City Manager to: 

• Keep anti‐racism as a top priority in the process of budget development and prioritize anti‐racism in the planning of an economic recovery strategy following COVID‐19; and
• Prioritize anti‐racism in the evaluation of new policies and programs as well as the sustained and comprehensive transformation of existing services, with initial priority being given to policing; and
• Assess the current state of systems in place at the Tacoma Police Department in consultation with police reform experts, with specific attention to how current policies, staffing levels, training, and accountability systems align to create just outcomes and use this assessment as a foundation for the work of comprehensive transformation; and
• Actively seek and implement interim administrative changes and process improvements that can legally be taken immediately to improve transparency and accountability in policing; and
• Work with the City Council to build a legislative platform at the local, state, and federal level that transforms institutions impacted by systemic racism for the greater equity and wellbeing of all residents of Tacoma, Washington state, and the United States.
  
  

In the past, Tacoma’s reform efforts have served as a model for other cities across the nation, including the establishment of the Human Rights Commission, the Citizen Police Advisory Committee, the Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and the Office of Equity and Human Rights. It also included the launch and continuation of the Project PEACE initiative as well as the creation of the Equity Index as a guide to policy making. 

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