The city of Wichita has released a 16-page document outlining a response to recent protests and calls for reform after fatal officer-involved shootings across the country.

Mayor Brandon Whipple, city council members and police chief Gordon Ramsay talked about the document at a city hall news conference Thursday.    Mayor Whipple said it’s a response to demands and grievances from several community groups on policing policies.  The mayor said he, the council and Chief Ramsay are united in addressing the wishes of the various groups and there will be more discussions.    He said the council is not necessarily in full agreement with every response in the document, and he said the goal is to have more dialogue, more action and more listening.

Chief Ramsay said many of the items in the document are being addressed, and progress has been made in building bridges with the community, but the job is far from done and there is more work to do.   He said the department has been working to address gaps in dealing with social issues, such as mental illness, homelessness, and housing.   He said the department continues to meet with community groups to talk about de-escalation and duty-to-intervene policies, and there are efforts to put training and practices into policy.

Chief Ramsay said there are some issues that the police department is not totally in agreement with.  He said there may still be a need for no-knock warrants in cases involving violent crimes, and the citizens review board is appropriately chartered to provide oversight without the need for subpoena power.

City council member Brandon Johnson said the council condemned the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and council members went to rallies and protests to listen and come up with this document.  He said it will be crucial to continue meetings with community groups and continue to respond to grievances and concerns from these groups.

The document is available on the city’s web site at www.wichita.gov/WPD   It says a new public safety model should be considered that emphasizes police response to emergency situations and the improvement of community policing.