Progress in criminal justice reforms celebrated in CJAC annual report

The Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC) released its fourth annual report for Fiscal Year 2021 with noteworthy progress in several key areas including policy changes in the OKC Police Department, justice-related MAPS 4 projects beginning to take shape, continued decline in the jail population due to successful diversion programs and voter approval of a new jail bond.

The most notable development in the report is the continued decline in people from Oklahoma County being sentenced to the Department of Corrections at the end of their court process. Since Fiscal Year 2018, the number dropped by 39% which is a total of 949 individuals. This is a significant sign that diversion programs are a solution to prison overcrowding and should be closely examined by State leaders.

Recognizing the need for changes, the City of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Police Department and community members began working on policing reforms in May 2020 after the tragic death of George Floyd. A task force and working group created by Mayor Holt and City Manager Craig Freeman partnered with 21^st Century Policing Solutions (21 CP) to develop realistic, effective goals that would address the challenges in our community. After months of research, 21 CP submitted their recommendations to the city with short-term, mid-range and long-term goals. Some of those goals include:

Short-term goals that can be accomplished in 3-6 months:

• Creating additional transparency of the Citizens Advisory Board through public reports on its activities. Additionally, changing the makeup of the CAB to reflect each of the city’s wards.
• Creating a web-based platform for filing complaints against an officer which could be anonymous.

Mid-range goals that can take 6-12-plus months:

• Prohibiting officers involved in shootings and other critical incidents from viewing bodycam footage before providing an interview.
• Increasing the number of crisis intervention trained officers.

Long-term goals that take more than a year to implement:

• Interviewing officers involved in shootings and other critical events by the end of their shift, rather than the current waiting period of 48 hours or more.
• Considering preference for new applicants to the department with “mental health experience, certifications, or degrees, or social work experience.”

The city has welcomed these recommendations and set aside $1.3 million in the FY2023 budget to implement them.

Contributed to the success and expanded capacity of diversion programs, the average population at the Oklahoma County Jail has continued to decline, reducing the strain on the facility and improving outcomes for individuals awaiting trial. The reduction in the jail’s population helped voters see the limits of the current facility as they voted to approve a $260 million bond for a new county jail. The new facility will go hand in hand with current programs working to reduce the population and help those detained with mental health, addiction and job training services. The facility will come online in approximately 2026 as MAPS 4 projects addressing mental health and addiction are completed as well as facilities to increase the capacity of new and existing diversion programs.

While CJAC recognizes there is still work to be done, the progress that has been made this year continues laying the foundation for an incredible path forward.

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