County Seeking Feedback for Police Practices Group

As the nation continues to face a reckoning about race and police shootings, Arlington’s new Police Practices Group is seeking feedback on how local law enforcement is performing.

The work group has rolled out a community feedback form that allows Arlington residents to weigh in on topics like use of force, police training, body cameras, mental health, traffic enforcement and a potential civilian review board.

“The PPG is seeking insights and comments from community members to inform the their work plan moving forward,” said a county spokeswoman.

The Police Practices Group is tackling four broad policy considerations:

• Police civilian review board – what type and approach?
• The role of the police department in providing mental health services;
• The role for the police department in traffic enforcement; and
• The opportunity for alternative dispute resolution, including restorative justice & mediation.

The group started meeting last month and is set to wrap up its work by Dec. 30. It will present its recommendations to County Manager Mark Schwartz, who in turn will make recommendations for potential changes to the County Board.