In February 2021, the Olympia City Council approved a community-led process to “reimagine” public safety for the City, purposed to produce a public safety system that fosters trust and “works for everyone.”
Intended to be a community-led and inclusive process, the City launched this in July 2021 to evaluate and recommend enhancements to its public-safety system. The process will look specifically at the City’s public safety system, including policing, corrections, prosecution, defense, courts, medical, and fire response.
This past week, WR and other business associations and city partners participated in a conversation about the public safety project. Mike Reid, Olympia’s Economic Development Director, and Stacey Ray, the Reimagining Public Safety project manager, were co-facilitators of the meeting.
A Community Work Group is leading the process consisting of nine community members intended to represent a cross-section of Olympia’s demographics, expertise, and experiences.
Continuing through July 2022, the reimagining process will culminate with the Community Work Group delivering a set of recommendations to the City Council detailing how to best ensure the City’s public safety system is based on trust, justice, and equity without bias.
The City and the community workgroup request input from businesses and property owners at an in-person “Listening-and-Learning Session” on Tuesday, May 17, from 8:00am to 10:00am.
