[Citizens wishing to speak shall have registered under the REGISTRATION GUIDELINES FOR ADDRESSING THE COMMITTEE ON PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES detailed at the beginning of this agenda. Registration is required prior to the time this agenda item is read into the record. This time is reserved for citizen comments regarding items not listed on the agenda. No official action can be taken on these items. Presentations from Members of the Public is limited to five speakers per meeting with each speaker allowed a maximum of three (3) minutes.]

PRESENTATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE WE HAVE TAYLOR ON THE LINE WHO IS ASSISTING US WITH THAT.

THANK YOU, TAYLOR.

I ALWAYS DO WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS, ALL OF THE FEEDBACK.

[00:05:11]

SAY. I AM SORRY ABOUT THAT.

YES. BUT SO FAR, WE HAVE HAD NO CALLERS COMING IN, ANY CALLS COME IN NEW YORK AND SO I HAD NO COMMENTS AS WELL.

THANK YOU. MOVING TO

[B. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and make a recommendation regarding draft Denton Police Department General Orders relating to persons with disabilities.]

OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO RECEIVE A REPORT AND HOLD A DISCUSSION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE DRAFT OF THE DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GENERAL ORDERS RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

AND I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE A PRESENTER FOR THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? HOW THAT IS CORRECT.

HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M SERGEANT, HOW WOULD THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I'M ALSO OVER THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR GENERAL ORDERS HERE AT THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT.

TODAY, I WILL BE GOING OVER THE COMMUNICATIONS WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, GENERAL ORDER AND THE SERVICE ANIMALS GENERAL ORDER.

SO JUST GIVE ME ONE SECOND WHILE I PULL THE PRESENTATION OF.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT.

YEAH. BE GREAT.

SO. OUR GENERAL ORDER MANUAL, WE STARTED REVISING IT PRETTY SOON AFTER CHIEF DIXON CAME TO DENTON.

WE SIGNED ON WITH LEXAPRO, THEY ARE A COMPANY OR THEY'RE CONSIDERING AN INDUSTRY LEADER AND POLICE POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND PRETTY MUCH JUST THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTOR, AND THEY ALSO DO FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANUALS.

AND THEY'RE FANTASTIC IN THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM OF ATTORNEYS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WHO RESEARCH CONSTANTLY LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES, COURT DECISIONS AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES.

AND THE WAY THE LEXAPRO WORKS IS THAT THEY PROVIDE KIND OF A.

THEY PROVIDE A DRAFT GENERAL ORDER AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT AND WE JUST TWEAK IT BECAUSE EVERY DEPARTMENT IS DIFFERENT, EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT.

SO WE MAKE IT SPECIFIC TO THE DENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING THOSE VERY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE GENERAL ORDER REGARDING FEDERAL LAW AND STATE LAW. WHEN I SAY GENERAL ORDERS, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL OUR POLICIES, SO OUR GENERAL ORDERS ARE JUST THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE SAME AS HOW A CITY HAS POLICIES.

THAT'S JUST THE NAME THAT WE GIVE THEM.

AND WE HAVE TWO TYPES WE HAVE ACTUALLY.

I THINK THAT'S IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

FORGIVE ME, I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.

BUT SINCE CHIEF DIXON CAME, WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF REVISING THE GENERAL ORDERS THAT WE HAD, WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE LEXICAL GENERAL ORDERS, WE LOOK AT OUR OLD GENERAL ORDERS TO SEE IF THERE'S CONTENT THAT IS STILL GOOD THAT WE CAN THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PRACTICING AND IF IT CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE LEXICAL CONTENT.

AND THEN ONCE THAT CONTENT IS PULLED OUT AND PUT INTO THE NEW TO THE NEW GENERAL ORDER, THEN THERE'S A PROCESS OF REVIEW WHERE WE SEND IT TO OUR OWN INTERNAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE CANINE POLICY, WE HAD AN OLD CANINE POLICY OR OLD GENERAL ORDER, AND THERE WERE THINGS SPECIFIC TO OUR AGENCY THAT WE WANTED TO KEEP.

SO WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND INTEGRATE IT INTO THE NEW FLEXIBLE GENERAL ORDER.

AND THEN OUR CANINE OFFICER, OFFICER SWIER, HAD HIM REVIEW THE GENERAL ORDER THOROUGHLY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT LOOKED CORRECT TO HIM BASED ON HIS TRAINING AND HIS LONG STANDING EXPERIENCE AS A CANINE OFFICER.

AND THEN ONCE THAT WAS DONE, WE ALWAYS HAVE A FINAL REVIEW WITH CHIEF DIXON AND THEN DR.

RICHARD WILLIAMS, OUR ACCREDITATION AND COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST.

AND WE JUST FINE TUNE IT, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, AND THEN WE PUBLISH IT.

[00:10:05]

SO ON THESE PARTICULAR GENERAL ORDERS WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TODAY, THEY'RE THEY'RE NEW FOR US AND IN THE MANNER THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THEM BEFORE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WEREN'T ALREADY PRACTICING THEM.

AND BECAUSE YOU ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING TO Y'ALL AND ASKING YOU FOR YOUR VALUABLE FEEDBACK THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO PUT OUT THE BEST PRODUCTS THAT WE CAN FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY.

SERGEANT HAL, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

ARE YOU ABLE TO GO TO FULL SCREEN OR INCREASE THE SIZE OF YOUR SLIDES? OH. I DON'T KNOW.

FORGIVE ME. I'M SO SORRY.

IF IT'S MORE TROUBLE THAN IT'S WORTH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

OK, DON'T LET AUSTRALIA.

I'M SO SORRY. I DON'T I HAVE IT OPEN AS A PDF AND NOT A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.

AND I'M SORRY, THIS IS.

AS BIG AS I THINK IT'S GOING TO GET, LET ME SEE IF I CAN TWEAK IT SOME.

UM. HE USED THE PLUS AND MINUS UP THERE.

YEAH, THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT.

IS THAT MUCH BETTER? THAT'S BETTER, THANK YOU.

OK. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

OK, SO JUST AS I SAID A MINUTE AGO, NEW NEW GENERAL ORDER DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT'S NEVER BEEN PRACTICED. WE ARE AN UPSTANDING DEPARTMENT AND WE'VE BEEN PRACTICING A LOT OF THESE THINGS. WE'VE JUST NEVER MEMORIALIZED THEM IN.

A GENERAL ORDER IN THE CITY HAS GENERAL ORDERS THAT WE ABIDE BY, AND SO THEY COVER THESE TOPICS, BUT THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO US.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO HAVE THESE GENERAL ORDERS SPECIFIC FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR GENERAL ORDERS, WE WE ALSO HAVE SOAPIES OR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, SO OUR GENERAL ORDERS AND I'M SURE THAT YOU NOTICE IF YOU READ THESE AHEAD OF TIME, THEY CAN BE VAGUE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE WHAT WE DO, THEY COVER WHAT WE DO.

THE S.O.P IS MORE SPECIFIC.

IT'S ON HOW WE DO IT.

SO THE GENERAL ORDERS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS READING IT, THEY MIGHT BE LIKE, WELL, IT'S IT'S MISSING MS. LIKE, HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH THAT? BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT MISSING IT.

THAT'S JUST HOW A GENERAL ORDER WORKS.

IT JUST IS EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO.

AND THEN THE S.O.P, WHICH IS AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT OR DOCUMENTS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TELL THE OFFICERS HOW TO DO IT.

AND OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST OFFICERS.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT AS WE LOOK AT THESE GENERAL ORDERS, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE AREN'T ALTERING ANYTHING CONCERNING FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS, CITY ORDINANCES AND CITY POLICY.

AND THEN AND WE'RE INTEGRATING ALL THAT STUFF INTO THE DEPARTMENT POLICY.

SO IT CAN BE QUITE A LENGTHY PROCESS.

WE STARTED THIS IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN AND NOW WE'RE IN TWENTY TWENTY ONE AND WE HAVE EXPANDED THE MANUAL SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND WHEN I STARTED ON THIS PROJECT, THERE WERE ABOUT SIXTY FIVE GENERAL ORDERS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY PLUS OR MINUS GENERAL ORDERS.

SO IT'S IT'S BEEN A BIG UNDERTAKING.

IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THE FIRST GENERAL ORDER THAT WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK LINE IS THE COMMUNICATIONS WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THE WAY THE GENERAL ORDERS ARE LINED OUT, THEY ALWAYS START WITH THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE, PROVIDE ANY DEFINITIONS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE GENERAL ORDER AND THEN GO INTO THE POLICY.

SO THE POLICY FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IS IT IS THE POLICY OF THE DENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REASONABLY ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING VICTIMS, WITNESSES, SUSPECTS AND ARRESTEES, HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.

MEMBERS MUST MAKE EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

[00:15:06]

THE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OR DENY ANY INDIVIDUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES RIGHTS OR PROGRAMS BASED UPON DISABILITIES.

THE THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GENERAL ORDER DESIGNATE A DISABILITY COMMUNITY LIAISON, AND SO I'M CHIEF DICKSON WILL APPOINT SOMEONE IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO WILL SERVE AS THAT LIAISON AND SOME OF THEIR DUTIES WILL BE TO WORK WITH THIS CITY AID COORDINATORS REGARDING OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, DEVELOP REPORTS OR NEW PROCEDURES, OR RECOMMENDING MODIFICATIONS TO THIS ORDER IF SOMETHING LOOKS AMISS, MS. OR THERE'S AN ERROR IN IT.

SO THEY NEED TO BE REVIEWING THIS BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE.

AND THEY'LL ACT AS A LIAISON WITH LOCAL DISABILITY ADVOCACY GROUPS OR OTHER DISABILITY GROUPS REGARDING ACCESS TO OUR SERVICES.

THE WILL THEY WILL ENSURE A LIST OF QUALIFIED INTERPRETER SERVICES IS MAINTAINED AND AVAILABLE FOR OUR STAFF, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

SO THE THAT LIST SHOULD CONTAIN THE CONTACT INFORMATION AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE INTERPRETERS OR THE INTERPRETER SERVICES.

THEY'LL HELP DEVELOP THOSE PROCEDURES OR THOSE SOAPIES THAT I SPOKE ABOUT A WHILE AGO THAT WILL ENABLE MEMBERS TO ACCESS THOSE AUXILIARY AIDES OR SERVICES, INCLUDING INTERPRETERS, AND ENSURE THAT THOSE PROCEDURES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS.

ANOTHER DUTY OF THIS LIAISON WILL BE TO ENSURE SIGNAGE IS POSTED IN APPROPRIATE AREAS, INDICATING THAT AUXILIARY AIDES ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE.

AND THEN THEY WILL ALSO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FOR THE PROBLEM AND EQUITABLE RESOLUTION OF ANY COMPLAINTS OR INQUIRIES REGARDING DISCRIMINATION AND ACCESS TO OUR DEPARTMENT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. THE GENERAL ORDER ALSO GOES OVER THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASSISTANCE THAT'S AVAILABLE.

IT TALKS ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING.

IT DOESN'T FADE IN THE GENERAL ORDER.

BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ARGEL, IF SOMEONE COMES INTO OUR JAIL AND AND THEY NEED THE T.Y., I THINK IS TITY SOME.

TO MAKE THOSE TYPES OF CALLS, THEY HAVE THAT ABILITY THROUGH DIGITAL PHONES.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

THE THE NEXT BIG POINT IS TRAINING.

SO ARE TRAINING ACADEMY, LIEUTENANT.

HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE IN ENSURING THAT TRAINING IS ROLLED OUT TO THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THIS GENERAL ORDER AND THEN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR OFFICERS ARE REGULARLY TRAINED. SO THEY'RE REFRESHED EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO. FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO IMPLEMENT THIS GENERAL ORDER, WE HAVE TO GET A PERSON DESIGNATED AS LIAISON AND THEN WORK WITH THE TRAINING MANAGER OR THE LIEUTENANT TO ENSURE THAT TRAINING REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IS ROLLED OUT.

SO THE NEXT ONE THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT TO YOU TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK IS SERVICE ANIMALS AND THIS ONE IS MUCH SHORTER.

BUT IT'S IT'S STILL IN THE SAME TYPE OF FORMAT, PURPOSE AND SCOPE GOES OVER A DEFINITION OF A SERVICE ANIMAL, AND THEN IT STATES THAT OUR POLICY IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND ACCESS TO PERSONS WITH SERVICE ANIMALS IN THE SAME MANNER AS THOSE WITHOUT SERVICE ANIMALS.

DEPARTMENT MEMBERS SHALL PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS ASSISTED BY SERVICE ANIMALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.

SO THIS ONE EDUCATES OUR OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHAT A SERVICE ANIMAL IS DEFINED AS HOW SERVICE ANIMALS MAY BE USED, SUCH AS GUIDING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION, ALERTING PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING AND PULLING WHEELCHAIRS, PROVIDING PHYSICAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTING WITH STABILITY AND BALANCE.

SO IT HAS THAT EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT.

[00:20:03]

AND THEN. IT ALSO TEACHES OUR OFFICERS OUTLINES HOW DO YOU INQUIRE WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE TO INQUIRE IF THE ANIMAL THAT'S ACCOMPANYING AN INDIVIDUAL IS ACTUALLY A SERVICE ANIMAL? AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC, IT SAYS THAT THE MEMBERS SHOULD ASK THE INDIVIDUAL ONLY THE THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT ARE, LISTEN, THERE IS THE ANIMAL REQUIRED BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY AND WHAT TASK OR SERVICE HAS A SERVICE ANIMAL THEN TRAINED TO PERFORM? BUT AS A RULE, IF SOMEONE IS SAYING THAT THAT THEY THERE THEY HAVE THE ANIMAL WITH THEM, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO TO GO UP AND QUESTION THEM.

IT ALSO REMINDS EMPLOYEES THAT SERVICE ANIMALS ARE NOT PETS.

AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO PLAY WITH THEM OR PET THEM.

WE'RE GOING TO RESPECT THAT.

THAT SERVICE ANIMAL HAS A JOB TO DO.

AND AND JUST LIKE THE THE OTHER GENERAL ORDER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO TRAIN ON, SO WE WILL COORDINATE WITH THE TRAINING MANAGER TO ENSURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE DO ROLL CALL TRAINING.

SO OUR SUPERVISORS SHOULD REGULARLY BE GOING OVER THESE GENERAL ORDERS AS THEY COME OUT AND THEN PERIODICALLY AFTER THAT AND SUCH AS DURING SHIFT BRIEFING RIGHT BEFORE OUR OFFICERS HIT THE STREETS.

IT'S JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE OF SUPERVISORS IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION AND.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME ABOUT IT? I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT UPDATE AND WE'LL GO TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE INFORMATION THAT SHE HAS JUST PROVIDED.

SERGEANT, DO YOU MIND PULLING DOWN YOUR PRESENTATION? OK, STOP CHEERING, THANK YOU.

SORRY ABOUT YOUR GEAR.

BOWLING, BOWLING ALLEY PLACE.

I CAN'T. YOU MEAN TO.

TURN ON YOUR MIGHT. VERY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OK, I HAVE A QUESTION.

WOULD SOMEONE'S PHYSICAL DISABILITY LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO REPORT A CRIME FOR THE POLICE TO RECEIVE A REPORT OF A CRIME IN ANY WAY? NO, NOT AT ALL.

NO. GO AHEAD.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IN FACT, THAT THIS THAT SPECIFICALLY TOUCHED ON IN THE COMMUNICATION WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND A METHOD TO GET THAT REPORT TO COMMUNICATE AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT FREE OF CHARGE, LIKE WE'RE NOT EXPECTING ANYONE TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN INTERPRETER OR OWN SERVICE.

WE WILL WE WILL BRIDGE THAT GAP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY TO GET THAT REPORT.

AND MY QUESTION THEN IS, WOULD YOU CONSIDER A PERSON WHO IS COMPLETELY BLIND, ABLE TO REPORT A CRIME THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED? YES, MA'AM. SO I'VE JUST EXPERIENCED SOMETIMES WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE BLIND THAT POLICE TEND TO THINK THAT IF YOU CAN'T SEE, I CAN'T POINT SOMEBODY OUT.

AND IF I CAN'T SAY, YEAH, THAT'S THAT THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, OR DESCRIBE THEM, THAT THEY THEY AREN'T REALLY SOMEONE THAT THAT THEY CAN COUNT ON TO MAKE A BETTER WORD.

I'M LOOKING FOR AN YES.

ID THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT, THAT THAT'S BEEN THEIR EXPERIENCE.

BUT YES, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A REPORT FROM ANYONE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCRIMINATE JUST BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY.

AND I THINK THAT IF A BLIND PERSON, ANYONE CAN PROVIDE RELEVANT AND GOOD INFORMATION OR REPORT AND THEN ON UP FROM THERE, THIS IS JUST MY LAST POINT.

[00:25:02]

SO WOULD WITH PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY PROSECUTE CRIMES AND YOU'RE BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THEM, BUT PEOPLE THAT PROSECUTE CRIMES BE WILLING TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE REPORT WHERE THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN DESCRIBE THE PERSON, IT IS A PERSON THAT IS BLIND, WHO HAS ABILITIES TO DESCRIBE PEOPLE IN OTHER WAYS VERY WELL.

EXTRINSICALLY.

ARE PROSECUTORS THERE ARE THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT, BUT WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND I FEEL THAT THEY BELIEVE THE SAME WAY AS WE DO, THAT YOU SHOULDN'T DISCRIMINATE AND THAT THAT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW THROUGH ON THOSE CASES.

OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW? YEAH. I GOT A WITH.

THANK YOU, BILL, AND YOUR FACTORS TO CONSIDER SERGEANT IDEAL, WHAT I'M A COMMANDER IN THE NAVY, RETIRED, AND I DO A LOT WITH VETERANS WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, AND A LOT OF TIMES OFFICERS CAN'T.

ESCALATE THAT PROBLEM WHEN THEY APPROACH A PERSON WITH THAT SET OF DE-ESCALATE THAT, BUT I SEE NOTHING IN THIS THAT TALKS ABOUT DEALING WITH THAT PARTICULAR DISABILITY WHEN THEY APPROACH A VETERAN.

I WAS TALKING LAST NIGHT ACTUALLY WITH FOREST COUNTY VETERANS COURT JUDGE THAT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, THAT VERY SUBJECT WITH INDIVIDUAL VETERANS AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THEIR NAMES, BUT IT HAPPENED THAT IF WE HAD JUST BEEN ABLE TO DE-ESCALATE BY CARVING THE VETERAN DOWN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST FINE.

BUT INSTEAD KNOW PEOPLE GOT CONFRONTATIVE IN AND THE PERSON JUST SLIPPED INTO HIS MILITARY MODE AND GOT VERY AGGRESSIVE AND IT JUST ESCALATED THE PROBLEM.

SO I THOUGHT MAYBE WE SHOULD ADD SOMETHING TO ADDRESS.

IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE ALSO REALIZES THAT THE VETERAN IS IF THE PERSON IS A COMBAT VETERAN, THAT THEY SHOULD APPROACH THEM IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.

YES, SIR. AND WE ACTUALLY ADDRESSED THAT IN OTHER GENERAL ORDERS AND TRAINING AND WE'VE HAD DE-ESCALATION TRAINING HERE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ADMITS IT'S ACTUALLY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US.

IT'S THE PREFERRED METHOD OF COMMUNICATION IS TO DE-ESCALATE BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT MEETING PEOPLE ON THEIR BEST DAYS OF THEIR LIFE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TYPICALLY INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE WHEN THERE'S A HARD SITUATION.

AND SO ESPECIALLY SINCE CHIEF DIXON HAS BEEN HERE, THERE'S BEEN A BIG PUSH FOR DE-ESCALATION AND WE'RE TRAINING ON IT OFTEN.

AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I AM OVER THE NEW MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION AND SO WE'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT A NEW TEAM VERY SOON IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

IT'S A CRISIS INTERVENTION RESPONSE TEAM AND WE ARE SPECIFICALLY GOING TO TRY TO HELP.

TAKE AWAY THOSE CALLS FROM PATROL AND RESPOND TO PEOPLE IN CRISIS AND AND TRY TO DO FOLLOW UPS WITH PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING CONNECTED TO SERVICES.

AND I'M ALSO OVER THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM, AND I KNOW THAT THEY ALSO INTERACT WITH A LOT OF VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO AND THESE ARE RECENT THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.

THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM, THEY WERE OPERATING WITHOUT THE FORMAL TITLE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT IT BECAME FORMAL A YEAR AGO.

AND I'VE BEEN WITH THEM FROM THE GET GO.

AND THEN CERTAINLY WE JUST STARTED IT AND THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

AND SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF CONSIDERATION FOR HOW WE INTERACT WITH PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND VETERANS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING SOME SORT OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.

EXCELLENT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OK, SEE SOME RAISED HANDS.

FIRST I SAW SAM AND WE'LL FOLLOW WITH ALISON AND THEN USE SOME.

HELLO, HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, YES.

OK, OK, I HAVE ACTUALLY IS TWO SITUATIONS IN REGARDS TO THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT. I AM BLIND AND I HAD SOME ALTERCATIONS.

[00:30:06]

WE'RE. ONE ON ONE PARTICULAR, THIS HAPPENED BEFORE THE GROWING OUTBREAK AT A SITUATION WHERE THEY DID I HAD ASSAULTED ME NOW AND CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DID THE BARE MINIMUM FOR ME.

YES, SIR. AND I HAD ANOTHER CASE WHERE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS ATTACKED.

AND I WAS FORMERLY HOMELESS AND ANDERSON GOT AN ALTERCATION AND I HAD TO DEFEND MYSELF.

YOU KNOW, AND LIKE I SAID, THAT GOT RECTIFIED THE CASE GOT SELF-DEFENSE OR NOT? WELL, LIKE I SAID, WHEN IT'S WHEN THIS PERSON ASSAULTED ME, RIGHT.

THEY DID THE BARE MINIMUM AND THIS PERSON HAD A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AND THEY THEY CUT THEIR HUSBAND. YOU'RE ME, YES.

AND THAT WASN'T REALLY FOLDABLE AT ALL.

IT WAS LIKE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

BUT I WAS THERE AND IT HAPPENED.

AND LIKE I SAID IT, BECAUSE OF SOMEBODY SAYING SOMEBODY IS BLIND, I CAN'T DESCRIBE A SUSPECT. THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU WERE BLIND, YOUR OTHER SENSES ARE VERY SENSITIVE AND YOU WILL NINE TIMES OUT OF 10, REMEMBER THAT PERSON'S VOICE BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS A DISTINCT VOICE THAT YOU CAN'T.

YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE.

YES, SIR. YOU ALSO KNOW THAT PERSON'S VOICE MIGHT NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE OR WHATEVER, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR VOICE IS LIKE IT'S LIKE, OH, JUST LIKE THE IPAD, USE PEOPLE'S EARS TO IDENTIFY THEM AND THEY USE FACIAL RECOGNITION, STUFF LIKE THAT, IN OTHER WAYS, IDENTIFYING FACTORS TO IDENTIFY A PERSON BESIDES FACIAL FACIAL.

BUT WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE I HAD TO GET EDUCATED.

I WASN'T ALWAYS BLIND, LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE IT'S MANY DEGREES OF BLINDNESS.

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD BE LIKE BLIND EVERY CHANCE.

YOU COULD BE COLOR BLIND, YOU COULD BE BLIND TO, LIKE, LIGHT OR JUST IT IT VARIES, YOU KNOW. AND YOU ARE YOU HAVE SOME POINTS ABOUT A CERTAIN THING THAT THAT IS TRUE.

AND YOU MADE SOME VERY GOOD POINTS IN TERMS OF THE VETERANS BECAUSE DIDN'T HAS A LOT OF VETERANS THAT'S HOMELESS AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN IN COMBAT.

AND A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF TIMES OFFICERS ARE AGGRESSIVE WHEN THEY APPROACHED HIM LIKE FROM THE BEGINNING. AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS GOOD BECAUSE THAT COULD LEAD TO VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM SUFFER FROM PTSD, STUFF LIKE THAT.

I HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES.

I KNOW FIRSTHAND IT DON'T TAKE MUCH FOR THEM TO COME UNHINGED.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU APPROACH THEM AGGRESSIVELY AND I ALSO HAD ANOTHER ALTERCATION WITH THEN POLICE DEPARTMENT, I WAS AT MY HOUSE, I WAS IN MY BED SLEEPING, AND MY AIDE WAS WITH ME AND ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS WAS ABUSING HIS WIFE.

FOUR POLICE OFFICERS CAME TO MY MY DOOR BACK AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING, AND THEY ACCUSED ME OF OF BEING A WOMAN.

AND I'M LIKE, NO, I WAS ASLEEP.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED, SOMEBODY HAD CALLED THEM ON ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS BECAUSE HE'S BEATING UP HIS GIRLFRIEND AND THEN THEY WENT TO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND THEY HAD THE GUNS, ONE OF THEM WAS ABOUT TO UNBUCKLE HIS GUN.

AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I HEARD IT.

AND THEN THE GUY WAS WITH ME, MY AIDE AT THE TIME, HE HAD TOLD ME THAT THE GUY WAS GOING TO RUN OUT ON. AND I FELT THAT WAS WRONG.

I DIDN'T PURSUE THAT BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, IT WENT NOWHERE, YOU KNOW, AND I HAD ANOTHER LITTLE SITUATION WITH A YOUNG LADY THAT WAS MY AGE, RIGHT.

AND SHE USED MY CREDIT CARD.

MY DEBIT CARD. RIGHT.

I FOLLOW UP WITH I MADE A REPORT AND EVERYTHING.

AND THE OFFICER IN CHARGE, YOU DID THE BARE MINIMUM, RIGHT, HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CASE, THE THE PROGRESS OF THE CASE WAS WHEN I WHEN I WAS GOING TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN HE APPROACHED ME. BUT DIDN'T YOU GUYS DO THE BARE MINIMUM? IT WAS CLEARLY IDENTITY THEFT AND HE TRIED TO TELL ME THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AS TO WHAT THE YOUNG LADY AT THE TIME WAS.

MY AIDE AND THE LADY FROM WELLS FARGO, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED AND SHE SIGNED THE PAPERS WITH ME AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T DO IT. AND LIKE I SAID, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO NATALEE.

SHE'S NOT IN JAIL. NOTHING.

IT'S LIKE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TRUSTEE WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN SOME STUFF THAT DICTATES THAT COULDN'T BE DONE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO, I MEAN, YOU DO GOT SOME GOOD OFFICERS AND SHERIFFS, POLICE, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE BAD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I MISS THEM HONEST, BUT IT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

IT'S LIKE A MIX. YOU KNOW.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, SAM.

I'M I'M REALLY SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES AND.

IF YOU WANT TO TALK WITH ME ANY TIME OR DR.

WILLIAMS OR EVEN GEOFF DIXON, I KNOW THAT WE WOULD ALL SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND WANT TO

[00:35:04]

DISCUSS THESE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU'VE HAD BECAUSE.

THAT'S NOT THE MISSION OF OUR DEPARTMENT, OUR MISSION IS TO TREAT EVERYONE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE AND HELP VICTIMS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO IT IS DISHEARTENING TO HEAR THAT THAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE.

AND IF YOU WOULD GIVE US THE CHANCE TO LOOK INTO IT AND TRY TO RECTIFY ANY OF THIS FOR YOU. WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.

OK, YOU SAY YOU WORK WITH THE HOMELESS DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER.

AND WHAT ELSE DOES DOES DOES THE OLD DEPARTMENT WORK FOR OR.

I'M IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION.

YES, SIR. SO THAT HAS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM AND THE CRISIS INTERVENTION RESPONSE TEAM.

OK, THEY QUESTION ME BECAUSE THAT'S NEEDED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE NEEDED THAT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT ALREADY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, TARA, BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS IN THAT CHAIR.

AND I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE MR. ALPHONSUS EXPERIENCES, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE MAY BE GOING OFF TOPIC AND FROM FROM THE POSTING REGARDING THE GENERAL.

EXACTLY. BUT I DID FEEL THAT WE NEEDED TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY.

I UNDERSTAND, MR. ADAMS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO.

I THINK.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

SERGEANT CRET, HOW? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

OK, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.

FIRST OFF, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M ECSTATIC TO SEE THAT THESE KIND OF PROGRAMS ARE COMING TO THEM. AND I FEEL LIKE THEY ARE LONG OVERDUE.

BUT I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO START WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND ALSO HELPING WITH HOMELESS THINGS. AND I THINK THAT IT IS A GOOD THING THAT YOU'RE DOING.

I THINK THAT AS A RULE, AT LEAST IN MY WHERE I'M COMING FROM IS A PLACE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT HAPPEN. BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN ADD OR EDIT AND JUST HELP TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS.

SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE WITH THAT, I HAVE MY NOTES OVER HERE.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING OVER HERE. SORRY, THE ONE QUESTION.

THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING AND UNDERSTANDING WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH AND WHEN IT COMES TO RECOGNIZING SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY, BUT SPECIFICALLY INVOLVING SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OR A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OR EVEN A MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITY.

WHAT PROTOCOLS ARE YOU USING OR WHAT TRAINING ARE YOU USING TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL DISABILITY? AND WHAT KIND OF TRAINING ARE YOU DOING TO TEACH YOUR OFFICERS TO RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EITHER A, JUST AN UNRULY CITIZEN OR SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY? WELL, WE ACTUALLY HAVE CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING THAT IS NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL OF OUR NEW OFFICERS AND ANYONE WHO'S TRYING TO.

WHEN YOU START OFF AS AN OFFICER, YOU HAVE A BASIC PEACE OFFICER LICENSE IN ORDER TO ADVANCE TO AN INTERMEDIATE.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE A 40 HOUR COURSE ON CRISIS INTERVENTION.

AND THEN WE ALSO THERE'S PERIODICALLY TRAINING THAT'S OFFERED MENTAL HEALTH PEACE OFFICER. IN FACT, MYSELF AND MY WHOLE TEAM, WE WENT THROUGH IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT WERE IN THE TRAINING.

IT WAS FANTASTIC.

AND SO THINGS LIKE THAT IS HOW THEY'RE BEING TRAINED.

NOW, WE DO HAVE TWO OTHER GENERAL ORDERS IN DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT.

AND ONE OF THEM IS CRISIS INTERVENTION.

AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IS ON EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDERS.

SO THOSE HAVEN'T THERE'S STILL IN DRAFT.

THEY HAVEN'T BEEN.

THEY'RE NOT TO THE FEEDBACK PROCESS YET, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT IS BEING ADDRESSED IN DIFFERENT GENERAL ORDERS.

OK, AND THEN WOULD YOU OK, IT'S THE IT'S AN S.O.P.

THAT'S YOUR. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

THAT RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.

OK, SO WHATEVER YOU BROUGHT UP THAT DID IT.

WHEN YOU DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE CALLS FROM EITHER PATROL OR SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO RESPOND TO A CRISIS, WHAT HAPPENS THERE? IS IT SOMETHING WHERE AN OFFICER GETS TO THE SCENE AND THEY ARE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THROUGH EITHER THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE AND THEN THEY SEND SOMEONE ELSE LIKE A MENTAL HEALTH RESPONDER TO THE SCENE.

OR HOW DOES THAT IS THAT START ON THE PHONE CALL OR THE 911 CALL? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT CAN START ON THE THE THE INITIAL CALL, BECAUSE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHERS ARE TRAINED TO TO TRY TO IDENTIFY MAYBE THAT'S A CRISIS CALL AND THEY RELAY

[00:40:04]

THAT INFORMATION TO THE OFFICER THAT'S BEING DISPATCHED.

OUR CURRENTLY OUR OFFICERS, WHEN THEY GO OUT TO THE SCENE, THEY ASSESS THE PERSON.

AND THEN IF THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S DETERIORATION HERE AND THIS PERSON IS A THREAT TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS BECAUSE OF THAT DETERIORATION, THEN THEY CURRENTLY CALL OUT THE DENTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, MENTAL HEALTH DEPUTIES, AND THEY WILL COME TO AN ASSESSMENT. AND THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO CONTACT INMATES AND MORE.

AND THEY WILL THEY CAN DO AN ASSESSMENT OVER THE PHONE OR VIA IPAD CURRENTLY.

AND THEN AND THEN A DECISION WILL BE MADE ON SHOULD DO THEY VOLUNTARILY WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE OR IS THIS AN INVOLUNTARY THING WHERE THEY NEED HELP IMMEDIATELY? A MS. IS A MEDICAL ISSUE.

DO THEY NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL? SO ALL OF THAT'S ASSESSED THAT WILL CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SO THE EXCITING THING IS THAT OUR CERT TEAM IS A CO RESPONDER MODEL WHERE WE HAVE OFFICERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS PAIRED UP.

AND SO THESE SOCIAL WORKER CLINICIANS, THEY THEY WILL BE THE ONES DOING THE ASSESSMENT AND WILL NO LONGER BE DEPENDENT ON THE COUNTY TO COME OUT AND MAKE THAT DECISION.

WILL WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION OURSELVES AND GIVE PEOPLE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO HELP. SO AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MAYHILL AND U.B., MHR MOORE AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT WITH JUDGE JAN TWO.

WE'RE KIND OF NAVIGATING AND FIGURING OUT THE PROCESSES RIGHT NOW AND THEN.

BUT VERY SOON WE'LL WE'LL BE OPERATING ON THE STREET.

OK, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

I THINK THAT THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

AND THINK ABOUT YOUR.

AND. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS OF FEEDBACK WHEN I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON. ANOTHER THING KIND OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM HAS BEEN A BIG ADVOCATE FOR PUTTING THAT INTO PLACE. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME CONFUSION BETWEEN THIS GENERAL ORDER RELATED TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE ONE FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.

IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO MAKE THAT INDICATION AND USE THE LANGUAGE FOR PERSONS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES OR REACHING OUT TO PERSONS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ME ON APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE RELATED TO THAT. SO THAT WAY PEOPLE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A SEPARATE ONE FOR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND THERE'S A DIFFERENT ONE FOR MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES.

THE OTHER THING.

REGARDING THE LIAISON, HOW WILL COMMUNITY MEMBERS BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE LIAISON SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK, AND HOW IS THAT BEING SHARED TO THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AND THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY CAN TALK TO? SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN OR THEY NEED TO DISCUSS SOMETHING? OK. WELL, WE HAVEN'T DESIGNATED THE PERSON YET, BUT WE UTILIZE SOCIAL MEDIA, THE FRIDAY REPORT. AND THERE'S SOME OTHER AVENUES THAT I'M NOT EVEN AWARE OF BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF OUT OF MY WHEELHOUSE. BUT THEY WILL DEFINITELY DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE THAT WE WILL HAVE THAT LIAISON.

FANTASTIC. AND THEN THE FINAL ONE IS JUST ON THE SERVICE ANIMAL, I JUST I APPRECIATE IT AND READING THROUGH IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE POINT OF DISCUSSION AND SOME OF OUR EARLY MEETINGS WHEN THIS COMMITTEE FIRST WAS STARTED AND SO ESPECIALLY ABOUT INDIVIDUALS BEING DENIED SERVICE BECAUSE IT WAS RELATED TO THEIR SERVICE ANIMALS.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THERE.

AND AGAIN, KNOWING WHO THE BEST POINT OF CONTACT IS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY EXPERIENCE THAT KIND OF DISCRIMINATION SO THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT AND HAVE A POINT OF CONTACT WOULD BE HELPFUL. YES, AND IT WILL DEFINITELY BE THAT LIAISON, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE A WE HAVE A POLICY HERE THAT ANY PERSON CAN COME TO ANY OFFICER OR ASK FOR ANY SUPERVISOR AND MAKE THAT COMPLAINT, OR THEY CAN CALL OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY.

AND SO THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES TO MAKING THAT COMPLAINT.

[00:45:02]

BUT ANY OFFICER HERE SHOULD ACCEPT.

WELL, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND THAT MAY EVEN BE QUESTIONED, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SERGEANT HOWARD, FOR YOUR INPUT ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

AND IN REGARD TO YOUR SIGNAGE, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING WITH SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS IN PLACE.

AND I AM JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO BE AWARE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE IN TWO LANGUAGES.

AND FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE LIMITED INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY, IF WE COULD LOOK AT HAVING SOME GRAPHICS PAIRED WITH THE TEXT TO ALLOW TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED IN A LESS STRESSFUL MANNER, AND THEY NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WITH CHALLENGING INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY.

AND THE APPROACH MAY NEED TO BE DIFFERENT IN REGARD TO YOUR VOCABULARY AND TERMINOLOGY WHEN YOU ARE APPROACHING AND PROVIDING SUPPORT.

AND THAT'S IT FOR ME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS INFORMATION AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING OUR COMMUNITY THE CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT. AND AT THIS TIME, IF ALL OF OUR MEMBERS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH WHERE WE ARE REGARDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S MOVE TOWARD SUPPORTING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH THEIR OPERATING GUIDELINES OR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, I MUST SAY, AND THEIR GENERAL ORDERS, WE WILL TRUSTEE MR. ADAMS IF IT'S OK TO THE NEXT TOPIC.

THUMBS UP AND IS FINE WITH ME, IT IS YOUR MEETING.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR UP HERE.

I DO NOT BELIEVE EITHER HAS BEEN ABLE TO JOIN.

OK, WE WILL PROCEED WITH ITEM THREE ON OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY, WHICH IS TO RECEIVE A REPORT

[C. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff recommendations regarding the planned implementation of a new City website and website accessibility for persons with disabilities.]

AND HOLD A DISCUSSION, AS WELL AS PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AS APPROPRIATE TO THE PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND PRESENTER.

I SAY I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO STEP IN SARAH FULLWOOD, WHO WAS SCHEDULED TO BE A PRESENTER.

SHE HAD A AN URGENT PERSONAL ISSUE THAT SHE HAD TO TO LEAVE AND ATTEND TO.

SO I'M GOING TO DO A VERY POOR MAN'S JOB OF BEING SARAH TODAY.

SHE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU A MUCH BETTER PRESENTATION OF I'LL TRY MY BEST.

LET ME SHARE MY SCREEN REAL QUICK.

AND THIS PRESENTATION, THIS ITEM, AS WELL AS THE NEXT ONE THAT YOU HAVE COMING UP.

THESE ARE VERY MUCH ITEMS THAT WE CAN GET BACK ON.

THERE GOES THAT.

WE WANT TO GET SOME VERY EARLY FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IS, IS WHENEVER WE MAKE ANY CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS OR ENHANCEMENTS TO TO SOME OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS OR SOME OF THE TOOLS WE USE TO COMMUNICATE BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR DOWN THE LINE AND WANT TO COME TO THIS GROUP FOR FEEDBACK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AND IMPLEMENTING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT SO THAT WE CAN BE VERY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL PERSONS, BUT PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THIS PRESENTATION IS RELATED TO THE CITY OF THE WEBSITE.

AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY ON THIS CALL OR ANYONE IN THIS MEETING HAS BEEN TO THE WEBSITE OR SPENT MUCH TIME ON IT RECENTLY.

WE'VE HAD IT FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY SELECTING A NEW WEBSITE VENDOR.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR US TO WANT TO UPDATE OUR WEBSITE.

MANY OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH A LOT OF THE BACKEND OPERATIONS OF THE WEBSITE, HOW WE HOW WE POST CONTENT, HOW WE ARE ABLE TO MANAGE THE CONTENT AND DISPLAY THE CONTENT IN ADDITION TO A LOT OF SECURITY UPDATES THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL TIMELINE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS PROJECT, WE HOPE TO SELECT A VENDOR HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH TO SIX WEEKS AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTING OUR NEW WEBSITE THROUGH THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE WITH A GOAL TO LAUNCH IN LATE SUMMER OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE.

AND A LOT OF FACTORS PLAY INTO THAT.

OF COURSE, WITH THE SELECTION OF A NEW WEBSITE COMES A NEW LIKELY A NEW WEBSITE INTERFACE, NEW LOOK AND FEEL TO THE WEBSITE, A NEW WEBSITE USER EXPERIENCE.

AND THE WEBSITE IS THE MAIN AREA ARE THE MAIN, I SHOULD SAY, SOURCE, WHERE PEOPLE RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THE CITY.

AND SO IT'S INCREDIBLY CRITICAL THAT WE MAKE SURE THE WEBSITE IS ACCESSIBLE AND THAT INFORMATION IS EASY TO RECEIVE AND UNDERSTAND BY EVERYONE ACROSS THE CITY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A WEBSITE DESIGN THAT'S VERY EASY

[00:50:01]

TO NAVIGATE, BUT A FUNCTIONAL SEARCH TOOL SO THAT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE NAVIGATION, YOU'RE ONE SEARCH AWAY FROM GETTING TO GETTING TO THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT.

AS PART OF THAT, WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE IS TO IMPROVE OUR ACCESSIBILITY AND ADA COMPLIANCE. AND WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY IMPACT ALL USERS.

BUT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE NOT IN ANY WAY RESTRICTED FROM ALL THE WEBSITE CONTENT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO GET FROM THE GROUP AND I'LL I'LL WRAP UP WITH A FEW QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, IS AS WE START DOWN THIS ROAD, WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT.

SO SOME OF OUR GOALS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON ARE GENERAL ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, SOME OF THEM ARE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A PHOTO TAGGING FEATURE WHERE SOMEONE WHO IS SIGHT IMPAIRED RATHER THAN HAVING TO DISCERN WHAT MIGHT BE DISPLAYED ON A PHOTO, YOU CAN HOVER OVER THAT PHOTO AND THE DESCRIPTION POPS UP OR A SOUND PLAYS LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT IS IN THAT PHOTO. SOME OF THE NEW ITEMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITH WITH WEBSITES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS AN INTEGRATED COMPLIANCE CHECK.

OR SO WHEN WE CREATE A WEB PAGE OR PUT INPUT CONTENT ONTO A WEB PAGE, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY SCAN THAT WEB PAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HITTING EVERYTHING WE NEED TO HIT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH THE ADA.

WE ARE ADDITIONALLY HOPING TO ELIMINATE SOME THINGS THAT ARE PART OF OUR CURRENT WEBSITE THAT IS NOT EXACTLY USER FRIENDLY.

AND I THINK THIS PROBABLY APPLIES TO THOSE PERSONS WHO DON'T HAVE DISABILITIES, AS IT DOES TO THOSE WHO DO.

BUT THAT COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM ITEMS THAT THAT SCROLL THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO FOCUS ON, DIFFICULT TO VIEW IMAGES WITH TEXT IS A BIG PROBLEM.

A LOT OF TIMES THOSE AREN'T ALWAYS PICKED UP BY BY READERS TEXT OF OUR TEXT TO SOUND READERS. AND SO WE WANT TO ELIMINATE THOSE AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS TO DISPLAY INFORMATION.

IN ADDITION, WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE CAPABILITY WITH CHARTS AND GRAPHS.

OUR CURRENT WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGER DOES NOT REALLY ALLOW US TO POST CHARTS AND GRAPHS IN A WAY WHERE SOMEONE WHO SAY IS SIGHT IMPAIRED WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE SENSE OF OF OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S ON THAT CHART AND GRAPH BECAUSE IT'S VERY COMPRESSED.

IT IS NOT EASILY DISCERNIBLE.

DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN THE CHART AND GRAPH ARE NOT EASILY DISCERNIBLE FROM OTHER ELEMENTS.

SO WE'RE HOPING TO TO REALLY JUST KIND OF.

AS MUCH AS WE ARE LOOKING TO BRING IN A LOT OF GOOD ELEMENTS, WE'RE HOPING TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF ELEMENTS THAT JUST DON'T WORK.

AND WHAT AND I KNOW THIS IS A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION, WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW FROM THE GROUP BEFORE WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD IS WHAT CONSIDERATIONS, WHAT A.D.A CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD WE BE AWARE OF RELATED TO WEBSITES THAT YOU FEEL SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED? ARE THERE SPECIFIC WEBSITE FEATURES THAT MAYBE AREN'T COVERED BY THE ADA? SO THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC RULES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT GENERALLY PRESENT A PROBLEM FOR ACCESSIBILITY? AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT RELATED TO ACCESSIBILITY? I THINK EVERYONE HERE HAS VISITED WEBSITES AND PROBABLY HAD FRUSTRATIONS ON SOME TOPICS AND AND WE REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THOSE AS WE BUILD OUR NEW WEBSITE, ISD WEB SITE OF THE FUTURE. SO I WILL.

PULL THIS PRESENTATION DOWN AND AND THIS IS MEANT JUST TO BE A A GENERAL DISCUSSION, AND I'M GOING TO BE SCRIBBLING DOWN ALL THE NOTES, BUT WE'RE HAPPY FOR ANY FEEDBACK.

AND, OF COURSE, WE WILL BRING THIS TOPIC BACK TO THE GROUP WHEN WE'RE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG DOWN THE LINE FOR AN UPDATE.

OK, SO FORWARD STEP.

GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

DO ANY OF YOU AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS? SALLY. YES.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE WORKING WITH SOMEONE THAT USES A SCREEN READER THROUGH YOUR PROCESS? SCREEN READERS ARE USED BY PEOPLE THAT ARE BLIND.

THERE'S DIFFERENT ONES.

SO WHAT WE INTEND TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS.

IS SET UP TO BE READ BY A SCREENWRITER, BUT TO YOUR POINT, I THINK WHAT WE WILL NEED TO DO IS DO SOME ROBUST TESTING ON THAT FRONT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT READER A PERSON IS USING, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE OR PERHAPS A

[00:55:03]

BAD EXPERIENCE. SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN WE CAN TEST AND AND PERHAPS LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO TO INVOLVE SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE IN THAT TESTING OR AT LEAST ASK YOU TO MAYBE PUT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO WHERE WE CAN GET SOME SOME VERY GOOD FEEDBACK WHILE WE'RE STILL IN THE STAGE OF BUILDING THE WEBSITE WHERE WE CAN TINKER AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.

JOHN? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO JUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE TESTING.

AND A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT IS WHETHER A PERSON.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE'S ASKING ME OR NOT, YOU CAN THERE'S A FREE ONE CALLED IN THE D.A.

THAT YOU CAN JUST DOWNLOAD TO ANY COMPUTER AND YOU COULD BE ABLE TO TEST WHATEVER YOU'VE DONE AND GET THE AUDIO FEED BACK AND SEE HOW IT MOVES AROUND THE SCREEN.

I THINK WHAT YOU ALREADY MENTIONED IS GREAT.

AND I WAS TRYING TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND OTHER.

POSSIBILITIES. I REALLY DIDN'T COME UP WITH ANY.

I KNOW THAT THAT THE SCREENER I USE CALLED JAWS, I KNOW IT HAS SOME TECHNOLOGY WITHIN IT THAT CAN GET INSIDE A TABLE OR, I DON'T KNOW, MY CARDS ON THE TABLE AND IT COULD MANIPULATE AROUND PRETTY WELL, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA OR THE PEOPLE WORKING ON THE WEBSITE HAVE A GOOD IDEA.

AND WHAT YOU SAID ALREADY IS IS VERY.

I JUST WANT TO MENTION THE MEDIA, BECAUSE IT IS EASY SCREAM HERE TO GET A HOLD OF.

GOT IT. THANK YOU, SIR.

GREAT INPUT. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE, SONIA? I'LL JUST SECOND THE IDEA THAT TO HAVE YOUR TARGET POPULATION PLAY AROUND WITH IT SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY PINPOINT TO YOU WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE SO THAT YOU CAN BE AS THOROUGH IN YOUR PROCESS AS YOU CAN.

I KNOW. WORKING AT THE UNIVERSITY.

THEY'VE FOCUSED A LOT AS WE MOVE TO MORE VIRTUAL OPERATIONS ON ACCESSIBILITY AND A LOT OF IT WAS ON THINGS THAT YOU HAD ALREADY MENTIONED, ESPECIALLY WITH IMAGES THAT HAVE TEXT ON MAKING SURE.

THAT YOU'RE PUTTING THAT OUTSIDE OF THE IMAGES AS WELL, FOR READERS, THOUGH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY MENTIONED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING.

WHAT WE CAN DO, OH, I APOLOGIZE, WHAT WE CAN DO IS I EXPECT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A KIND OF A BETA TEST SITE WON'T BE LAUNCHED, BUT IT'LL BE FAIRLY WELL BAKED.

WE CAN PERHAPS REACH OUT TO A FEW MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE AND GIVE YOU A LINK, SAY, OK, HERE, TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS, TAKE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE.

LET US KNOW WHAT ISSUES COME UP.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT FEEDBACK ON.

ALISON. I MEAN, PLEASE.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ON MY END AND JUST SOME SUGGESTIONS, OF COURSE, THIS IS WELL KNOWN, BUT AS SANS SERIF FONTS ARE A GOOD IDEA, USUALLY A LITTLE BIT BOLDER FONT. AND SOME THINGS THAT ARE REALLY HELPFUL, AT LEAST IN SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES, IS LESS CONTRASTING AND BRIGHT COLORS LIKE YOU WANT TO KEEP THE COLORS READABLE, UNDERSTANDABLE. YOU CAN STILL MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE BY HAVING TONED DOWN COLORS THAT AREN'T SO THEY CAN BE UPSETTING OR NOT UPSETTING, BUT DISTRACTING OR HARDER TO READ.

AND THEN AS FAR AS CONTENT GOES, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO PUT ON YOUR WEBSITE, BUT THE ORGANIZATION OF CONTENT CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR SOME PEOPLE.

SO MAKING THINGS VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE DIRECTION, LIKE DIRECTING DIRECTION OF THE EYE WHERE THINGS SHOULD GO ON THE WEBSITE AND JUST A LITTLE A LOT OF INTUITIVE WILL HELP, TOO, BUT ALSO JUST CLEAR, CONCISE LISTS WITHOUT JUST A BUNCH OF STUFF EVERYWHERE WITH BIG BRIGHT COLORS THAT CAN BE REALLY OVERWHELMING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I THINK WE'VE BROKEN THE BIG BRIGHT COLORS RULE WITH OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, SO IT'S FINE, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I MEAN, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE, THOSE WOULD BE SOME MAJOR SUGGESTIONS.

THAT'S GREAT SUGGESTION. THANK YOU.

SO, MR. ADAMS, HAVE YOU ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OTHER CITIES, WEBSITES THAT

[01:00:01]

MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THE.

WE ACTUALLY WE'VE ACTUALLY WEAVED THROUGH OUR PROCESS, WE'VE SELECTED THE VENDOR THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH BASED ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS, DEMONSTRATIONS AND THEN, OF COURSE, LOOKING AT A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT COMPARISON CITIES, BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEEN APPROVED YET.

I'M NOT ABLE TO SHARE THE VENDOR.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT'S A VERY REPUTABLE VENDOR WHO HOSTS A NUMBER, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MUNICIPAL WEBSITES.

SO THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.

AND WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THE PRODUCT THEY HAVE AND THEIR ABILITY TO DELIVER ON WHAT THEY WHAT THEY PROPOSE, WHICH DOES INCLUDE ACCESSIBILITY.

THANK YOU AND THANK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT, THAT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT, AND WE WILL TAKE IT TO OUR NEXT TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH RECEIVING A

[D. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and make a recommendation regarding communications to persons with disabilities during water service outages.]

REPORT, HAVE A DISCUSSION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES DURING WATER SERVICE OUTAGES.

AND WHO IS A PRESENTER FOR THIS? THAT IS ACTUALLY ME AGAIN.

YEAH, OK. I WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT YOU GUYS GOT ME TWICE OR SO, LIKE THE FIRST PRESENTATION. THIS ONE IS VERY MUCH A WE WANT SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK POINTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW BACK UP BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK.

LET ME SHARE MY SLIDE SHOW WITH YOU GUYS.

OH. OK.

SO I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN IT.

SO WHAT I WANT TO DISCUSS TODAY IS THE CITY'S PROCESS FOR COMMUNICATING INFORMATION REGARDING WATER OUTAGES.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, WATER OUTAGES CAN JUST LIKE POWER OUTAGES CAN BE EXTREMELY DISRUPTIVE, PARTICULARLY IF THEY LAST A LONG TIME AND FOLKS CAN MAYBE LAST A FEW HOURS TO A HALF A DAY WITHOUT WATER. BUT EVENTUALLY THEY NEED IT FOR COOKING SHOWERS, BARS AND FLUSHING THE TOILET. SO IT BECOMES VERY DISRUPTIVE AS THINGS GOES ON, AS THINGS GO ON.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHILE WATER OUTAGES WILL HAPPEN AND DO HAPPEN AND SOMETIMES THE EXTENT OF THE OUTAGE IS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S CONTROL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY PURPOSEFUL IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO OUR RESIDENTS ON THE STATUS OF THOSE OUTAGES AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

SO WE HAVE HAD A WE DID HAVE A PROCESS LEADING UP TO LIKE TWENTY TWENTY THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT DISJOINTED AND SILOED.

WE JUST WEREN'T NECESSARILY ALL ON THE SAME EXACT PAGE HERE AT THE CITY.

AND WHAT REALLY STARTED THE CONVERSATION IS WE DID HAVE AN OUTAGE AT THE SUMMER OAKS SUBDIVISION. THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, SUMMIT OAKS PARDON ME, THIS WAS AN EXTENDED OUTAGE, ENDED UP LASTING 20 HOURS OR SO.