Law Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Commission

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About

Mission

The mission of the Law Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Commission (LETAC) is to make recommendations to City Council which would promote improved understanding and relationships between the police department and the public.

Goals

To accomplish this, the Commission will:

  • provide a conduit for the concerns and needs of both citizens and the police department to be shared and discussed with City Council;
  • analyze and provide feedback to City Council with other policy recommendations; and,
  • assist City Council with budget, appropriation, and resource allocation recommendations utilizing data-driven audits of law enforcement performance.

Background

At a Special City Council Work Session June 16, 2020, City Council directed staff to move forward with forming the new advisory committee tasked with bringing policy recommendations to City Council, the Mayor and the Colorado Springs Police Department.

On June 23, 2020 City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to create the Law Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Commission. It was approved by a vote of 8 to 1. On July 13 City Council passed the second reading, approved by a 8 to 0 vote. 

Contact

LETAC@coloradosprings.gov

719-385-5540

Upcoming Meetings

Regular Monthly Meetings

The Commission typically meets on the first and third Monday of each month from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Please check the Agendas and Minutes tab for upcoming meetings.  Due to current public health restrictions, members of the public will not be permitted to attend in person.  The meeting can be accessed by the two following methods:

Microsoft Teams*: Click Here to Join Meeting

Telephone: 720-617-3426 Conference ID: 629 946 63#

*Microsoft Teams Meetings – Anyone requiring captioning must join via software instead of the browser.  Currently capability does not exist on Teams to join via the browser.  In other words, you must download the Windows App when or prior to joining. In accordance with the ADA, anyone requiring an accommodation to participate in this meeting should make the request as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.

2021 Meeting Schedule

Monday, January 4, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Thursday, January 14, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, February 1, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, March 1, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, March 15, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, April 5, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, April 19, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, May 3, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, May 17, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, June 7, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, June 21, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Tuesday, July 6, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, July 19, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, August 2, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, August 16, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Tuesday, September 7, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, September 20, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, October 4, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, October 18, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, November 1, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, November 16, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Monday, December 6, 2021 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Listening Sessions

LETAC will host monthly Listening Sessions for the citizens of Colorado Springs to share their opinions and concerns on policing and public safety.

The Listening Sessions will be held virtually. The Listening Sessions will be recorded and published on the LETAC website for those who cannot attend.  Citizens are encouraged to sign-up in advance by emailing LETAC@ColoradoSprings.gov or calling 719-385-5480. 

See the 'Initatives' tab for more information about the listening sessions. 

Next Session

Listening Session - Wednesday, April 28, 6-7:30 p.m.

Initiatives

Listening and Learning Initiative

2021 1st Quarter Topics

Communication (January 19 / February 1)

  1. How could CSPD’s approach to communication with the community more effectively build and maintain trust between law enforcement and citizens?
  2. What improvements (website, online, face-to-face, etc.) are being made to increase CSPD transparency?
  3. What data about Colorado Springs policing do members of the community have an interest in but are not readily available now?

Racial Bias (February 16 / March 1)

  1. To what extent does racial bias influence policing in Colorado Springs, and how is it best addressed?
  2. To what extent are CSPD interactions with racial minorities different than those with racial majority populations?
  3. What training is in place to minimize bias? What evidence do we have that such training is effective?
  4. What screening occurs at the level of recruitment to promote equitable treatment of citizens and minimize bias?

Crisis Response (March 15 / April 5)

  1. What approaches to crisis response (procedures, policies, models, etc.) have been adopted by CSPD? How do we know they are effective?
  2. From the perspective of overall public safety, how do we effectively allocate resources between traditional policing (which would require an armed response to a call for service) and crisis response (which would not)?

Use of Force (April 19 / May 3)

  1. Are the use of force policies and practices sufficient to best meet the needs of our community?
  2. To what extent are mechanisms for accountability sufficient to promote public safety?
  3. When law enforcement investigates itself, how do we ensure there is minimal conflict of interest?

 

​NOTE: LETAC also approved the convening of additional monthly Listening Sessions to augment the ‘Listening and Learning’ process. Citizen comments at these sessions may lead to consideration of additional topics and/or re-prioritizing of those listed above.

View adopted Listening and Learning Q1 topics (PDF)

Adopted Listening and Learning Framework

Learn about LETAC's process for the listening and learning initiative

Progress Reports

The Commission produces a Progress Report to keep members of the public informed after each meeting.  Each Progress Report includes what occurred at that meeting along with what is happening with the Commission in the future.

Commissioners

Debra Walker, District 1

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 28, 2021

Walker is the executive director of the Citizens Project and serves on many boards and committees. She is a Founding Member and Chair of the Haiti Village Project and serves on CPSD’s Community Leaders Steering Committee as well as on the advisory board for the Center for Religious Diversity and Public Life at UCCS.

Brent Windebank, District 2

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 28, 2021

Brent Windebank is a proud Colorado Springs native, coach, researcher, and university student. Improving public safety, giving voice to marginalized community members, and being solution-oriented are some of his priorities while serving Colorado Springs on LETAC. Whenever he has free time, he can be found hiking, fishing, volunteering at his church, playing volleyball, or connecting with other community members at a local coffee shop!

Dr. Luis Velez, District 3

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 27, 2022

Dr. Luis Velez served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps;  a Vietnam Veteran 1969-1970.  He holds a Doctor of Management (DM) degree from Colorado Technical University awarded in 1999; a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from UCCS awarded in 1989; and a Bachelors (BS) degree in Sociology from the University of Southern Colorado awarded in 1979.  He served a total of thirty eight years in Law Enforcement; CSPD 1975-2006, and PPD 2011-2017; and he was the former Chief of Police in both Colorado Springs and Pueblo, CO.  He has lived in Colorado Springs for 46 consecutive years.

Rachel Flick, District 3

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 27, 2022

Rachael Flick, LPC, NCC, is a trauma therapist and licensed counselor. Her late husband, El Paso County Deputy Sheriff Micah Flick, was killed in the line of duty, arresting a suspected car thief. Rachael is a single mother of twins, a speaker, podcaster, author, and community advocate. Rachael is working to bridge the gap between the public and the police through communication, transparency and cultural transformation. 

Terry Martinez, District 3

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 26, 2023

Martinez worked at several area schools during his 31-year career in education, serving as a principal, assistant principal and teacher. Martinez serves on the Judicial Review Commission for the 4th Judicial District and on the El Paso County Parks Advisory Board.  

Justin Baker, District 4

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 26, 2023

One of the founders of the People 719 non-profit activism group, Baker helped write the initial proposal which formed the basis of the Commission. Baker works as a lumberjack.

Janice Frazier, District 4

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 27, 2022

Janice “JJ” Frazier has been active in the Colorado Springs community for many, many years.  She is a graduate of Widefield High School and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Operations from Colorado Technical University (CTU). She has had a distinguished 40-year career in public education with Widefield School District 3 and Colorado Springs School District 11, in Colorado Springs, CO, and the Detroit Public Schools in Detroit, Michigan.  As Chair of the Board of Directors, she has led the Urbanites Leading the Pikes Peak Region, formerly known as the Urban League of the Pikes Peak Region since 2012.  Currently, Ms. Frazier serves as Chair of the Law Enforcement and Accountability Commission (LETAC) in Colorado Springs.

Dennis Moore, District 4

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 26, 2023

Dennis Moore retired from the US Air Force with 20 years of active service in 1986 and followed by 20 years of Federal Civil Service with retirement in 2007.  Both careers were as a Program Management Analyst.   These careers developed a skill set for business and operational fact-finding, providing oral and written reports and presentations that include issues or controversies with recommended actions.  In addition, he became Adjunct Faculty Member at Bellville Area Community College in Illinois and Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs; where he was teaching courses in Management of Information Systems, Management Skills for Supervisors, Principles of Management, Human Resource Management, Human Relations, and Introduction to Business.

Steve Kern, District 5

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 27, 2022

Steve Kern is Vice Chair of LETAC. A thirty-year resident of Colorado Springs (all of that time in Council District 5), Steve was a teacher at Palmer High School until retiring in 2017. Steve chairs KRCC’s Citizens Advisory Board. He co-teaches a course at Colorado College in Philosophy for Children, which trains facilitators to engage children in philosophical conversations. He is also a member of the advisory council for “Becoming Your Personal Best,” an educational initiative of the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum focusing on developing resiliency skills for teachers, students, and communities. The father of two adult children, Steve is married to Nancy Henjum, an executive coach and leadership consultant.

Joe Aldaz, District 6

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 26, 2023

President & CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Aldaz also serves on the boards of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC and Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado and is active on the Pikes Peak Community College Hispanic Advisory Council and Institute for Veterans and Military Families Diversity & Inclusion Council.

Dr. Kate Angulski, District 6

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 28, 2021

Dr. Kate Angulski is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.  She received her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University.  Her research focuses on international and comparative criminal justice as well as drug use and drug policy.

Rosita Camargo, District 4 - Alternate

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 26, 2023

Camargo has over 12 years of experience working with homeless youth and adults and previously served on the board of the National Latinx Coalition to end Homelessness.

Felicia Embry, District 5 - Alternate

1st Term - Sep 22, 2020 to Sep 26, 2023

Embry is the owner/operator of Thelma Lou’s Innersoul Food catering company and runs her own financial consulting firm.

News

Agendas and Minutes

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