Mayor Jordan is hosting a public input session tonight about the new police station

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The Police Headquarters bond project was approved by a 71% majority as one of 10 separate questions posed to Fayetteville voters about infrastructure projects during a special election held in April 2019. Subsequently, the Mayor and City Council placed the Police Headquarters project in Phase I of the bond program and hired an architect. Project specifications began in Spring 2020.

Fayetteville City Councilmembers defined this project’s purpose statement in July of 2020 as “a welcoming city resource and integrated neighborhood anchor to provide a safe place for officers working to advance the health, safety and welfare of our community now and into the future and engage the community through inclusive access and support.” Councilmembers agreed on project design priorities that include a facility in a visible and central location to house all police operations, training and support, with safety and security for the public and police. A fire station will also be constructed on the site.

During a rezoning discussion at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 7, Councilmembers Marsh, Smith and Scroggin asked City administration to host a public input session where the public could share their thoughts on this project. When asked about intent for the session, Councilmember Marsh responded: “I would like to see the City ask the community what their priorities are for the site and the facilities and how the construction of this major public investment can be used to enhance the neighborhood, to improve relationships between the community and the police and fire department and how we can make this a constructive benefit to the community.”

Councilmember Smith added: “We have been asking for public conversation that goes beyond the scope of the things we are having to deal with here.”

In the two days following the rezoning discussion, Councilmembers provided City administration with guidance on meeting format and rules of engagement. Chief of Staff Susan Norton and Mayor Jordan have agreed to the Council’s guidance on format and engagement. These include giving each participant three minutes to speak on the Police Headquarters project and allowing Fayetteville residents to speak first.

Additionally, Mayor Jordan and Police Chief Reynolds hope that attendees of Tuesday’s public input session will consider and provide feedback on the following questions:

What are your priorities for the future of the Fayetteville Police Headquarters building?
If community space were included in this project, how do you envision the use of such space?
Beyond the Police Headquarters, what other amenities might be beneficial on the public safety campus?
“The City has heard that some residents feel they haven’t yet had adequate opportunity to provide their feedback on this important project,” said Chief of Staff Susan Norton. “The Mayor and I hope this public input session will give those residents an opportunity to share constructive, thoughtful feedback on this long overdue and much-needed public safety campus, which includes both a Police Headquarters and a new fire station.”

More information on the Police Headquarters project, including drafted site design options and the results of an August 2020 questionnaire, is available at https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/.../Police-Facilities.... For more information on 2019 Bond projects, please go to https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/.../2019-Fayetteville....

sorry for the huge copy/paste, i couldn't find this anywhere besides fb

putting this here bc i think matthew petty makes some good points

Last night, during the listening session for the new community safety center I listened, and I heard you. I’m sharing some pictures here of the new site - I’m in each picture, even if it looks like a small dot on the map. I think that’s a good metaphor for just how many community members can and should be a part of the planning for community safety.Here’s how I envision community safety in Fayetteville moving forward and some steps I’d like to take to get there.

• We need to commit to comprehensive community safety planning. We engage in diligent planning efforts for transportation, recycling, and economic development. Community safety deserves the same effort and attention.

• I support all viable alternatives to arrest and incarceration, including new programs utilizing social workers, trauma specialists, and behavioral interventionists. I also support legalizing marijuana and commuting relevant sentence, and I believe a housing-first approach is the only way to solve homelessness. I'm against local law enforcement coordinating to deport local workers and separate families, because it is the opposite of keeping the peace.

• I believe we should take care of people intentionally and diligently and that we need new programs and policies to do so. The justice system should be our last resort, not our first call. And right now, we don't have strong support systems in place, so the justice system is our only call. I'm not content with that.

• Several acres at the site of the new police and fire stations are held in reserve for future uses. What happens there is up to us, and it's one of the things we should make a plan for when we have a comprehensive conversation about community safety.Thank you those that logged on and dialed in to share. Please keep sharing and talking. Your voice is heard!

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This and the Drug Task Force funds approval are FU...I wish they would do the right thing.

Will he silence BIPOC again?