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Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry has passed away after a brief battle with cancer.

Fort Wayne Introduces "Moving Forward Together" Plan For Public Safety, Racial Justice

Zach Bernard/WBOI News

Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, Police Chief Steve Reed and other local faith and government officials came together Thursday to unveil an “action plan” for addressing public safety and racial justice.

In the weeks since the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, communities around the world have participated in large demonstrations protesting racial injustice and police brutality.

Fort Wayne’s protests on May 29 and 30 ended in violent clashes between protesters and police, which created further unrest in parts of the city and placed the functions under the police department under a microscope.

One of the key elements of the action plan -- which Henry calls “Moving Forward Together” -- is the establishment of the Commission on Police Reform and Racial Justice, which will be chaired by at-large Democratic Councilwoman Michelle Chambers. The commission will “look at strengths and weaknesses in the community and current challenges that need to be examined, including a further study of the 8 Can’t Wait initiative.”

Chambers says it’s a volunteer commission, and that they’re ready to work right away.

“This commission will work hard to find and respond to issues that have come forth since the murder of Mr. Floyd," Chambers said. "I am confident that we will be successful, I am very appreciative of the support of the administration.”

She adds that a meeting schedule will be published “within two weeks,” noting that some sessions will likely be community roundtables, something Chambers has done frequently via Zoom in quarantine.

The 8 Can’t Wait initiative, a national program offering eight steps for the internal reform of police departments, was mentioned several times as an element of the action plan.

Reed says the department is doing most of the things proposed within it already.

Another pressing issue for activists and residents is when -- or even whether -- the police department will mandate body cameras for its officers. 2nd District Republican Councilman Russ Jehl said during City Council’s meeting Tuesday he will not support another budget proposal without the assurance of body cameras.

Reed addressed the current status of body cameras for officers. He says he met with Motorola -- which makes the department’s car cams -- to discuss body cameras late last year, and they could be ready to launch a pilot program by July.

“During this time period over the last couple of years we’ve been involved in a digital evidence project, this is also with Motorola and it’s called Vault," Reed said. "That is near completion and once that is completed, we can move into full implementation of body cameras.”

He says the department is looking at grant opportunities in addition to funding from City Council to cover the expense of body cams.

Additional measures being taken are the reconvening of the Mayor’s Roundtable on Public Safety, which has been on hiatus since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and further community collaboration and outreach between the police department and Fort Wayne UNITED.

Zach joined 89.1 WBOI as a reporter and local host for All Things Considered, and hosted Morning Edition for the past few years. In 2022, he was promoted to Content Director.
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