Title
Request to Enter into an Agreement with National Training Institute on Race and Equity to Provide Implicit Bias and Cultural Competence Training (Ordinance S-44894)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an agreement with the National Training Institute on Race and Equity (NTIRE) to conduct implicit bias and cultural competence training. The estimated expenditure for FY 2018-19 is $150,000. The aggregate amount for the one-year agreement with two one-year options to extend shall not exceed $450,000. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
In April 2015, the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) instituted a mandatory 40-hour training module for all sworn employees designed to enhance officer decision making and safety, as well as to develop trust, accountability and mutual respect with the community. To address the latter competencies, the module curriculum included eight hours of instruction on the subject of Cultural Consciousness taught by an outside vendor. Instruction was provided by the vendor from the start of the module sessions in April through June 2015, when the module sessions were suspended for the summer break. Prior to the module sessions resuming in August 2015, the vendor of the Cultural Consciousness training withdrew from the contract. A subsequent procurement for Police Cultural Competency training was initiated in October 2015, however, that process was unsuccessful in identifying a new vendor.
The Phoenix Police Department has an immediate and critical operational need to provide implicit bias and cultural competence training to police officers, as they have daily contact with the community. Being aware of implicit bias and having the tools will strengthen the relationship between the Police Department and the community. A vendor with experience in training law enforcement is preferred to provide an understanding of implicit bias, what causes this bias, how it impacts service to the community, how it can be managed and reduced in the workplace, and how one can self-recognize one's own individal implicit bias and use the training to overcome it.
In light of the issues experienced locally and nationally regarding race relations with law enforcement, the PPD would like to start providing implicit bias training as soon as possible. The PPD would like to utilize the services of the NTIRE. Dr. Bryant T. Marks, Sr., founder and chief training officer of NTIRE, is known as an expert in the field of implicit bias training and has extensive experience in this field. Dr. Marks was cited as a national expert on implicit bias by the Los Angeles Police Commission, Office of Inspector General in a review of the Los Angeles Police Department's adherence with national best practices, reported in May 2017. As a diversity and implicit bias expert, Dr. Marks has provided implicit bias training to more than 2,000 police chiefs and executives via a series of briefings at the White House in 2016, and several thousand patrol officers in local police departments including the entire Los Angeles Police Department. He has also provided training related to diversity and implicit bias to individuals in education (K-12 and higher education), philanthropy, non-profits, local and federal government and several other sectors. NTIRE is an experienced training institute that can meet the law enforcement training needs required by a department the size of the PPD.
Procurement Information
A Request for Proposals (RFP) can take up to 12 months. The PPD is requesting a non-competitive procurement process to utilize the services of the NTIRE in order to begin training as soon as possible.
Contract Term
It is anticipated that the agreement will begin in fall 2018 and the term shall be for one year, with two one-year options.
Financial Impact
The annual cost of the agreement will not exceed $150,000 per year, with an aggregate of $450,000. Funds are available in the Police Department's budget.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was approved unanimously by the Public Safety and Veterans Subcommittee at its June 13, 2018 meeting.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Police Department.