City of Dubuque Secondary Responder Update Copyrighted
August 7, 2023
City of Dubuque Action Items # 02.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: City of Dubuque Secondary Responder Update
SUM MARY: City Manager is providing an update to the City of Dubuque Secondary
Responder Model (Community Response Model).
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Secondary Responder Model Update memo Staff Memo
Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: City of Dubuque Secondary Responder Update
DATE: August 2, 2023
Chief of Police Jeremy Jensen is providing an update to the City of Dubuque
Secondary Responder Model (Community Response Model).
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jeremy Jensen, Chief of Police
Alexis Steger, Housing & Community Development Director
Dubuque
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Jeremy Jensen, Chief of Police
DATE: August 2, 2023, 2023
RE: City of Dubuque Secondary Responder Update
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to provide an update to the City of Dubuque Secondary
Responder Model (Community Response Model).
BACKGROUND
In September of 2022, the City Council tasked staff with addressing issues around brain health
and homelessness. In February 2023, staff presented the City Council with a Secondary
Responder Model. This model included a re-imagining of the City's Internal Working Group
(IWG) with the foundation of this group being led by the Police Department and the Housing
Department.
Ben Pothoff, with the Housing Department and Steve Radloff, with the Police Department are
the facilitators of the IWG. The IWG has been meeting bi-weekly and work on cross-
departmental issues. We have been adding positions to the IWG since the last update (see
attached organization chart). New additions to the Internal Working Group are members from
the City of Dubuque Community Impact division, headed by Heather Satterly. Heather has
filled the Community Partnerships role and is currently in the process of hiring a Diversion
Coordinator.
The Police Department has been working on expanding the CIT positions within the Police
Department. As mentioned in my previous update, we were exploring a funded co-responder
position. The East Central Mental Health Region approved funding and authorized Foundation
2 to hire a Law Enforcement Liaison position to be housed and work directly with the Dubuque
Police Department CIT team. This is an incremental contract with the first year being fully
covered by the region (see attached contract). Katelyn Doyle started with Foundation 2 on July
5 and is in training. Katelyn has already been working with the DPD CIT team. Late last year,
the Dubuque Police Department received a Department of Justice hiring grant to hire
additional officers so that we could create, a full-time CIT team. In September, the CIT will be
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
full time and staffed by Corporal Joel Cross and a second officer (we are currently in interviews
for this position) and Law Enforcement Liaison Katelyn Doyle.
In June 2023, the City Council approved the consolidation of the location and approved
$70,000 in funding to move Police Department divisions (COP, SRO, CIT) that are part of the
Secondary Responder Model to a singular location within the Historic Federal Building.
Currently, we are working with Steve Sampson-Brown, Justin Hogan, and Chris Kohlmann on
the request for proposal for the build out of these spaces. The anticipated move date will be
by the end of 2023. In addition to CIT training for Police Officers, Mike Belmont with the
Housing Department and McKinzie Flanagan with Animal Control were also trained in CIT.
The plan is to expand CIT into the Fire Department and E911 in the future.
Since January 1, 2023, the Dubuque Police Department has responded to 396 reported brain
health incidents. This does not take into account brain health issues that may arise during
other contacts. Brain Health issues the last 3 years have been consistently almost double the
average of brain health calls prior to 2021.
Since January 1, 2023, the Dubuque Police Department Community Policing Unit has
responded to or identified 36 homeless camp sites (almost 60 hours of staff time). The process
as explained before is to give a written notice if the camp is on public property to vacate.
Officers will work with individuals to provide individuals with or connect them to services which
includes housing assistance. It should be noted that not all people want services. Of the 36
camps, officers were able to connect 14 individuals with services. Feedback from two people
recently connected with services stated that other jurisdictions have not offered to help and just
move them on. The Police Department issued no citations or municipal infractions. 8 of the
camps were not vacated and after receiving the notice to vacate and after 5 days the camps
were cleaned up by the Public Works Department.
In June, Assistant City Manager Cori Burbach and other City staff began working with the
Dubuque Rescue Mission on unhoused and brain health issues. The purpose of this working
group is to work around brain health and homeless issues particularly in the downtown area. A
CIT police officer has also been assigned as a liaison to assist them.
ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION
To receive and file the information.
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork