Public Hearings

Sec. 2-476. Commission Duties of the ELIPOC Ordinance 1503, states that: 

If twenty residents of the city sign a petition on an issue of concern within the scope of the Commission, the Commission shall hold a special hearing for the purpose of inquiring into the petitioners’ concern. 

Screenshot of 3-29-23 Public Hearing

March 29, 2023 Public Hearing on Best Practices in Police Use of Force

The hearing was held jointly with the Michigan State University College of Law on March 29, 2023 and was in response to a signed petition ELIPOC received from 33 East Lansing residents. The hearing opened with national perspectives on best practices in police use of force policy and closed with a question and answer discussion session. 

Speakers present at the hearing included:

  • Dr. Angie Weis Gammell, Policy Director of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke University, will present the American Law Institute’s Principles of Policing regarding use of force.
  • Dr. Chuck Wexler, Executive Director of Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), will discuss PERF’s Guiding Principles on Use of Force, which were developed over an 18-month period following the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. in 2014.
  • Dr. Trevor Bechtel, Student Engagement & Strategic Projects Manager of the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions, will discuss findings of a paper he recently co-authored, “Evidence on Measures to Reduce Excessive Use of Force by the Police.”
  • Pastor Sean Holland, representing One Love Global, Black Lives Matter Lansing and Black Lives Matter of Michigan, works with others to support families and victims of police violence and to address police use of force in East Lansing, Lansing and Grand Rapids.

Video: Public Hearing on Use of Force 3-29-23