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City of Helena & HPD to look at police protocols following death of George Floyd

Posted at 6:18 PM, Jun 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-03 22:17:17-04

HELENA — At the City of Helena Commission Administrative Meeting on Wednesday, commissioners discussed their intent to take a thorough look at Helena police protocols and standards.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death and following protests across the nation, Commissioner Heather O’Louglin reached out to Police Chief Steve Haggen about holding a series of work sessions to take a thorough look at how HPD operates.

"I am open to an open and honest discussion on what the community wants and expects from its police department," said Chief Haggen. "I look forward to a discussion on what we currently do well, and what we can do better."

O’Louglin said she hopes to have them collaborate with Lewis and Clark County and the Helena School District.

Mayor Wilmot Collins and the rest of the commission were all in agreement for the idea, and getting a better understanding of what the police are doing, and what can be improved on.

Collins noted he had received a lot of emails and letters asking the City to address the subject, and believes this is a good opportunity for everyone.

Commissioner Sean Logan, former chief of the Helena Fire Department, said, “Any organization that is not going through a great deal of looking inward right now, isn’t doing their due diligence.”

The City is currently looking at a time frame, and exactly what the proposed work sessions would look like.