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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 8/7/2023
SUBJECT: Racial Bias Audit
BY: Mattie Hjelseth, Duluth Police Department Public Information Officer

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Racial Bias Audit

The Racial Bias Audit Team (RBAT) is a resident-led group comprised of various members of Duluth city commissions, community organizations, and the Duluth Police Department working collaboratively on the Racial Bias Audit for the last 2.5 years.

The Racial Bias Audit is a community-led process that invited participation from commissions and groups representing members of the community. The Racial Bias Audit Team has included individuals from the Commission on Disabilities, Duluth Citizen Review Board, Duluth Community Safety Initiative, Human Rights Commission, NQT2SLGBIA Commission, the Duluth branch of the NAACP, and the Duluth Police Department.

 The RBAT identified eleven audit objectives for the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) to research:

  1. Recruitment, Hiring, and Personnel Practices
  2. Bias and Interracial Relations Trainings
  3. BIPOC Community Relations
  4. Suspicious and Criminal Activity
  5. Gathering and Interpreting DPD Data
  6. Vehicle and Pedestrian Stops
  7. Civil Disturbance
  8. Immigrant and Refugee Populations
  9. Duluth Civilian Review Board
  10. DPD Camera Data Review
  11. Use of Force

The final report will be publicly released on Wednesday, August 9, and can be located on DPD’s Racial Bias Audit website.

There will be three public presentations on the report findings and considerations by CJI:

  • Wednesday, August 9 – Hosted by the Duluth Human Rights Commission
    • Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers
    •  When: 5:30 – 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, August 23 – Hosted by the Duluth Citizen Review Board
    • Where: City Hall, Room 330
    •  When: 5:30 – 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 7 – Hosted by the Family Freedom Center
    • Where: 310 N 1st Ave W Ste 108
    •  When: 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Public presentations will entail a walk-through of the findings and considerations in the report and a question and answer period.

The presentation on Wednesday, August 9 will be recorded and posted on the DPD Racial Bias Audit website (https://duluthmn.gov/police/public-reports-and-transparency/racial-bias-audit/).

For more information on the audit, community-led process, project updates, and more, please visit the Racial Bias Audit website.

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