Cincinnati hires consultant to help with Collaborative Agreement engagement efforts

CINCINNATI —

The city of Cincinnati has hired a new consultant to serve as a consultant on matters related to Collaborative Agreement sustainability initiatives.

The Collaborative Agreement grew out of a series of events in Cincinnati and peaked in 2001 with riots after the police shooting of Timothy Thomas.

The agreement addressed use of force, de-escalation tactics and transparency among other issues. It started the Citizen’s Review Authority, which is an independent citizen led group that reviews complaints against police.

Iris Roley, an original member of the Cincinnati Black United Front, has been hired to serve in the role.

The city says the contract with Roley begins this week.

"As we approach the 20th anniversary of the landmark Collaborative Agreement, it is as important as ever to remain faithful stewards of its guiding mission. Ms. Roley has been and will continue to be an essential partner in the City's commitment to accountability, accessibility, and community-based problem solving. We are grateful to have her support in this critical work," Mayor Aftab Pureval said in a statement.

According to the city, Roley's role will "bring the community voice directly to the City Manager," as well as perform five main functions:

• Provide consultation and trainer services for the general operation of the city of Cincinnati's MAG. This will include delivering a summary report to the city manager regarding the status of the 2017 Collaborative Refresh recommendations that have been accomplished and those that are outstanding, as well as a plan to work collaboratively with the police chief and city manager to move forward.
• Engage stakeholders through a series of community listening sessions on key topics including but not limited to the impact of violence in the community, youth engagement on issues of policing and public safety, community-police relations, and community problem-solving training.
• Provide a review of the role of the Human Relations Division of the City Manager's Office.
• Provide advice regarding and facilitate community engagement with respect to the hiring of a new police chief as requested by the city.
• Provide a series of dedicated onboarding sessions for city of Cincinnati's newly hired Collaborative Agreement Sustainability Manager.

Along with her work with the Cincinnati Black United Front, Roley has also worked with City Managers Advisory Board, Unofficial Juvenile Court in Madisonville the Sumer Enrichment Program Board Chair Community Economic Advancement Initiative, Board Chair of Cincinnati for HOPE Coalition, among other organizations.