Mayor Buttigieg holds press conference about police-community relations

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg held a press conference Monday afternoon to provide an update on their discussions on improving relationships between the police and the community.

The press conference was held at the Charles Martin Youth Center at 6 p.m.

The mayor said the process to create a fair and impartial police department has been ongoing for years.

In continuing that process, the mayor laid out some of the next steps:

• He wrote a letter to the Department of Justice requesting their assistance in this process
• He plans to allow the public the opportunity to give input on department policies such as use of force and pursuits. The policies will be reviewed and possibly revised.
• There will be a look at training to ensure all members are properly trained on the department's policies.
• For recruiting, the mayor said the department has not met its goals of a police department that reflects the community it serves.
• He plans to ask the council for additional funds for the Board of Public Safety.