Last year after Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place across the country, many cities began to hold conversations about equity in their cities. Bozeman followed suit and conducted an audit to find areas where the city can change its policies to improve equity.
The audit found 24 areas where the city can improve equity, such as internal practices within the city such as hiring. It also included external challenges, such as how the city can close the gap between income and rent inequality.
In the city’s latest report, released in August 2021, the city reports updating how Bozeman Police Department and the community interact. The report shows an updating of use of force policies and training officers on bias-free policing.
One of those 24 topics was community engagement, which led the city to host a community roundtable which is taking place Monday, Oct. 25 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The community roundtable is intended to hear from community members on how the city has checked off some of those topics and include community input on how to complete the topics that are still not fulfilled.
“What we want people to take from the community roundtable event is that everyone has a role to play whether you are an individual, or whether you are associated with an organization, or a community group. There are actions you can take as an individual or as an organization to contribute to making Bozeman a place where everyone belongs,” says Dani Hess, community engagement coordinator for the City of Bozeman.
Registration for the community roundtable is currently closed but the city says you will be able to watch a recording after. If you would like more information on the city's audit and the latest report visit, bozeman.net/government/city-manager/equityandinclusion.
