Boise City Council - Work Session

Boise City Council work session on October 20, 2026, featuring the Office of Police Accountability’s semiannual report. OPA reported 112 contacts through September 30, up 24% from the same period in 2025; the increase was driven by referrals to the Behavioral Health Response Team (BHRT), which accounted for 31% of contacts. BHRT teams handled about 8% of BPD mental-health calls despite representing roughly 1% of the force. The analysis found higher self-initiated call and mental-hold rates and a lower arrest rate for BHRT than for standard officers; no statistically significant difference in use-of-force rates was found. Council members discussed BHRT staffing, data collection, and service coverage, including the teams’ lack of overnight and weekend shifts.

OPA also reported one critical incident in 2026, still under investigation, and reviewed BPD training, oversight, and areas for continued attention. OPA identified partnering with BPD on the transition to the Axon platform and improving data quality as priorities, alongside developing a departmental strategic plan. No contract award, purchasing decision, budget allocation, procurement vote, or spending action was identified; no votes or motions were reported.