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Item # 13
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
July 18, 2023
TOPIC: Police Oversight Commission Informational Report
AGENDA TITLE
Police Oversight Commission Informational Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Accept informational report.
DISCUSSION
On November 15, 2022, the City Council adopted an ordinance establishing a Police
Oversight Commission ("Commission"). The purpose of the Police Oversight
Commission is to improve transparency, increase the accountability of and public
confidence in the Santa Ana Police Department, and to provide for an Independent
Oversight Director. The purpose of the Commission is to act through the Independent
Oversight Director to provide the Chief of Police, City Manager, and City Council
independent investigations of, analysis, and recommendations on police practices,
police misconduct, officer -involved shootings, and other serious uses of force.
On January 17, 2023, staff presented an informational report to the City Council with an
anticipated timeline for implementing the Commission, along with options for engaging
an Independent Oversight Director. Since that time, staff has begun working on
implementation tasks. Below is information about the Commission, commissioner
appointments, information about the Independent Oversight Director role, and a status
update on the implementation tasks.
About the Commission
Once established, the Commission will consist of seven commissioners who will meet at
least once a month to engage in the following:
• Review, evaluate, and make recommendations to the Chief of Police and City
Council regarding the Police Department's policies, practices, and procedures,
develop programs and strategies to promote positive police -community relations,
and make appropriate recommendations to the City Manager and the City
Council.
Police Oversight
July 18, 2023
Page 2
• Receive, hear, and review misconduct complaints, tort claims, or lawsuits made
against on -duty Santa Ana Police Officers which allege Santa Ana Police Officers
have engaged in misconduct as specified in Santa Ana Municipal Code Sec. 2-
665(b).
• Receive and discuss reports from the Independent Oversight Director on all
incidents involving alleged misconduct by Santa Ana Police Officers as specified
in Santa Ana Municipal Code Sec. 2-665(b).
• Direct the Independent Oversight Director to independently review and
investigate citizen complaints, tort claims, or lawsuits alleging the types of police
misconduct as identified in section 2-665(b) or when the City Council provides
authorization pursuant to Santa Ana City Charter Section 1100.
• Authorize the Independent Oversight Director to audit complaint files and review
policies to ensure best practices are implemented.
• Advise the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and Police Chief on community
relations issues involving the Police Department.
• Review any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the
Santa Ana Police Officers Association or the City and the Santa Ana Police
Management Association, and provide suggestions and recommendations
concerning negotiations to the City Manager and the City Council.
• Conduct public meetings to educate the community on the purpose of the Police
Oversight Commission and provide a forum for discussions about police policies,
practices, and procedures.
• Prepare and submit an annual report to the City Council concerning the
Commission's activities, findings, and recommendations.
Once each a commissioner is appointed, they will be required to take an oath and
execute a confidentiality agreement and engage in a series of trainings, and may
participate in a ride -along with the Santa Ana Police Department.
Commissioner Appointments
To date, six individuals have been appointed to the Commission:
Commissioner
Name
Nominated by
Appointed by the City
Council on
Danny Vega
Mayor Arnezcua (citywide)
February 21, 2023
Carlos Perea
Councilmember Vazquez Ward 2
March 7, 2023
Nadin Said
Councilmember Bacerra Ward 4
May 2, 2023
Keith Carpenter
Councilmember Phan (Ward 1)
May 16, 2023
Amalia Mejia
Councilmember Hernandez (Ward
5
June 6, 2023
Evangeline
Gawronski
Councilmember Penaloza (Ward 6)
June 6, 2023
Police Oversight
July 18, 2023
Page 3
About the Independent Oversight Director
The City Council is authorized to appoint an Independent Oversight Director who will
serve at the will and pleasure of the City Council. In addition to staff support that will be
provided to the Commission, the Independent Oversight Director will assist the
Commission in performing its duties and exercising its powers. This includes the
following:
• Conduct investigations of allegations of on -duty Santa Ana Police Officers who
have engaged in misconduct as specified in Santa Ana Municipal Code Sec. 2-
665(b).
• Request and review citizen complaints and "use of force" reports or other
pertinent documents maintained by, or available to, the Chief of Police to
determine whether death or great bodily injury was caused by direct police
action.
• Audit complaint files and review policies to ensure best practices are
implemented.
Implementation Tasks
The City Manager's Office is working with a cross -departmental working group
composed of staff from the City Attorney's Office, City Clerk's Office, City Manager's
Office, and Santa Ana Police Department to launch the operations of the Commission.
Below is a list of outstanding tasks that the City Manager's Office is leading:
Recruit the Independent Oversight Director.
At the January 17, 2023 meeting, the City Council directed staff to engage an
Independent Oversight Director as in independent contractor who will serve at the will
and pleasure of the City Council. The City Manager's Office is releasing a Request for
Proposals (RFP) for the Independent Oversight Director. The RFP outlines the
requirements for the Independent Oversight Director role according to the provisions of
the Commission ordinance.
As outlined in the Commission ordinance, the Commission will have the opportunity to
review the top three Independent Oversight Director candidates and make a
recommendation to the City Council. Ultimately, the City Council will interview the top
three candidates and, by a majority vote, appoint the Independent Oversight Director.
Additionally, as directed by the City Council at the January 17, 2023 meeting, there will
be an opportunity for the public to engage with the recruitment process.
Recruit the Police Oversight Management Analyst.
The City Manager's Office worked with staff from the City Attorney's Office and Human
Resources department to create a Police Oversight Management Analyst (Excepted)
position to provide regular staff support to the Commission. The position was presented
to the City Council as a workforce change to the City Attorney's Office at the June 6,
2023 meeting. The workforce change was subsequently approved and added to the City
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July 18, 2023
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Attorney's Office's personnel budget. Accordingly, the Police Oversight Management
Analyst (Excepted) will work in the City Attorney's Office.
Schedule First Meeting of the Commission.
Section 2-664 of the Commission ordinance provides that the Commission shall hold its
first meeting when there are a sufficient number of appointed Commissioners to
constitute a quorum. Now that this threshold has been met, staff may proceed with
scheduling the first Commission meeting.
Next Steps
Staff will continue to provide regular updates to the City Council to share progress on
the implementation of the Commission ordinance.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
EXHIBITS)
1. N/A
Submitted By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager
Approved By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager