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I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER FOR OCTOBER 10TH, 2024.
MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER BROWN PRESENT.
PRESENT VICE CHAIR TISH PRESENT CHAIR PARKIN PRESENT.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR CARRIAGE FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
[CALL TO ORDER]
UM, I JUST QUICKLY WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE PEOPLE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BULK OF THE MEETING.UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR, UH, NEXT COMMISSIONER THAT WILL BE COMING IN, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SHE'S GONNA GET CONFIRMED LATER THIS MONTH, AND IT IS CHARLYN BENDER.
SHE'S RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT.
UM, SHE'S ON SEVERAL LONG BEACH BOARDS, UM, AS WELL AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING HER COME ON BOARD.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY STAFF.
I WAS GONNA, UH, WE HAVE NEW STAFF ON BOARD.
I WAS GONNA DO THIS AS PART OF MY PRESENTATION,
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BUT THERE WAS NO SMOOTH WAY TO ROLL IT IN, SO WE'LL DO IT NOW.HE COMES FROM THE COUNTY OF ORANGE WITH A STRONG DATA ANALYST BACKGROUND.
YOU GUYS STAND UP SO THEY KNOW I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, HEIDI ALONZO.
HEIDI HAS OVER EIGHT YEARS OF INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIENCE OUT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SHE WAS IN THEIR LITIGATION UNIT.
SO WE WELCOME THEM TO THE OPO TEAM.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONER AT THE NEXT MEETING.
[1. 24-55225 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Police Oversight Commission meeting of Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ITEM, PLEASE, MR. CLERK? ITEM ONE IS RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, JULY 10TH, 2024.CAN I GET AN, UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANY COMMENT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AND A MOTION? I JUST NEED A SECOND.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL THE NEXT ITEM? I'M SORRY.
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION PROCESS.
I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAND IT OVER TO DIRECTOR CARRIAGE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE THE COMMANDER, UM, RYAN LEBARON
[2. 24-55226 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the Long Beach Police Department, Internal Affairs Division Process. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FROM THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DIVISION THAT ALSO IS A PART OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS.GIVE US A HIGH LEVEL PRESENTATION.
WE WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL, UM, PRESENTATION FROM THAT UNIT AS WE MOVE INTO OUR FIRST AUDIT, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT THE COMPLAINT PROCESS, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO AT LEAST START WITH A HIGH LEVEL REVIEW.
UM, THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND FOR ALL YOU DO, UH, IN YOUR SERVICE.
I'M A COMMANDER WITH PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DIVISION.
I'VE MET SOME OF YOU THROUGHOUT MY CAREER AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND I'M GRATEFUL TO BE WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN.
UM, JUST A VERY, VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO ME.
20, ALMOST FIVE YEARS, 24 YEARS CURRENTLY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I OVERSEE THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DIVISION, UH, WHICH ALSO ENCOMPASSES THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS SECTION.
THE OTHER SECTION WITHIN MY DIVISION IS EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT SECTION.
UH, BUT THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS SPECIFICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS SECTION.
SO WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT, UH, AND MOVE THIS, MOVE THIS ALONG.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WHAT OUR PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE FOR OUR SUPERVISORS IN THE FIELD AND, UH, WITHIN ANY STATION THAT THEY WORK.
'CAUSE THE PRO POLICIES AND PROCESSES ARE THE SAME AS THEY RELATE TO COMPLAINTS.
OUR COMPLAINTS COME FROM THREE DIFFERENT AVENUES OR THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPLAINTS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
FIRST AT THE CITIZEN COMPLAINT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONE THAT YOU WOULD BE MOST FAMILIAR WITH.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVE ARE COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM, UM, MEMBERS THAT WE INTERACT WITH AS POLICE OFFICERS OR THAT HAVE INTERACTION WITH US ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AND I'M GONNA GO INTO EACH ONE OF THESE.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M JUST GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW, EXPLAINING WHAT THEY ARE, AND THEN I'LL JUMP INTO EACH ONE, UH, AS PART OF THE EXPLANATION.
THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE, UM, COMPLAINTS THAT ARE GENERATED FROM WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO A SUPERVISOR OR ANY EMPLOYEE WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NOTICES SOMETHING THAT IS PERCEIVED TO BE MISCONDUCT, AND THEY HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT THAT UP THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, THAT COMES TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT.
THE LAST ONE IS THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY OFFICE.
THIS IS THE LEAST COMMON OF THE THREE.
AND IT'S WHEN AN EMPLOYEE, UH, BECOME SUBJECT OF AN INVESTIGATION AT THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OFFICE, THEY WILL COMMUNICATE WITH US.
AND THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT GENERALLY NOT ALWAYS, BUT GENERALLY TURNS INTO AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION AS WELL.
AND WE WORK WITH THEM AND VERY CLOSE CONNECTION TO THEM SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESPECTING THE PROCESSES OF BOTH GROUPS AND ALSO THE RIGHTS OF THE EMPLOYEES.
AND ULTIMATELY, UH, WE COMMUNICATE REGARDING OUR FINDINGS.
WE DO IN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS AND COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FINDINGS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROCESS.
IT'S ALSO NOT ENTIRELY UNCOMMON FOR US TO DO AN INVESTIGATION AND THEM NOT TO, OR FOR THEM TO TAKE AN, THE LEAD ON AN INVESTIGATION AND FOR US TO WAIT.
BUT SOME OF OUR COMPLAINTS DO THE LEAST NUMBER OF 'EM, BUT SOME OF 'EM DO COME THROUGH THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, OFFICE REFERENCING MATTERS TO US
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AND VICE VERSA.SOMETIMES WE'LL LEARN OF THINGS THAT WE PASS OVER TO THEM BECAUSE IT, IT JUSTIFIES OR LOOKS OR WARRANTS THERE, UH, AWARENESS AT LEAST.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THESE ARE POLICY TWO, TWO THINGS REGULATE HOW AND WHY WE TAKE COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
AND THE PENAL CODE MANDATES THAT, UH, EVERY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A PROCESS AND A PROCEDURE FOR INVESTIGATING CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
UM, IT, I'M NOT GONNA READ EACH SLIDE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT, LOOK AT IT AS I'M SPEAKING.
UH, BUT I WANNA JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION AS TO WHERE WHAT WE DO COMES FROM.
FIRST IS THE PENAL CODE THAT MANDATES THAT A POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, UM, OR A PROCEDURE IN PLACE.
AND THEN THE RETENTION OF THOSE COMPLAINTS AND WHAT THE FINDINGS NEED TO BE.
UH, SKIPPING AGAIN, JUST 'CAUSE WE'RE ON, UH, A LARGE, A BROAD OVERVIEW OF THIS TOPIC.
I WON'T GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL.
SKIPPING DOWN IS THE, UH, LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL SECTION.
SO OUR OWN MANUAL OBVIOUSLY WOULD THEN DICTATE HOW THE PROCEDURE TAKES PLACE AND WHAT THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN, UH, FOR AN INVESTIGATION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY REWRITING OUR POLICY THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU WHEN IT'S FINISHED RELATED TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
AND THE GOAL OF IT IS JUST TO REFRESH IT AND UPDATE IT.
SOME THINGS WITH LEGISLATION HAVE CHANGED AND THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE POLICY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE WE'RE JUST REFRESHING THE POLICY.
IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE DOING THAT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE FOR THE, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO NOT JUST TELLING A PERSON OF A SUPERVISOR RANK WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, BUT EXPLAINING.
SO AN OFFICE OR ANY EMPLOYEE KNOWS AND HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.
BUT AS IT SITS RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A POLICY, AND I PUT IT UP THERE FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, UH, AWARENESS.
I AM JUST LOOKING 'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT BEFORE I SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE LAST BULLET POINT I'LL JUST CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THAT THE, THE POSITION OF THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT IS THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW A COMPLAINT COMES IN, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S ANONYMOUS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S IN PERSON, TELEPHONIC, OR THROUGH AN, THROUGH A LETTER OR ELECTRONIC.
UM, IF WE GET NOTIFIED OF A COMPLAINT, WE WILL TAKE THAT COMPLAINT.
ALL COMPLAINTS THAT COME TO THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE TAKEN IF A CITIZEN OR A COMMUNITY MEMBER REQUESTS THAT.
UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S WELL UNDERSTOOD SINCE, SINCE THE, I THINK IT'S PERTINENT TO THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, SO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE HAPPEN.
SIMILARLY, I'M NOT GONNA READ EACH OF THESE BULLET POINTS.
AND THIS SLIDE, THESE SLIDES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP A COPY OR REVIEW IT LATER IN MORE DETAIL, I WILL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE YELLOW SECTION IN THE MIDDLE THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS, GOES ALONG WITH THE LINES OF WHAT I JUST SAID ABOUT OUR WILLINGNESS AND OUR, UM, DIRECTIVE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE ALL COMPLAINTS.
UM, AND WE DO TAKE ALL COMPLAINTS.
THE MIDDLE SECTION JUST HIGHLIGHTS ANOTHER POINT THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, THAT IF THERE'S ANY DOUBT REGARDING THE LEGITIMACY OF THE COMPLAINT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THAT DOUBT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT THE STORY ISN'T MAKING SENSE OR IF THERE'S BODY-WORN CAMERA TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT THE COMPLAINT DID OR DID NOT HAPPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY DOUBT REGARDING THE LEGITIMACY OF THE COMPLAINT, THAT IS TO BE RESOLVED BY TAKING THE COMPLAINT.
SO A, A CI A COMMUNITY MEMBER BRINGS FORWARD A COMPLAINT.
IT'S NOT THE ROLE OF THE SUPERVISOR WHO'S LEARNING OF IT TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ABOUT THE LEGITIMACY OF IT OR TO, TO PRESCRIBE ANY KIND OF JUDGMENT ON THE VALIDITY OF IT.
UM, THEY TAKE THE COMPLAINT, LET INTERNAL AFFAIRS, AND THERE'S MULTIPLE LAYERS OF REVIEW, WHICH WE'LL GET INTO IN A MOMENT, DO THE INVESTIGATION AND LET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THOSE DETERMINATIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE FINDING OF THOSE COMPLAINTS, LET THEM HAVE THEIR ROLE IN DOING THAT.
BUT THE, THE, THE GOAL OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DIRECTION THAT SUPERVISORS RECEIVE IS THAT THEY TAKE THE COMPLAINT REGARDLESS OF THE LEGITIMACY, OR I SHOULD SAY PERCEIVED LEGITIMACY OR PERCEIVED VALIDITY OF THE COMPLAINT.
SO WHEN A COMPLAINT GETS TAKEN, IT COMES IN AND THAT, THAT COMPLAINT IS GONNA GET ONE OF THESE FINDINGS.
AND I'LL, I'LL SPEAK TO WHAT THEY MEAN IN, IN KINDA LAYMAN'S TERMS, IF YOU ARE, RATHER THAN JUST READING IT.
'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU DON'T MISUNDERSTAND IT AT ANY POINT OF THIS PROCESS OR AS, AS I'M PRESENTING THIS, I'M GOING QUICKLY, BUT BY ALL MEANS, RAISE YOUR HAND, INTERRUPT ME, ASK A QUESTION OR SAVE IT TILL THE END.
I DON'T MIND ENTERTAINING QUESTIONS AS WE GO, OR AT THE END, I'LL HAVE TIME FOR BOTH IF YOU, IF YOU, HOWEVER YOU PREFER TO DO IT.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU DON'T MISUNDERSTAND SOMETHING I'M SAYING.
SO THE FIRST ONE, AND THESE AREN'T IN IN ANY
[00:15:01]
PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT ONE OF THESE FINDINGS IS GOING TO COME BACK ON ANY COMPLAINT THAT'S TAKEN.UNFOUNDED MEANS THAT THERE'S CLEAR EVIDENCE OR THAT THE, THE ALLEGATION CLEARLY ESTABLISHES THE, THE FACTS OF THE CASE, I SHOULD SAY CLEARLY ESTABLISH THAT THERE IS NO TRUTH OR LEGITIMACY OR VALIDITY TO THE COMPLAINT.
IT'S CLEARLY IT DID NOT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'LL COME BACK AS UNFOUNDED IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.
THE NEXT ONE I'LL EXPLAIN IS NOT SUSTAINED, NOT SUSTAINED MAY SOUND VERY SIMILAR ON ITS SURFACE TO UNFOUNDED.
THAT'S NOT WHAT NOT SUSTAINED MEANS, THOUGH NOT SUSTAINED MEANS THAT NO DEFINITIVE DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU COULD SAY, THIS IS A HE SAID, SHE SAID, OR SOMEBODY HAS ONE RECOLLECTION OF AN INCI, UH, HOW A SCENARIO TOOK PLACE.
AND THE OTHER PARTY HAS A DIFFERENT RECOLLECTION.
AND ONE OF THOSE TWO PARTIES WOULD BE THE ACCUSED EMPLOYEE.
AND THERE'S NO ABILITY AFTER INVESTIGATING AND LOOKING AT ALL THE FACTS THAT ARE PRESENT TO COME TO A CONCLUSION DEFINITIVELY OF WHETHER SOMETHING DID OR DID NOT HAPPEN.
SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT COMES DOWN TO IT'S A NOT SUSTAINED COMPLAINT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT WE NOR NOR CAN WE SUBSTANTIATE THAT IT DEFINITIVELY DID HAPPEN.
THE NEXT ONE, JUST GOING IN ORDER IS EXONERATED.
THAT ONE SOMETIMES CONFUSES PEOPLE, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE CONFUSING.
IT'S THAT SOMETIMES AN ALLEGATION ACTUALLY HAPPENED, BUT IT WAS JUSTIFIED LEGAL OR APPROPRIATE TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS GENERALLY BEST EXPLAINED THROUGH AN EXAMPLE.
UM, MAYBE, MAYBE A, A PERSON A A COMMUNITY MEMBER GETS ARRESTED AND DURING THEIR ARREST PROCESS, THEY'RE TAKEN DOWNTOWN, THEY'RE BOOKED INTO THE JAIL, THEY'RE RELEASED INTO CUSTODY OF THE JAIL.
THEY'RE NEVER ASKED ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THE PERSON MAY COMPLAIN THAT THEY WEREN'T READ THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS, THEY WEREN'T ADVISED OF THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS.
WE'LL TAKE THAT COMPLAINT, WE'LL LOOK AT THE IN, WE'LL DO THE INVESTIGATION AND WE'LL FIND OUT.
WELL, THE OFFICER NEVER ASKED THEM ANY INTERROGATING QUESTIONS.
THERE'S NO DUTY ON THE OFFICER TO READ THEM THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS IF THEY DON'T ASK, INTEND TO INTERROGATE THEM ABOUT THE CRIME THAT THEY'RE BEING ARRESTED FOR.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE WHERE AS STATED, THE ALLEGATION IS TRUE.
THE PERSON WAS ARRESTED AND THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS WERE NOT ADVISED OF THEM OR, OR READ TO THEM.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO MISCONDUCT AND THERE WAS NO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION TO REQUIRE THEM TO DO IT.
SO THEY DIDN'T VIOLATE ANY POLICY OR LAW.
SO THAT WOULD BE EXONERATED WHERE YES, IT DID HAPPEN AS THIS, UH, AS A COMPLAINANT STATED, BUT IT'S NOT A MIS AN AN ISSUE OF MISCONDUCT OR IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT VIOLATES POLICY OR LAW.
THE NEXT ONE IS, UH, SUSTAINED.
AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE PRESENTED FROM THE FACTS OF THE CASE TO SUPPORT THE ALLEGATION AND SAY THAT IT DID HAPPEN AND THAT IT IS SOMETHING OF MISCONDUCT, MEANING THAT IT'S NOT EXONERATED.
THE LAST ONE IS OTHER, OTHER CAN ALSO BE A LITTLE BIT, UH, TRICKY AT TIMES.
AND OTHER JUSTICE MEANS IS, UM, THAT THE ALLEGATION HAPPENED.
AND WHILE IT WAS PERHAPS NOT APPROPRIATE SERVICE, THESE, THIS GENERALLY HAS TO DO WITH SERVICE OR WHERE THERE'S A LACK OF TRAINING IT, UH, THE PERSON DIDN'T NECESSARILY VIOLATE POLICY.
THAT'S WHY IT SAYS IN THAT DEFINITION THAT THERE'S NO MISCONDUCT.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE DEF VIOLATED POLICY, BUT THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY TREAT THE PERSON OR HANDLE THE SITUATION UP TO THE LEVEL THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD EXPECT AS A PROFESSIONAL WITHIN THE PROFESSION OR AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT WOULD REAR BE COMING BACK AS OTHER.
OR MAYBE THEY DID SOMETHING THAT WAS, THAT THEY JUST NEED MORE TRAINING.
AGAIN, IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF ACTUAL MISCONDUCT, BUT WE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S A CLASS OUT THERE THAT WILL HELP EDUCATE THIS PERSON AS TO WHY THIS TYPE OF THING, UH, SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND SO WE'LL DISPOSITION OR THE CHIEF WILL DISPOSITION IT AS OTHER AND THEN REFER 'EM TO TRAINING OR, OR COUNSELING OR SOMETHING TO GIVE THEM MORE EDUCATION SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE, UH, WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT BECAUSE WE TAKE ALL COMPLAINTS AT, AT, AT, AT THE RECEPTION OF THEM, SOMETIMES WE'RE INVESTIGATING SOMETHING AND WE COME TO FIND OUT THAT IT'S NOT A PD EMPLOYEE, WE HAVE NO JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY OVER THEM OVER THAT, THAT ACCUSED EMPLOYEE.
IT MAYBE IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AT THE COURTHOUSE AND IT MAY BE REFERENCING A LA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE.
AND IN THAT CASE, WE'LL TAKE THE COMPLAINT, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO DISPOSITION IT AND WE'LL DISPOSITION IT AS NOT AN, UH, A PD EMPLOYEE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AS YOU'D EXPECT, WE NOTIFY THE HANDLING AGENCY OF THE COMPLAINT AND WHAT INFORMATION WE HAVE FOR THAT, MAYBE ASSIST THEM IN THEIR INVESTIGATION.
THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF A FLOW CHART, IF YOU WILL, OF HOW THE CITIZEN COMPLAINT PROCESS TAKES.
AND I'LL JUST WALK YOU THROUGH, IF YOU START ON THE FAR TOP LEFT, THE
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COMPLAINTS RECEIVED, IT GOES THROUGH A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION.ALL OF THAT HAPPENS IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS, UM, WHERE WE DO SOME PRELIMINARY WORK, WHERE WE LOOK AT WHAT FACTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE.
THAT MAY INCLUDE UP TO AN, UH, UH, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE INVOLVED EMPLOYEE.
IT MAY NOT IF WE HAVE BODY-WORN CAMERA, WE MAY NOT NEED TO INTERVIEW THE EMPLOYEE ON EVERYTHING AT THE, AT THE FIRST PART, AT THE INTAKE PORTION.
UH, BUT IT MAY INCLUDE THAT SOME OF THOSE INVESTIGATIVE THINGS AT THE PRELIMINARY STAGES, I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED A COUPLE, BUT IT MAY INCLUDE AN, AN INTERVIEW.
IT MAY INCLUDE BODY-WORN CAMERA.
IT MAY INCLUDE THE CALL HISTORY.
IT MAY INCLUDE POLICE REPORTS THAT WERE FILED.
IT MAY INCLUDE AN ARREST REPORT, A BOOKING SHEET, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE THAT WE CAN GATHER, PUT TOGETHER AND TELL SOME OF THE STORY.
ONCE WE DO THAT, WE WILL TAKE IT TO WHAT'S CALLED INTAKE.
AND INTAKE IS WHERE INTERNAL AFFAIRS PRESENTS THE PRELIMINARY INFORMATION RELATED TO A CASE TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
AND IT'S MINUS THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
HE IS A CASE THAT DOESN'T GET, MAKE ITS WAY TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE UNTIL IT GOES TO FINAL, UH, A FINAL PRESENTATION OR FINAL INVESTIGATION.
AND IT'S PRESENTED BECAUSE AT INTAKE, THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE INVOLVED EMPLOYEE WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION WITH THE INPUT FROM THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM IF THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S ENOUGH INFORMATION THERE TO EITHER DISPOSITION THE CASE OUT BECAUSE IT CLEARLY ESTABLISHES THAT THE INCIDENT DIDN'T HAPPEN OR IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINED, OR IT COULD BE HANDLED THROUGH ANOTHER MEANS LIKE OTHER, OR THERE'S ENOUGH INFORMATION THERE THAT WARRANTS A FULL INVESTIGATION AND IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR A, FOR A DETERMINATION AND A FINDING.
SO I'VE KIND OF SKIPPED THROUGH INTAKE AND THEN IT GOES TO INFORMAL INVESTIGATION AND THEN IT GETS TO A FINAL PRESENTATION.
THE FINAL PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA COME BACK TO THE ARROW THAT GOES TO THE DOWN AND TO THE LEFT TO EXPLAIN THAT.
BUT FINAL PRESENTATION IS WHERE IT'S A FORMAL INVESTIGATION.
ALL PARTIES HAVE REVIEWED, ALL AVAILABLE FACTS SHOULD BE KNOWN TO US AT THAT POINT.
UM, AND THAT PRESENTATION IS FORMAL, IT'S WITH THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
IT'S WITH THE EMPLOYEE'S, DIVISION COMMANDER OR ADMINISTRATOR.
AND THAT'S WHERE A RECOMMENDATION IS MADE TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE OF WHAT OTHERS IN THE ROOM FEEL LIKE THAT THE FINDING SHOULD BE.
AND ULTIMATELY, THE CHIEF OF POLICE MAKES THE DETERMINATION.
A CASE THAT GOES TO FINAL IS PLACED ON THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR A DECISION, A DETERMINATION TO BE MADE.
BUT HE DOES RELY HEAVILY ON THE INPUT AND THE ADVICE OR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM.
AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSEST TO THE EMPLOYEE, SUCH AS THE DIVISION COMMANDER, I'LL GO BACK NOW TO INTAKE.
IF IT DOESN'T GO TO FORMAL INVESTIGATION.
IF IT GETS TO INTAKE AND IT GOES, IT GETS DISPOSITIONED BY THE DEPUTY CHIEF THAT THEY CAN ONLY RENDER A DECISION OF NOT SUSTAINED, UNFOUNDED, EXONERATED OR OTHER, UH, OR I GUESS ALSO NON PD EMPLOYEE, THEY WON'T SUSTAIN A CASE AT INTAKE.
IF IT'S A SUSTAINED A MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINED, IT'LL GO TO FORMAL INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THAT'S A DECISION THAT THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS GOING TO MAKE BECAUSE IT MIGHT AND PROBABLY WILL RESULT IN DI DISCIPLINE.
AND IF IT RESULTS IN DISCIPLINE, THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DID, UH, THAT DECIDES ON DISCIPLINE FOR THE EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AFTER, AFTER FINAL, THE DISPOSITIONS ARE THE ONES I ALREADY REVIEWED, AND THEN THE CASE IS CLOSED AND I SAY CASE CLOSED WITHIN THE PD, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES TO APPEAL THEIR, THEIR DISPOSITION.
IF THEY DISAGREE WITH IT, THEY CAN APPEAL IT, UH, THROUGH A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT GENERALLY GOES AS UNDER THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION FOR A HEARING.
I'M GONNA GO NOW TO KIND OF THE SUPERVISORY ROLE, AND I'LL JUST SKIP THROUGH THIS AGAIN, UH, QUICKLY, BUT JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT A SUPERVISOR, WHEN THEY LEARN OF A COMPLAINT FROM A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, THEY STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, COUNSEL DIRECT RETRAIN THE EMPLOYEE.
THEY SHOULD AVOID ASKING QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE MATTER THAT THEY'VE LEARNED OF.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT WE CALL POLE BAR OR POLICE OFFICER'S BILL OF RIGHTS, WHICH I'LL TOUCH ON AT THE VERY END.
THEY SHOULDN'T QUESTION THE EMPLOYEE ABOUT THE ALLEGATION THAT THEY'VE LEARNED OF, BUT THEY CAN COUNSEL, GUIDE, DIRECT, AND TRAIN THE EMPLOYEE WITHOUT SPEAKING OF THE MATTER SPECIFICALLY.
AND THE INTENT OF THAT WOULD BE TO CORRECT ANY IMMEDIATE BEHAVIOR.
UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS PROCESS TAKES TIME.
OFTENTIMES IT TAKES MONTHS AND MONTHS TO RESOLVE.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING, IF THERE'S A DEFICIENCY, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING, WE EXPECT OUR SUPERVISORS TO CORRECT AND COUNSEL EMPLOYEES REGARDING THAT GENERAL IDEA WITHOUT GOING INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE INCIDENT AT HAND SO THAT THEY'LL PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE DURING THE TIME THAT WE'RE INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER.
SO THAT DOES USUALLY AND SHOULD HAPPEN.
NOT ALL CASES REQUIRE IT, BUT OFTENTIMES WE EXPECT THE SUPERVISORS TO STILL BE SUPERVISORS EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A FORMAL INVESTIGATION GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THAT'S A QUESTION THAT SOMETIMES COMES UP.
WELL, IT TAKES SO LONG FOR YOUR CASES
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TO GET RESOLVED.WHAT HAPPENS IN THE INTERIM? WELL, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE EMPLOYEE WOULD BE GETTING DOCUMENTED, UH, COUNSELING RETRAINING OR VERBAL COUNSELING RETRAINING, UM, TO GUIDE THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS AND THE POLICIES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT GOING INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THAT INCIDENT.
SO I TOUCHED ON CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
NOW I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS.
THE PROCESS IS VERY SIMILAR FOR ALL THREE.
UH, HOWEVER, HOW THEY ORIGINATE IS DIFFERENT.
SO THE, THE POLICY LAYS OUT THAT THERE'S THREE GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN, UH, INITIATE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ALLEGATION OR INVESTIGATION THAT IS THE CHIEF OF POLICE, A DEPUTY OR BUREAU CHIEF WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR MY POSITION, WHICH IS THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMANDER.
ANYONE BELOW OR OUTSIDE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD FILE A MEMO AND DOCUMENTATION UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO SOMEBODY WITHIN THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND THAT'S REPRESENTED THERE.
AND THEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION CAN HAPPEN.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY A SERGEANT LEARNS OF SOMETHING OF MISCONDUCT WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT DOESN'T COME TO THEM FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER, BUT THEY LEARN OF IT.
THEY CAN FILE THE PAPERWORK UP AND, UH, I'M GONNA EXPLAIN KIND OF HOW THAT WORKS.
AND THEN THEIR DEPUTY CHIEF WOULD REFER IT TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
SO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS IS SIMILAR, BUT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT LESS STEPS.
AND THE REASON BEING IS BECAUSE IF AN EMPLOYEE'S, SUPERVISOR OR CHAIN OF COMMAND IDENTIFIES SOME SORT OF ALLEGATION OF MISCONDUCT, THEN THERE SHOULD ALREADY BE SOME THE, THE QUESTION OF VALIDITY THAT WE HAVE TO SOMETIMES ENTERTAIN OR THE UNDERSTANDING OF, IS THIS MISCONDUCT? 'CAUSE WE TAKE ALL COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, EVEN SOME THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY DIRECTLY RELATED TO MISCONDUCT.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE INTAKE PROCESS, THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OR COMPLAINT PROCESS.
WE SKIP THAT PORTION BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY INITIATING FROM THE PERSON THAT WOULD SAY, MAKE THIS A FORMAL INVESTIGATION.
SO FOR THAT REASON, THERE'S LESS STEPS.
BUT THE COMPLAINTS RECEIVED, IT COMES TO A FORMAL INVESTIGATION RIGHT AWAY.
AND THEN FROM THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION, IT GOES VERY SIMILAR TO THE REST OF THE OTHER PROCESS.
IT GOES TO A DIVISION AND BUREAU REVIEW TO A FINAL PRESENTATION, AND THEN THE DISPOSITIONS ARE, UH, WHAT I ALREADY REFERRED TO YOU.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE CASE IS CLOSED PENDING THE APPEAL PROCESS.
WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT PROCEDURES, THEY LOOK VERY SIMILAR.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT'S ALL HAPPENING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, IT'S USUALLY ADMINISTRATIVE VIOLATIONS OF POLICY.
IT COULDN'T, DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY OBSERVED THOUGH WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE'S GENERALLY A LOT MORE DOCUMENTATION THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE.
AND OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THE SUPERVISORS WILL BEGIN, BEGIN DISCOVERING AND, AND, AND, UH, A AGGREGATING THAT DOCUMENTATION AND THOSE PIECES OF FACTS OR EVIDENCE AS WE WOULD CALL 'EM, UM, IMMEDIATELY, AND THAT THEY WOULD ASSIST IN GETTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN PRESENTING THAT, THAT SITUATION TO THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND UP TO THEIR COMMANDER, WHO WOULD FORWARD IT TO THE, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE INITIATE A FORMAL INVESTIGATION WITH ALREADY HAVING CAPTURED THE NECESSARY BWC UH, FOOTAGE, ANY KIND OF CALLS FOR SERVICE, RADIO DISPATCHES, THINGS LIKE THAT, ANY KIND OF COMPUTER MESSAGES, EMAILS, ANYTHING THAT'S RELATED TO WHAT THIS ALLEGATION, UH, CIRCLES AROUND.
SO THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCESS, THIS IS FOR EITHER WAY, WHETHER IT'S A COMMUNITY MEMBER MAKING A COMPLAINT OR AN ADMINISTRATIVE, THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCESS IS IN FRONT OF YOU THERE.
UH, ONCE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION COMPLETES THE ENTIRE OVERVIEW OF THE CASE AND GATHERING ALL THE FACTS.
AND KEEP IN MIND THAT INTERNAL AFFAIRS, ESPECIALLY THE INVESTIGATE, WELL, THE ENTIRE INTERNAL AFFAIRS PROCESS IS FACT FINDERS AN UN UH, EXCUSE ME, AN OBJECTIVE, UNBIASED THIRD PARTY THAT GATHERS THE INFORMATION AND THEN PRESENTS THE INFORMATION TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR DECISION.
UM, ONCE THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE, THEN IT GOES TO THE EMPLOYEE'S DIVISION TO COMPLETE, COMPLETE WHAT'S CALLED A LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
THEY WERE GIVEN ALL THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
THEY'RE GOING TO ASSESS THOSE FACTS FROM A DIVISIONAL LEVEL, AND THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED FINDING THAT I'M GONNA SUPPORT IN THIS? WHAT AM I GONNA SUGGEST? AM I GONNA SUGGEST TO THE CHIEF THAT IT'S SUSTAINED, NOT SUSTAINED, UNFOUNDED, THE THINGS WE ALREADY MENTIONED? AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT THINGS THAT MAY BE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION FROM THE FACTS WE GATHER, BUT MORE OF THE, UM, MORE OF THE INFORMATION THAT THE DIVISION CAN INTERPRET BETTER, SUCH AS WHAT'S THE INTENT OF THE EMPLOYEE? WHAT'S THE CAUSE OF THIS ACTION ON THE COMMUNITY, ON THE DEPARTMENT, WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THIS ACTION? AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BETTER SUITED FOR THEM TO ANSWER.
'CAUSE THEY'RE THE CLOSEST TO THE EMPLOYEE.
THEY'RE THE CLOSEST TO THE COMMUNITY THAT ADMIT THAT
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THE MISCONDUCT MAY HAVE AFFECTED.AND THEY'LL GIVE THAT INFORMATION IN WRITING IN A DOCUMENT TO THE, TO, AS PART OF THE PROCESS WILL, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE IT TO THE CHIEF AS A RECOMMENDATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME MORE FACTS FOR HIM TO CONSIDER WHEN HE IS MAKING HIS DETERMINATION.
UM, THE DIVISION AND THE DIVISION COMMANDER, WHICH AGAIN, THE LETTER TRANSMITTAL'S PREPARED AT THE DIVISION LEVEL, THE DIVISION COMMANDER AND THE BUREAU CHIEF OR THE DEPUTY CHIEF, UM, THEY WILL REVIEW THE CASE TOGETHER BEFORE THEY COME TO THE, UH, FINAL MEETING WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
SO THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT CASE VERY, VERY WELL BY THE TIME THEY WALK INTO THE FINAL, AT THE FINAL, MY POSITION WOULD PRESENT ALL THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
UH, THOSE BRIEFINGS ARE, ARE PRETTY DETAILED.
WE INCLUDE ALL THE FACTS OF THE CASE THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN PRESENT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
BUT BEFORE WE PRESENT THAT, WE SHARE ALL THE FACTS OF THE CASE WITH EVERYBODY A FEW DAYS BEFORE SO THAT EVERYBODY THAT ATTENDS THOSE MEETINGS HAS THE ABILITY TO REVIEW THINGS ON THEIR OWN.
UM, AFTER THE PRESENTATION IS MADE, UH, THE CHIEF OF POLICE WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THE DIVISION, UH, THE EMPLOYEE'S DIVISION COMMANDER.
HE'LL MAKE A DETERMINATION ON THE CASE.
IF DISCIPLINE'S GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED, IT WILL BE THE DECISION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
AND THEN THE EMPLOYEE WILL BE SERVED THAT DISCIPLINE, UH, BY HIS DIVISION COMMANDER, UH, HIS OR HER DIVISION COMMANDER.
UH, THE LAST BULLET POINT THERE JUST SAYS THAT THE EMPLOYEE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A SKELLY HEARING.
I THINK FOLKS WOULD KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME IT IS KIND OF A UNIQUE TERM AND IT'S, IT, IT IT'S NOT, IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING YOU HAVE PERSONAL FAMILIARITY WITH.
SO I'LL JUST EXPLAIN IT BRIEFLY.
THE NAME OF IT COMES FROM CASE LAW.
SO, UH, SKELLY IS THE NAME OF AN AN EMPLOYEE.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE SKELLY HEARING IS AFTER THE DETERMINATION AND THE PROPOSED DISCIPLINE IS GIVEN TO AN EMPLOYEE, THAT EMPLOYEE ALSO GETS THE ENTIRE CASE FILE.
EVERY FACT THAT WE FOUND, OR THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE TO US DURING THE FINAL PRESENTATION IS THEN GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEE ON A THUMB DRIVE.
AND THEY CAN GO THROUGH ALL OF THE FACTS OF THE CASE AND THEY GET, THEY GET THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, THEY GET THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE CASE.
THEY GET ALL THE INVESTIGATOR NOTES ON THE CASE.
THEY GET ALL THE BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE, ALL THE, ALL THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S PRESENTED TO THEM OR DELIVERED TO THEM.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT THEN WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVE IF THEY WANT TO HAVE A, A REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT WITH THEM OR BY THEMSELVES TO MEET WITH THEIR DIVISION COMMANDER OR A MEMBER OF THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND.
IT'S USUALLY THE DIVISION COMMANDER.
AND THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO SHARE WITH THE DIVISION COMMANDER ANY INFORMATION THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN KNOWN OR THEY FELT WASN'T ACCURATELY PORTRAYED IN THE GATHERING OF THE FACTS.
PERHAPS THERE'S INFORMATION THEY KNOW THAT WE NEVER FOUND OR THAT THEY NEVER DISCLOSED TO US, AND THEY WANNA SHARE IT.
THAT'S THE TIME FOR THEM TO DO IT.
IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO EXPLAIN TO THEIR DIVISION COMMANDER ANYTHING THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
THE REAL INTENT, THE LEGAL INTENT OF IT IS TO PROVIDE THEM A CHANCE TO SPEAK AND SHARE NEW EVIDENCE THAT THEY DON'T FEEL WAS PRESENT OR RE UH, RELAYED IN, IN THE FINAL PRESENTATION.
HOWEVER, THERE'S ALSO A, A LITTLE BIT OF A HUMAN COMPONENT TO IT WHERE THEY GET TO SPEAK TO THEIR DIVISION COMMANDER AND SHARE WITH THEM THE IMPACT OF THIS SCENARIO OR SITUATION, UH, IN THEIR CAREER, IN THEIR LIFE.
AND THEY CAN STAY WHATEVER THEY WANT.
IT'S GENERALLY THEM SPEAKING AND THE COMMANDER JUST LISTENING.
AND THEN THAT THE, THE RESULTS OR THE INFORMATION SHARED FROM THAT MEETING IS THEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR A FINAL DETERMINATION OF DISCIPLINE.
AND THAT'S WHEN THIS CASE GETS CLOSED.
AFTER THAT FINAL DETERMINATION OF DISCIPLINE TIMELINE, WE HAVE ONE YEAR TO INVESTIGATE A CASE THAT'S ONE YEAR.
THE CLOCK STARTS FROM WHENEVER ANY SUPERVISOR WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT LEARNS OF THE MISCONDUCT.
SO IT'S NOT WHEN THE INFORMATION MAKES ITS WAY TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS, IT'S NOT WHEN THE DECISION IS MADE TO SEND IT TO A FORMAL INVESTIGATION.
IT'S WHENEVER THE DEPARTMENT LEARNS OF THE POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT.
SO A, A COMMUNITY MEMBER EXPLAINS IT TO A SERGEANT IN THE FIELD.
UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DISCOVERS AND BRINGS IT FORWARD AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT, THE CLOCK STARTS THE DAY THEY LEARNED OF IT, NOT THE DAY THEY TOOK ACTION ON IT OR GATHERED FACTS BEYOND WHAT THEY LEARNED.
THE DAY THEY LEARNED IS WHEN THE CLOCK STARTS.
AND WE HAVE ONE YEAR TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING WITH THE INVESTIGATION, ALL THE WAY THROUGH SERVING THE EMPLOYEE THE PROPOSED DISCIPLINE.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS, AND IT'S NOT REALLY AN EXCEPTION TO THE ONE YEAR.
WHAT IT IS IS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED TOLLING TIME.
AND THERE ARE SOME, SOME STATUTORY LANG, UH, TOPICS OR THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN THAT WOULD DELAY THAT, THAT ONE
[00:35:01]
YEAR REQUIREMENT.AND THAT WOULD BE IF THE PERSON IS, IF THE CASE INVOLVES SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO SUBJECT TO A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WELL, THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO WAIT FOR ITS IN INVESTIGATION UNTIL THE CRIMINAL CASE CONCLUDES THAT, THAT'S A COMMON ONE THAT HAPPENS.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT'S AN ALLEGATION THAT IT'S NOT JUST MISCONDUCT, BUT IT'S POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL IN NATURE, WELL, THEN WE WOULD PRESENT IT OR WE COULD PRESENT IT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND WHILE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S CONSIDERING THE, THE CRIMINAL CASE FOR FILING OR FILING THE CASE OR THE TRIAL GOES ALL OF THE TIME THAT WE ARE, THAT, THAT OUR, OUR CLOCK STOPS, IT, IT IT IS PAUSED DURING THAT TIME.
SO THOSE DAYS THAT IT TAKES FOR THE DA OR THE CITY PROSECUTOR TO DO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT, THAT'S NOT COUNTING AGAINST OUR ONE YEAR.
THAT'S ONLY ONE EXAMPLE OF TOLLING TIME.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF AN EMPLOYEE'S UNAVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY GET DEPLOYED ON MILITARY LEAVE OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, WELL, WE CAN'T CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION IF THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF TOLLING TIME.
BUT THOSE ARE EXCEPTIONS, NOT, NOT TYPICAL.
UM, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING DIFFERENT WITH THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AS FAR AS HOW THE CASES ARE INVESTIGATED OR PRESENTED.
SO I'M GOING TO, I'VE ALREADY PRESENTED OR SHARED THAT.
I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITH THE EEO WHEN WE LEARN OF, UH, CASES OR ALLEGATIONS THAT COME FROM THEM IS THAT WE GENERALLY TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION.
THERE'S GENERALLY A NOTIFICATION PROCESS, LIKE I SAID, BOTH WAYS.
USUALLY THEY'LL NOTIFY US, BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE LEARN OF THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO TAKE, UH, OVER TO THEIR OFFICE.
AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT HAPPENS WITH THESE CASES.
BUT AS FAR AS THE INVESTIGATION AND, AND THE FLOW CHART, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE CASE.
THE LAST THING I'LL TALK ABOUT, TWO LAST THINGS I APOLOGIZE.
ONE IS THE SPECIAL ORDER I SHARED WITH YOU POLICY.
I'M GONNA NOT READ THIS ENTIRE THING TO YOU, BUT I WILL SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS OF IT.
THERE'S A SPECIAL ORDER RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT A SPECIAL ORDER IS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ITS POLICY THAT ACTS AND LIVES LIKE POLICY, BUT IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO BE INITIATED OR IMPLEMENTED AS POLICY AND DOESN'T REQUIRE ALL THE, ALL THE REVIEWS FROM ALL OF THE BODIES THAT LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY BEFORE IT BECOMES ACTUAL POLICY.
SPECIAL ORDER ALLOWS FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO INITIATE POLICY QUICKER.
IT DOESN'T LIVE FOREVER AS SPECIAL ORDER CAN BE ENACTED.
AND, AND IT'S USED SIMILAR, LIKE IN THIS CASE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING SOMETHING OUT, YOU WANNA SEE, DO WE WANT TO MAKE A POLICY LIKE THIS? SO RIGHT NOW IT IS POLICY BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIAL ORDER, AND IF WE WANT TO KEEP IT AS POLICY, THEN WE HAVE SOME TIME TO TAKE, TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE IT AN ACTUAL POLICY AND A PART OF OUR LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS SPECIAL ORDER IS TO REALLY REDUCE THE TIME THAT COMPLAINTS TAKE.
AND WHAT THE SPECIAL ORDER DOES IS CHANGES THE PROCESS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF COMPLAINTS.
IT REDUCES THE LEVEL OF IT, IT REDUCES THE LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT, UM, ON A FORMAL INVESTIGATION.
BECAUSE IF IT GOES TO FORMAL INVESTIGATION, THEN IT STILL TAKES THE SAME, THE SAME PATH.
BUT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE CASE IS.
THERE'S ONLY TWO TYPES OF ALLEGATIONS THAT FIT FOR THIS, AND ONE IS THAT IT LACKS FACTUAL FOUNDATION.
AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU A FLOW CHART IN A MINUTE TO MAKE SENSE OF KIND OF THE, THE, THE JOURNEY THAT ONE OF THESE COMPLAINTS MIGHT TAKE.
SO THIS COMPLAINT COMES IN AND IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A CITIZEN COMPLAINT OR WHAT WE CALL A COMMUNITY MEMBER COMPLAINT.
AND IT COMES IN THE SAME WAY AS ANY OTHER COMPLAINT.
BUT WITH THIS SPECIAL ORDER, IT ALLOWS FOR US TO IDENTIFY IF THE CASE IS SOMETHING THAT LACKS FACTUAL FOUNDATION.
REMEMBER I TOLD YOU INITIALLY WE TAKE A COMPLAINT WITHOUT, WITHOUT THE FIELD SUPERVISOR'S JOB IS NOT TO DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF THE COMPLAINT OR THE COMPLAINANT.
UM, THEY TAKE THE COMPLAINT, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S VERY CLEARLY ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, OFTEN BODY-WORN CAMERA, THAT SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY BELIEVES HAPPENED IN FACT DID NOT HAPPEN.
SO IF IT APPEARS TO LACK A FACTUAL FOUNDATION, IT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS PROCESS.
THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE THAT IT'S SYS, IT'S A, UH, IT'S SERVICE OR PROCEDURAL COMPLAINT.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MISCONDUCT OF THE EMPLOYEE, BUT IT'S SOME SYSTEM THAT HAPPENED OR SOME PROCEDURE THAT HAPPENED.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A, A SCENARIO WHERE THIS MIGHT BE THE, THE SITUATION.
AN OFFICER MAKES A TRAFFIC STOP.
AND LET'S SAY THAT, UH, DURING THE TIME OF WRITING THE CITATION FOR THE PERSON THAT'S DETAINED, UM, THEY NEED TO USE THE RESTROOM AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY WERE DETAINED LONGER THAN WAS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THEY HAD A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THEY NEEDED TO GO OR THEY WERE LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR WHATEVER.
THERE WAS A PERSONAL NEED THEY HAD TO TAKE OFF.
WELL, IF IN REVIEW OF THAT, IF, IF IN THE INITIAL REVIEW OF THAT THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S NO EXTENSION OF THE DETENTION FOR ANY REASON THAT WAS UNREASONABLE, THAT JUST TOOK 'EM THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO WRITE A TICKET.
THAT'S NOT REALLY MISCONDUCT, THAT'S A SYSTEM OR A PROCEDURAL ISSUE.
OR SOMETIMES WE GET A COMPLAINT KIND OF
[00:40:01]
SHIFTING TO ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT TOOK TOO LONG TO GET MY, I HAD A TRAFFIC COLLISION REPORT TAKEN AND IT TOOK LONGER THAN MY INSURANCE NEEDED FOR ME TO GET A COPY OF THE REPORT.WELL, THAT'S NOT A COMPLAINT ON ANYBODY'S MISCONDUCT, THAT'S A SYSTEM ISSUE OR PROCEDURAL ISSUE.
SO WE CAN USE THIS PROCESS TO CLEAR THAT COMPLAINT QUICKER.
AND IF WE DO THIS PROCESS, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE FIRST COUPLE STEPS ARE THE SAME.
BUT THEN INSTEAD OF GOING TO AN INTAKE PROCESS AND, UH, REQUIRING THE RE THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO MEET ABOUT IT, WE CAN SEND IT DIRECTLY TO THE DIVISION AND THE DIVISION COMMANDER WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE GOING TO A FORMAL INVESTIGATION OR WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE DISPOSITIONED.
AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE IT CAN BE DISPOSITIONED, THEN WHAT THEY WILL DO IS THEY WILL FORWARD IT TO AN UNINVOLVED ADMINISTRATOR.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, AND I'M SURE I I I DON'T WANNA CONFUSE YOU WITH THE TERMINOLOGY.
A COMMANDER IS A SWORN EMPLOYEE, MEANING IT'S A POLICE OFFICER THAT'S PROMOTED THROUGH THE RANKS TO COMMANDER.
AN ADMINISTRATOR IS A PROFESSIONAL STAFF OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE.
AND WITH THIS SPECIAL ORDER, IF IT'S AN EMPLOYEE THAT IS SUPERVISED BY A DIVISION COMMANDER, THEN IT WILL GO TO AN ADMINISTRATOR.
AND IF IT'S AN EMPLOYEE THAT'S SUPERVISED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR, THEN IT'LL GO TO A DIVISION COMMANDER.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO GET BOTH PERSPECTIVES, BOTH A SWORN AND CIVILIAN OR PROFESSIONAL STAFF OPINION OR DIRECT, UH, EXPECTATION OF HOW THE DEPARTMENT SERVES THE COMMUNITY AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS RESULTS IN MISCONDUCT.
SO IT STILL GETS A DOUBLE LAYER OF OVERSIGHT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, AFTER BOTH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DISPOSITION, IT'LL GO TO THAT SAME DEPUTY CHIEF OR BUREAU CHIEF THAT WOULD SEE IT AT THE INTAKE PROCESS.
AND THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE DETERMINATION OF CLOSING THE CASE OUT WITH A DISPOSITION IF THEY FEEL APPROPRIATE AT ANY POINT.
THE DIVISION COMMANDER, THE UNBIASED OR UNINVOLVED ADMINISTRATOR OR THE, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF, IF THEY FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE FORMAL INVESTIGATION AND GO TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR DETERMINATION, THEY CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THEN IT'LL FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE OF THE PREVIOUS.
WHILE THIS MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT SAVES TIME, IT ACTUALLY DOES SAVE QUITE A BIT OF TIME BECAUSE IT ALLOWS FOR THE DIVISION TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CASE AND IT DOESN'T BOG DOWN THE, THE CASELOAD FOR THE IA OR INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATORS.
AND IT'S NOT SITTING IN A HOPPER WAITING TO BE WORKED ON.
SO IT DOES GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE LOOKED AT MUCH QUICKER AND DISPOSITIONED FASTER.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS REALLY THREEFOLD.
ONE, TO REDUCE THE CASELOAD FOR THE INVESTIGATORS THAT ARE HAVING TO WORK IA CASES.
SO THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO WORK ON SAR, SOME LARGER CASES.
TWO IS TO REDUCE THE TIME IT TAKES FOR AN OFFICER WHO'S ACCUSED IN A CASE TO GET A DISPOSITION BACK.
AND THREE, PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT WOULD BE ALLOWING THE COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO MADE THAT ALLEGATION TO NOT HAVE TO WAIT MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS FOR A RESULT AND A FINDING ON THE ALLEGATION THAT THEY BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO ALL THREE OF THOSE ARE GOOD REASONS, UM, BUT THAT'S THE INTENT OF THIS IS TO REDUCE THE TIME.
SO WE'RE NOT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A YEAR, WE'RE NOT TAKING A YEAR FOR SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED OR COULD BE RESOLVED QUICKER.
THE LAST THING I'LL SPEAK OF, AND I'LL JUST DO IT VERY BRIEFLY, IS PO BAR, PO BAR, YOU'LL HEAR IT.
AND I'M ONLY DOING THIS FOR AWARENESS, NOT THAT YOU NEED TO BE EXPERTS IN IT, BUT PO BAR IS, UH, RIGHTS GIVEN BY THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE TO POLICE OFFICERS.
IT'S ALSO CALLED THE POLICE OFFICER'S BILL OF RIGHTS.
UM, IT REQUIRES FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO, IN, TO AFFORD EMPLOYEES UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RIGHTS, SPECIFIC RIGHTS, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BEING REPRESENTED OR HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE WITH THEM IF THEY'RE GONNA BE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE ALLEGATION.
THAT'S WHY I SAID EARLIER, THEY CAN GIVE COUNSELING TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS, GUIDANCE TO AN EMPLOYEE, A SUPERVISOR CAN, THEY CAN'T ASK THEM SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THEIR PO BAR RIGHTS IF THEY DID SO WITHOUT A REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE IT'S PO BAR IS WHAT REQUIRES US TO GET THEIR CASE RESULTED BACK TO THEM WITHIN ONE YEAR.
SO THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE THE RIGHTS IDENTIFIED IN PO BAR.
THERE'S MORE, THERE'S A LOT, UH, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO MAKE YOU EXPERTS IN IT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF IT BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IT AT TIMES THAT AN OFFICER HAS PULL BAR RIGHTS.
YOU CAN LOOK IT UP IN GOVERNMENT CODE 3,300, UH, CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE, AND IT EXPLAINS IT.
IT'S, IT, IT TAKES SOME READING, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T TAKE, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT THOSE RIGHTS ARE.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ATTENTION AND I'M READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? YES, COMMISSIONER.
AND, AND REAL QUICK BEFORE WE DIVE INTO QUESTIONS, WE WILL HAVE A FULL PRESENTATION ON PO BAR IN JANUARY BY THE POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, UH, UNION PRESIDENT.
[00:45:02]
FANTASTIC.THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, THE IA PROCESS, UH, I HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS, BUT THE FIRST ONE YOU TALKED ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, SOMETIMES THESE INVESTIGATIONS CAN JUST BE HUNDREDS OR MORE PAGES OF THINGS AND DOCUMENTS.
IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT TEDIOUS.
DOES THE REPRESENTATIVE HAVE TO BE OUT OF POCKET OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE UNION WOULD PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR? UH, YES AND YES TO BOTH.
SO THE REPRESENTATIVE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE IS THAT IT'S A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EMPLOYEE'S CHOICE.
SO THE EMPLOYEE CAN CHOOSE ANYONE THEY WANT THE POA IF THEY'RE MEMBERS OR THEY CHOOSE TO BE MEMBERS OF THE LONG BEACH POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, WHICH THE MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE LARGE MAJORITY DO.
SURE THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OR THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO CHOOSE FROM.
BUT NOT ALWAYS DO THEY, IT COULD BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CHOICE, IT COULD BE A PEER OFFICER, IT COULD BE SOMEBODY, IT COULD BE THEIR MOTHER, IT COULD BE ANYBODY THEY WANT.
IT'S ANY OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A REP OF THEIR CHOICE.
UH, IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ONE RIGHT NOW, I'LL GO WITH A SECOND ONE.
YOU MENTIONED THE, UM, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPLAINTS AND CITIZENS BEING THE MOST NUMEROUS MM-HMM.
I, THEY COME IN BOTH, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY GETS ARRESTED, WE WILL TAKE A COMPLAINT FROM SOMEBODY THAT'S ARRESTED, WE'LL TAKE A COMPLAINT FROM 'EM WHILE THEY'RE IN BOOKING OR IN JAIL.
UM, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PEOPLE THAT INTERACT WITH US ON TRAFFIC STOPS, PEOPLE THAT INTERACT WITH US ON CALLS FOR SERVICE REPORT CALLS, PEOPLE THAT INTERACT WITH OUR FRONT DESK STAFF, PEOPLE THAT INTERACT WITH OUR PROPERTY STAFF.
'CAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS OF GETTING THEIR PROPERTY BACK MAY NOT BE TO THEIR EXPECTATION.
UM, IT'S ANY EMPLOYEE, ANY EMPLOYEE, UH, AND FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, I THINK THAT ARRESTS DO GENERATE SOME, BUT IT'S, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S THE MAJORITY.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT COME THROUGH ARREST FOR SURE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, CIVIL PAYOUTS ARE A BIG ISSUE FOR CITIES TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, KEEP THAT DOWN.
AND WHEN WE HAVE INSTANCES OF WHERE IT'S NOT SUSTAINED, UM, THEN OR EXONERATED, DO WE ALSO HAVE INSTANCES WHERE THERE MAY BE A PAYOUT LATER IN LITIGATION AND LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE CITY? MAYBE THE CITY SAID, MM, WE LOOKED AT IT, IA LOOKED AT IT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT SUBSTANTIATED OR WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, FOR A FORMAL INVESTIGATION.
BUT YET THERE LATER ON, THERE'S A PAYOUT.
IS THERE A PROCESS FOR GOING BACK? IF THAT HAPPENS, MAYBE IT NEVER HAPPENS.
YEAH, IF IT DOES, IS THERE A PROCESS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT MAYBE WENT WRONG DURING THAT EARLY INVESTIGATION? SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY CASES, UH, THAT RESULT IN LITIGATION, AND WE DON'T HANDLE THAT IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
WE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THAT.
UM, SO THEY WOULD BE THE ONES TO TELL YOU ABOUT SPECIFIC CASES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY UNUSUAL FOR A CASE THAT'S UNFOUNDED OR NOT SUSTAINED TO RESULT IN, IN LITIGATION THAT WAS AWARDED TO THE, TO THE PERSON BRINGING FORWARD THE, UH, THE, THE CASE.
UM, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR, DOES THAT ANSWER WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, SIR? YES, THAT DOES.
EXCEPT FOR USES OF FORCE, BECAUSE THE THRESHOLD COULD BE DIFFERENT.
SO IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OFFICER VIOLATED POLICY, BUT THE, THE CIVIL PROCESS COULD DETERMINE THAT THEY WANT TO AWARD THIS PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, MONETARY PAYOUT EVEN THOUGH THE OFFICER MAY NOT HAVE VIOLATED POLICY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND, AND THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
BY NO MEANS DOES EVERY USE OF FORCE RESULT IN A COMPLAINT.
AND SO THERE'S LIABILITY IN ALL THE, YOU KNOW, IN MANY THINGS THAT WE DO, TRAFFIC PURSUITS, UM, USES OF FORCE, I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE THINGS RELATED TO POLICE WORK THAT HAVE LIABILITY, BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE RESULT IN COMPLAINTS.
SO IT MAY BE TOTALLY SEPARATED.
WE MAY NOT EVER HAVE ANY COMPLAINT SUBSTANTIATED OR NOT, AND IT RESULTS IN, IN LIABILITY ON THE CITY.
ANY OTHER, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT REPORT? I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SORRY, I DIDN'T WANNA INTERRUPT.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, A LOT OF 'EM, YOU ANSWERED, UM, MAYBE SOME FOLLOW UPS AND A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UM, ONE, UM, QUESTION I HAD IS, DO YOU HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF WHEN THE NEW POLICY REWRITE WILL BE FINISHED? UM, I CAN'T SAY SPECIFICALLY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WORK ON MYSELF AND, UH, MY PEER IN THE OFFICE OF CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING WHO OVERSEES OUR POLICY DEVELOPMENT, WE WORK ON IT.
[00:50:01]
A STANDING MEETING.BUT WHEN YOU REWRITE POLICY, THE POLICY OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS MULTIPLE LAYERS AND EYES THAT NEED TO WEIGH IN ON IT, BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT, WITHIN THE CITY.
SO I CAN'T REALLY GIVE AN EXPECTATION OF TIMELINE FOR THAT, BUT IT'S ACTIVELY BEING DONE.
UM, AND WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON IT.
I'D SAY WE'RE PROBABLY OVER HALFWAY THROUGH, BUT THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'LL BE DONE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
SO, AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT, THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH LIKE SOME SORT OF MEET AND CONFER WITH THE UNION OR ABSOLUTELY.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE EYES THAT WEIGH IN ON IT.
WE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE PASS IT TO CITY ATTORNEY FOR REVIEW ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO CONCERNS FROM, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF, AND, AND MANY OF THE POLICIES GET REVIEWED OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL, VICE CHAIR.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IN, IN YOUR OFFICE, DO YOU, UM, COMPILE THE DATA NOT BY INDIVIDUAL, BUT BY TYPE AND OF COMPLAINT AND NOT WHETHER IT'S TRAFFIC STOP, WHETHER IT'S ARREST, AND, AND REPORT THAT OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR? IS THERE AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT'S DATED DRIVEN? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, CHIEF ISH HAS PUSHED FOR CONSIDERABLY WHEN HE BECAME THE CHIEF, IS TO EXPLAIN WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT WHAT THE ANNUAL REPORT IS.
AND HISTORICALLY, UH, PATRICK AND I HAVE WORKED EVEN BEFORE THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT TO REPORT DATA REGARDING COMPLAINTS, UM, TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
NOW WITH THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT.
I'LL LET, UH, MISCARRIAGE SPEAK TO HOW THAT'LL HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK IT'LL BE MORE WITHIN HER SHOP.
BUT IT, THERE IS DATA THAT'S GATHERED AND CAPTURED AND COLLECTED ON, ON ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPLAINT, UM, WHERE THEY COME FROM, WHAT ALLEGATIONS OF POLICY ARE, ARE BEING, UH, ALLEGED, UH, AND AND THE FINDINGS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF DATA WE HAVE.
I HAVE AN ANALYST THAT WORKS WITHIN MY OFFICE AND SHE COLLECTS AND DISSEMINATES AND PROCESSES DATA EACH DAY.
I, I JUST HAD A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY COMPLAINTS A YEAR DO YOU INVESTIGATE AND DO YOU SEE A TREND? IS IT GOING UP, IS IT GOING DOWN? WHERE, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU THINK IT IS? AND, AND THEN IF YOU WOULD MAYBE TALK JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW BIG YOUR DEPARTMENT IS, YOUR SECTION.
OH, MY SECTION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? YES, SIR.
UM, SO NUMBER OF CLI COMPLAINTS ANNUALLY, AND THIS IS A BALLPARK 'CAUSE IT, IT DOES FLUCTUATE, BUT IT STAYS RELATIVELY CONSISTENT, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK, GIVE OR TAKE, UH, A A A HANDFUL, SOMEWHERE AROUND A COUPLE HUNDRED COMPLAINTS IS WHAT WE GET EACH YEAR.
UM, ADMINISTRATIVELY WE HAVE SOME AS WELL THAT, THAT GOES UP AND DOWN CONSIDERABLY LESS.
LIKE I SAID, WHEN I STARTED THE, THE COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY IS, IS WHERE WE GENERATE MOST OF OUR COMPLAINTS.
UM, AND AS FAR AS, UH, THE STAFF THAT I HAVE WORKING, I HAVE TWO SECTIONS.
I HAVE ONE LIEUTENANT, I HAVE, UM, SIX SERGEANTS, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF NON-CAREER EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE PRIOR POLICE EXPERIENCE, MEANING THAT THEY'VE RETIRED FROM POLICE WORK BUT STILL CAN WORK IN DOING INVESTIGATIONS FOR THIS TYPE OF THING.
UM, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO RUN THE OFFICE AS WELL.
SO IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL DIVISION BY NUMBER, BUT AN AWFUL, UH, AN AWFUL LOT OF INFORMATION AND, AND WORK FLOW THAT COMES THROUGH THE OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT WE DO.
'CAUSE WE'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES THIS THING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE YES, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.
UM, WHAT IS, WELL, I GUESS I'LL TIE THIS INTO THE NEW SPECIAL ORDER 'CAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN WHEN I SAW IT.
'CAUSE I KNEW THAT WAS AN ISSUE IN THE PAST AND YES, THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH IN MY DAY JOB, UH, IN TRYING TO CLASSIFY, UM, CASES THAT MAYBE CAN BE EXPEDITED.
UM, HAVE YOU SEEN, OF THAT 200 COMPLAINTS THAT YOU GIVE FROM THE CITIZENS ROUGHLY A YEAR, HAVE YOU SEEN A PERCENTAGE DROP? UM, OR WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE THAT'S GETTING THROUGH THE EXPEDITED PROCESS THAT FALLS WITHIN THAT SPECIAL ORDER CATEGORY? YEAH, SO WE JUST STARTED THIS SPECIAL ORDER.
SO THE DATA SET WOULD BE RATHER, UM, DIFFICULT TO ASSESS FROM.
UH, AND I ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM.
I MEAN, A, A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS WOULD PROBABLY FALL IN THAT BECAUSE OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE THAT CAN HELP US SUBSTANTIATE OR NOT SUBSTANTIATE SOME THINGS RATHER QUICKLY.
UM, BUT IT'S A LITTLE PRELIMINARY TO MAKE A DEFINITIVE STATEMENT.
I HAVE IDEAS, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY IT IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE INACCURATE.
[00:55:01]
TOO LOW, TOO HIGH.WELL, CAN I ASK YOU THIS, HAVE YOU, YOU'VE SEEN CASES GO THROUGH THAT EXPEDITED PROCESS THOUGH? UH, YES.
WE JUST STARTED IT RECENTLY AND WE'VE HAD A HANDFUL OF CASES GO THROUGH AND THEY'VE, UH, UH, OF THE ONES WE'VE SENT THROUGH, A FEW OF THEM HAVE ALREADY COME BACK.
AND THAT THE PROCESS TAKES, THE TIMELINE IS CONSIDERABLY QUICKER THAN WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH IN YOUR PREVIOUS ROLE.
UM, DO YOU KNOW CURRENTLY WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR STAFFING, UM, WHAT THEIR TURNAROUND IS ON COMPLETING AN INVESTIGATION, HOW CLOSE ARE THEY GETTING TO THAT YEAR MARK? OR THEY FINISHING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULES? SO MAYBE THINGS CAN GET KICKED BACK OR WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU DEALING WITH, WITH THE TIMELINESS OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS? IT'S, WE USE MOST OF THE YEAR, MOST OF THE TIME.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST A VOLUME OF CASES THAT ARE INVESTIGATED AND THAT AMOUNT OF DATA THAT WE NEED TO GATHER AND COLLECT TAKES SOME TIME WITH TECHNOLOGY.
IT HELPS, BUT THERE'S ALSO MORE INFORMATION AND FACTS AVAILABLE.
AND IT, WE TAKE MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE YEAR, MOST OF THE TIME BECAUSE OUR INVESTIGATIONS ARE VERY THOROUGH AND OUR PROCESS REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, UH, A LOT OF OVERSIGHT, WHICH I THINK EVERYONE WOULD SAY IS, IS APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY.
UM, SO THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ANSWER.
THERE ARE VARIOUS THINGS THAT EXPEDITE CERTAIN CASES FOR CERTAIN REASONS.
UM, SO SOMETIMES IT CAN GET DONE RATHER QUICKLY BECAUSE IT BECOMES A PRIORITY FOR, FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
UH, BUT GENERALLY THE, THE CASES COME IN AND THEY, THEY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEY, WE CAN ONLY PROCESS THEM AS FAST AS WE CAN GET TO THEM, BUT WE DO GET THE CASES DONE WITHIN A YEAR.
ARE THERE CERTAIN CASES THAT ARE ESCALATED OR GIVEN TO SPECIFIC COM UM, INVESTIGATION STAFF BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ALLEGATION? MAYBE THERE'S SOME STUFF DEMONSTRABLY THAT EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS SHOW THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY GOING ON.
THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME MEAT ON THE BONES THAT READY FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND, AND, UH, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT'S AT THE DISCRETION OR DIRECTION I SHOULD SAY, OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, UH, INCLUDING THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
AND WE WILL EXPEDITE CASES IF IT'S NECESSARY.
UM, SO YES, THE ANSWER IS, IT, IT, IT ABSOLUTELY CAN AND DOES HAPPEN.
AND THOSE GENERALLY TEND TO DO WITH THE, THE RISK, UH, AND THE NATURE OF THE INVESTIGATION.
AND, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT DURING THAT YEAR THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO REASSIGN EMPLOYEES, GIVE THEM DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, MOVE THEM FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER AREA, UH, TAKE THEM OFF THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS ALTOGETHER, IF THERE'S A RISK TO THE COMMUNITY OR A RISK TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT NEEDS TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION.
BUT WE CAN'T QUITE GET TO THE CASE YET.
AND THAT, THAT'S ALSO AN OP OPTION THAT THE CHIEF HAS.
I, IF I COULD ADD QUICKLY, UM, I DID PROMISE COMMANDER LEBARON WE WOULD RESPECT HIS HARD STOP AT 6:00 PM 'CAUSE HE DOES HAVE ANOTHER, UH, ENGAGEMENT TO GET TO AND I DON'T WANT HIM USING HIS POLICING AUTHORITY TO DRIVE ANY FASTER THAN HE SHOULD.
OUR FIRST AUDIT WILL BE THIS PROCESS.
SO WE'RE GONNA DIVE SO DEEP IN THIS, IT'S GONNA BE COMING OUT OF YOUR NOSTRILS.
SO I'LL UH, RESPECT SOTO'S QUESTION IF HE HAS ANOTHER ONE.
BUT WE'RE GONNA GET INTO SO MANY LAYERS OF THEIR PROCESS, HOW IT HAPPENS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND A LOT OF THAT WILL BE THROUGH DATASET THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY COLLECTING.
AND I'M GONNA COVER SOME OF THAT IN MY PRESENTATION AS WELL.
I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
IT, I'LL SKIP MY USE OF FORCE ONE CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
I'LL SAVE THAT FOR, FOR A LATER TIME.
BUT, UM, WHO, UM, INVESTIGATES, UM, COMMAND STAFF, CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, TOP COMMAND STAFF? ARE THEY SUBJECT TO IA INVESTIGATIONS OR IS THAT A DIFFERENT BODY THAT INVESTIGATES MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST, AGAINST THEM? THEY'RE DEFINITELY SUBJECT TO ALLEGATIONS COMING FORWARD AND BEING INVESTIGATED.
HOWEVER, WITH THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT NOW, MEMBERS OF COMMAND STAFF THAT WE WOULD DEFER TO, TO MISCARRIAGE FIRST AND THEN WE WOULD COLLABORATE TOGETHER.
BUT ULTIMATELY SHE WOULD BE THE ONE OR YOUR, HER OFFICE WOULD BE THE ONE TO TAKE THE LEAD.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR QUESTIONS.
COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, VOTE ON TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO HAVE, OH, OF COURSE.
UM, AND APOLOGIES BECAUSE THE SLIDE IS NOT UP.
SO WHAT IS THE RULING THAT IS ONE STEP DOWN FROM SUSTAINED MEANING, EH, HE SAID, SHE SAID, SURE.
I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO EITHER EXONERATED OR NOT SUSTAINED.
DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF, I HATE TO SAY BAD ACTORS? MM-HMM.
[01:00:01]
IS DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF THAT DATA? IS THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, SAY WHEN THE NEXT ONE COMES IN AND CAUSES YOU TO MAYBE WEIGH THAT DIFFERENTLY? OR HOW DO YOU PRESENT THAT? SO WE DO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND ALL THE OFFICERS AND ALL THEIR FINDINGS ON, ON THE COMPLAINTS.
THERE IS A PURGE PROCESS AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME THAT WOULD HA ALLOW THE CASE PREVIOUS CASES TO BE PURGED.
UH, IT'S, BUT THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO KEEP IN MIND OF, OR KEEP COGNIZANT OF IS THAT PO BAR PREVENTS US FROM DISCLOSING OR USING, NOT THAT WE CAN'T KNOW THAT IT EXISTS, BUT IN THE DETERMINATION OF DISCIPLINE OR A FINDING, AN EMPLOYEE THAT HAS A NOT SUSTAINED OR AN UNFOUNDED CASE CAN'T BE USED IN DETERMINING IN THE DETERMINATION OF A PENDING CASE.
BUT THE FACT THAT THOSE CASES EXIST IS SOMETHING THAT IS AVAILABLE.
IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, IT DOES, BECAUSE EACH CASE NEEDS TO STAND ON THE FACTS OF THAT CASE.
HOWEVER, THE EXISTENCE OF PREVIOUS CASES AND THE FINDINGS OF THOSE CASES IS SOMETHING THAT'S KEPT WITHIN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS SECTION.
AND, AND JUST IN LIGHT OF THIS MOMENT FOR ITS LEARNING FOR ALL OF US AS A NEW COMMISSION, UH, WHEN THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT, IT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE COMMISSIONERS AND IT'S IN THE FORM OF A, UH, STATEMENT AS OPPOSED TO QUESTIONS TO THE PRESENTER.
WE GONNA LET THIS ONE SLIDE, BUT WHAT I'LL ALSO ADD, THANK YOU.
COMMANDER LEBARON, UM, IS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A PROCESS NOW WHERE THEY HAVE BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE WITH POLICY ATTACHED.
SO WHEN OFFICERS ARE ON CALL OR CALLS FOR SERVICE, THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT THEIR BODY-WORN CAMERA, UH, WILL BE ACTIVATED.
IF FOR SOME REASON THE OFFICER DOES NOT ACTIVATE HIS BODY-WORN CAMERA.
UM, AND THAT PUTS THEM IN THIS NOT SUSTAINED SITUATION.
WHEREAS HE SAID, SHE SAID, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE FOUND SUSTAINED FOR VIOLATING THE ALLEGED POLICY THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBER BRINGS FORWARD, THEY COULD BE FOUND OUT OF POLICY FOR NOT ACTIVATING THEIR CAMERA AS WELL.
SO THAT'S JUST, UH, SOMETHING TO ADD TO NOTE.
NOW, I THINK WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL.
UH, YOU SHOULD HAVE VOTE SCREENS APPEARED ON.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
I CAN JUST RECEIVE A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN.
MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM,
[3. 24-55227 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the Office of Equity. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION.YOU RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
AND IF I CAN GET A MOTION A SECOND.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALANA GRANT, UH, TO THE PODIUM, AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE HER HERE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED EARLY ON WITH THE GROUP IS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE FALL IN LINE WITH THE CITY'S EXPECTATION, UM, THAT WE HAVE RACIAL EQUITY AND THAT WE'RE USING THAT LENS WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO.
IT IS PART OF THE RACE AND RECONCILIATION TOOLKIT, UM, THAT THE CITY SET FORWARD, SO WE ARE A PART OF THAT AS WELL.
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE HER COME AND JUST HAVE A HIGH LEVEL, UM, INTRODUCTION OF THE WORK THAT'S DONE AND HOW THAT LOOKS.
I SERVE AS THE CITY EQUITY OFFICER, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO, UH, SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOU ALL, UM, JUST BEING BEFORE YOU AND SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT WE'RE COORDINATING ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE Y'ALL BEING A COMMISSION AND OPERATING NOW IS, UH, THE PERSONIFICATION OF TIRELESS YEARS OF ADVOCACY FROM COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING MOMENT.
SO NORMALLY WE START DEPENDING ON OUR AUDIENCE.
WE LIKE TO START OFF WITH THIS STORY JUST TO HELP KIND OF GROUND AND GET EVERYBODY PREPARED TO LIKE BETTER PICTURE AND UNDERSTAND EQUITY.
SO I'M GONNA, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST HUMORING ME FOR A QUICK MOMENT.
I'LL, UH, START OFF WITH OUR, WHAT WE CALL THE UPSTREAM STORY.
SO IMAGINE THAT YOU AND A FRIEND ARE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF A RUSSIAN RIVER, WHEN SUDDENLY YOU SEE A PERSON COMING DOWN THAT RIVER STRUGGLING FOR THEIR LIFE, YOU JUMP IN TO PULL THAT PERSON OUT WHEN ANOTHER COMES,
[01:05:01]
UH, DOWN THAT RIVER AND AGAIN, MUST BE RESCUED.SO YOU SPEND YOUR ENTIRE AFTERNOON PULLING PEOPLE OUT OF THE WATER, AND YOU'RE EXHAUSTED.
EVENTUALLY YOU THINK, WHY ARE PEOPLE FALLING IN THE WATER? WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? AND SO YOU HAVE TO GO UPSTREAM TO FIND OUT WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE FALLING IN THE WATER.
AS YOU HEAD UPSTREAM, YOU NOTICE BRIDGES IN VARIOUS STATES OF DISREPAIR ALONG YOUR PATH.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE BRIDGES ARE STRONG AND STURDY, UH, WHEREAS OTHER BRIDGES, UH, ARE MISSING, UH, THE CORE, YOU KNOW, FIBER NEEDED TO, NEEDED TO GUARANTEE SAFE PASSAGE ACROSS.
UM, AND SO THOSE WHO LIVE NEAR OR ARE TRAVELING ACROSS THE STRONG BRIDGES ARE PROTECTED, WHEREAS IT DOESN'T SURPRISE US THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE FALLING INTO THE WATER ARE TRAVELING ACROSS THOSE POORLY MADE BRIDGES.
AND SO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE, WHERE LEARN, PLAY, AND AGE ARE WHAT WE CALL OUR BRIDGES TO OPPORTUNITY.
SOME ENVIRONMENTS ARE LIKE THE STRONG BRIDGES WITH HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS, THINGS LIKE FARMER'S MARKETS AND GROCERY STORES, CLEANER AIR, UM, MORE SAFE, CLEAN PARKS, EASIER ACCESS TO EMERGENCY AND PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE.
AND, UH, WE SEE THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN SOME PARTS OF OUR CITY WHILE THEY LACK IN OTHERS, OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY HAVE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE BRIDGES IN NEED OF MORE INVESTMENT AND ATTENTION.
WE SEE INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION IN THESE COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES PAYING HALF OR MORE OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT AND AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.
OUR HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS ARE LIMITED TO LIQUOR STORES AND FAST FOOD OR EVEN CONVENIENCE STORES.
AND SO YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE FEWER OPPORTUNITIES IN THESE AREAS.
FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION, FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE BRIDGES AND JUST THAT ANALOGY, UM, YES, ALL BRIDGES NEED, UH, PROTECTION.
ALL BRIDGES NEED REINFORCEMENT.
UM, BUT IT'S EASIER TO SEE WHICH BRIDGES ARE IN NEED OF THE MOST URGENT CARE AND ATTENTION.
AND SO OUR ROLE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU ALL AS, UH, COMMISSIONERS ON, ON A CRITICAL COMMISSION SUCH AS THIS, UH, MEANS THAT YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN ADDRESSING INEQUITIES BY IDENTIFYING THOSE, UH, IDENTIFYING AND REPAIRING THOSE WEAK AND POORLY MADE BRIDGES TO ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE ACROSS FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO JUST TO QUICKLY DISTINGUISH EQUITY FROM EQUALITY, WE USE THIS, UH, IMAGE, WHICH IS A GREAT SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON.
UM, EQUITY HAS DEFINITELY BECOME A BUZZWORD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND, UM, WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE CASE FOR LONG BEACH.
WE REALLY WANT TO EMBODY, UH, EQUITY.
SO, UH, AT THE TOP YOU SEE, UM, FOUR PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SHAPE, SIZES, AND ABILITIES WITH THE EXACT SAME BIKE.
THIS IS A OF GREAT DEPICTION OF EQUALITY, WHICH FOCUSES ON SAMENESS AND PROVIDES EVERYBODY WITH THE SAME RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
GREAT IN THEORY, BUT IT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS OR THAT WE'RE STARTING FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.
EQUITY ON THE OTHER HAND, FOCUSES ON FAIRNESS BY ENSURING THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTAIN THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF HEALTH AND POTENTIAL FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, NEIGHBORHOOD, OR IDENTITY.
AND SO THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE RACE, GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, INCOME, DISABILITY, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
EQUITY IS NOT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE VULNERABLE FAMILIES OR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
IT HELPS IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR US ALL.
AND SO ONE THING I LIKE TO SAY WHEN I TALK ABOUT EQUITY IS YES, UH, IT ACKNOWLEDGES DIFFERENCE, UM, BUT EQUITY LEADS TO EQUAL OUTCOMES.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER, BECAUSE I'M EXTRA, UM, I ALWAYS HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, EQUITY IS ALSO AN OUTCOME.
AND SO AS SUCH, WE ARE ENSURING THAT EVERYONE HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE.
UM, WE ALSO REMIND PEOPLE THAT EQUITY IS ALSO A PROCESS, AND THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MOST, UM, IMPACTED, UH, MEANING THAT WE ARE CENTERING PRINCIPLES SUCH AS INCLUSIVITY AND BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT FROM THE ONSET OF POLICY DESIGN, PROGRAMMATIC REFORM, UM, PROGRAMMATIC DESIGN, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ET CETERA.
AND JUST TO DEFINE RACIAL EQUITY FOR YOU ALL, UH, WE, UH, SAY THAT RACIAL EQUITY IS ACHIEVED WHEN RACE CAN NO LONGER PREDICT LIFE OUTCOMES AND OUTCOMES FOR ALL GROUPS ARE IMPROVED.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY TEAM AND THE WORK THAT WE DO.
THE OFFICE OF EQUITY WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2017 AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, AND IT, UH, BEGAN WITH A VERY NARROW SCOPE TO ALIGN CORE SERVICES SUCH AS LANGUAGE ACCESS AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. UM, 2020 SERVED AS A, UM, INFLECTION POINT FOR EQUITY AS WE CONFRONTED THE DISPARATE INCOMES AND IMPACTS OF, UM, OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS, UM, THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.
ALL OF THAT LED TO OUR CITY, UH, COMMITTING TO ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY AND CENTERING EQUITY.
SO WE GOT MOVED INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO COORDINATE EFFORTS ACROSS, UH, ALL OF THE CITYWIDE
[01:10:01]
DEPARTMENTS.UM, SINCE THEN, OUR OFFICE HAS INHERITED A LOT OF NEW PROGRAMS, UM, AND OUR TEAM HAS GROWN, UH, MORE THAN TWICE ITS SIZE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AND REFLECTIVE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING, WHO WE ARE, WHAT IS OUR CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE SERVE AND MEET THE NEEDS OF, UM, OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO OUR NEW MISSION STATEMENT IS THAT WE EXIST TO CREATE PURPOSEFUL DISRUPTION TO SYSTEMS OF INEQUITY AND TO BUILD AN ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE, AND JUST CITY.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR PILLARS THAT GUIDE OUR WORK, AND THOSE INCLUDE INTERSECTIONAL IMPACT, UM, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, ACCESS AND INCLUSION AND RACIAL EQUITY.
UH, FEW OF THE CORE SERVICES THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCLUDE LANGUAGE ACCESS, UM, AS WELL AS LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, WHICH PROVIDES REPRESENTATION TO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE AT RISK OF DISPORT, UH, DEPORTATION.
UH, WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COM CITY'S COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
UM, WE ARE THE CITY'S LIAISON FOR ALL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PARTNERS.
UM, SO THINKING ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, EQUITY, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE RACIAL EQUITY.
WE ARE THE HOLDERS AND THE COORDINATORS OF THE CITY'S RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE.
ON THE SIDE OF THAT VERY BEAUTIFUL GRAPHIC, WE HAVE, UH, SIX ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES THAT WE ANCHOR OURSELVES IN, THOSE BEING BELONGING, COMMUNITY, COMPASSIONATE SERVICE, FUTURE GENERATIONS, JUSTICE AND RADICAL LOVE.
AND SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'LL EVER SEE, UM, IN ANOTHER CITY ENTITY, BUT WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, UPLIFTED WITHIN OUR WORK BECAUSE IT'S THE THING THAT KEEPS US COMING BACK TO VERY CHALLENGING.
UH, THE VERY CHALLENGING AND HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
OUR THROUGH LINE IN ALL OF OUR EFFORTS IS THAT WE ADVANCE EQUITY THROUGH TRAINING TOOLS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, POLICY, AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS, MEANING THAT WE ARE HELPING OUR COLLEAGUES APPLY AN EQUITY LENS TO CENTER THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED AND VULNERABLE, UM, AND THAT WE ARE REASSESSING OUR WORK AT EVERY INFLECTION POINT.
SO, TO MAKE A CONNECTION FROM MY OFFICE TO YOU ALL, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU ALL ARE WITH THE FRAMEWORK FOR RECONCILIATION, BUT FOUR YEARS AGO, UM, WHEN GEORGE FLOYD WAS MURDERED, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL CALLED ON THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BETTER EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES OF SYSTEMIC RACISM HERE IN OUR CITY.
UM, WE FACILITATED A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS THAT CONDUCTED OVER 30 HOURS OF LISTENING SESSIONS, ALL VIRTUALLY 'CAUSE THIS IS IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC.
UM, AND WE HEARD VARIOUS ACCOUNTS AND EXPERIENCES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT, UH, THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY'VE HAD INTERPERSONALLY WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND ALL OF THAT CULMINATED INTO SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE NOW NAMED AS OUR RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE.
AND SO THAT INITIAL REPORT CONSISTS OF THE FOUR GOALS THAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN.
WHAT I WOULD WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT, UH, GOAL THREE, REDESIGNING THE POL UH, POLICE APPROACH TO COMMUNITY SAFETY ALSO HAS A STRATEGY THAT LED TO, UH, THE FORMATION OF YOUR COMMISSION, WHICH IS REDESIGNING POLICE OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH IMPROVED COMPLAINT AND DISCIPLINE PRACTICES.
UM, THIS WORK ONLY EXISTS AS A RESULT OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
AND IT, UH, TO THAT END, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT WE ARE CENTERING RACE AND EQUITY, UM, AS WE MOVE OUR WORK FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, SO JUST TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR OFFICE'S THEORY OF CHANGE, AND JUST SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND.
WE KNOW THAT RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN ACHIEVE IN A YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN AT IT FOR FOUR YEARS SO FAR AND STILL CONTINUING THAT WORK.
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE ENGAGING IN, UM, MULTI-LAYERED PROCESSES TO HELP ADVANCE, UM, RACIAL EQUITY.
SO, UH, WE KNOW THAT THIS REQUIRES ONGOING ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS, UH, YOU KNOW, LEARNING AND EDUCATION AS WELL.
SO THIS THEORY OF CHANGE, UH, STANDS ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS, INCLUDING THE GEAR FRAMEWORK, UH, THE WK KELLOGG FOUNDATION'S TRUTH, RACIAL HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION FRAMEWORK, AND THE AWAKE TO WOKE TO WORK, UM, FRAMEWORK.
ANOTHER ONE THAT IS A PERSONAL FAVORITE OF MINE.
AND SO JUST THINKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING INEQUITY IN LONG BEACH, UH, BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY ADVOCACY SIDE TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITHIN THE CITY, UH, WE DESIGNED THIS THEORY OF CHANGE TO REFLECT THE DIFFERENT MILESTONES OR STEPS THAT WE TAKE IN MOVING OUR WORK FORWARD.
AND SO, ONE THING WE HAVE LEARNED AND ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT OUR WORK ALWAYS BEGINS WITH ANALYSIS AND OBSERVING SOME FORM OF INEQUITY.
UH, NEXT WE MOVE TOWARDS NORMALIZING, WHICH IS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED A SHARED VALUE OR PRIORITY, AND THAT WE ARE, UM, ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ENTIRE TEAM, OUR ORGANIZATION, IS NOW COLLECTIVELY PRIORITIZING EQUITY.
FROM THAT, WE MOVE INTO ORGANIZING, MEANING THAT WE ARE BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND PARTNERSHIPS TO, UM, ADDRESS THE ROOT
[01:15:01]
CAUSES OF INEQUITY.AND THEN WE MOVE INTO OPERATIONALIZING, MEANING THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE TOOLS, FRAMEWORKS, AND, UH, STRATEGIES TO, UM, ADVANCE EQUITY.
SO I'M PRESENTING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE RECONCILIATION IS VERY MUCH ITERATIVE OF THIS.
UM, AND WHEN WE EXAMINE OUR WORK, WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO PROXIES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SYSTEMIC PROXIES SUCH AS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, HOW WE UTILIZE DATA, AND HOW WE ARE ALLOCATING FUNDING TO SUPPORT, UM, CLOSING VERY SPECIFIC GAPS.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE COMPONENT, LOOKING AT HOW OUR WORKFORCE IS FARING OFF, AS WELL AS HOW A COMMUNITY IS BENEFITING.
ARE THEY ACTUALLY BETTER OFF AS A RESULT OF ANY OF THE INTERVENTIONS WE'VE CREATED? SO JUST TO HONE IN ON LONG BEACH, I WANT TO JUST SHARE A FEW DATA SLIDES, AND I'M GONNA MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ON THE FLY, UH, WITH MY PRESENTATION.
SO THIS FIRST SLIDE IS SHOWING YOU THE, UH, RACIAL SEGREGATION OF OUR CITY, THE DARKER SATURATIONS OF BLUE ON THE MAP SHOW WHERE PEOPLE OF COLOR LIVE.
AND, UM, WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THOSE, UH, CONCENTRATIONS ALL SEEM TO EXIST IN NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST LONG BEACH IN, UH, MORE PROMINENCE.
AND SO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, I JUST CHANGED SLIDES, BUT WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
AND SO THIS MAP IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT I JUST JUST SHARED, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THIS MAP IS SHOWING THAT THE DARKER THE BLUE, THE LOWER THE INCOME.
AND SO THE DARKEST BLUE REPRESENTS HOUSEHOLDS WITH A MEDIAN INCOME OF BELOW $33,800.
THE LIGHTEST BLUE REPRESENTS HOUSEHOLDS WITH A MEDIAN INCOME OF 100,000 OR MORE.
AND SO WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF FAMILIES WITH THE LOWEST INCOME ALL ARE CONCENTRATED IN THOSE SAME COMMUNITIES WHERE WE SEE MORE OF OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR LIVING NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST LONG BEACH.
AND SO THIS MAP'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET, BUT WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT ACCESS TO PARK AREA AND GREEN SPACE.
AND SO ON THIS MAP, THE DARKER THE GREEN, UM, INDICATES THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE, PERCENTAGE OF PARK AREAS AND CENSUS TRACKS.
UM, THE WHITE SECTIONS MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO PARK AREA WITHIN THAT CENSUS TRACT.
AND WHAT, WHAT WE CAN SEE FROM THIS MAP IS THAT SOME OF THE LOWEST INCOME CENSUS TRACTS HAVE NO PARKS, UH, OR THEY HAVE LESS THAN 5% OF DEVOTED PARK AREA WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
MEANWHILE, IN AND IN CONTRAST, THE HIGHEST INCOME CENSUS TRACTS HAVE UPWARDS OF 30%.
AND SO WHAT ALL THIS MEANS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WHEN WE LAYER IN THOSE DIFFERENT DATA FACTORS, UM, THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INCOME, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT, UH, LIFE EXPECTANCY.
AND SO THOSE FACTORS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE ALL CONTRIBUTE TO LIFE OUTCOMES.
AND SO, UM, AN INFANT BORN TODAY, AND THIS DATA IS A LITTLE OUTDATED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO HAS A NEW METHODOLOGY, BUT IT'S STILL VERY TELLING.
UM, WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT A MAP THAT SHOWS WHERE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 10 ARE GROWING UP.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE DARKER RED SATURATIONS, ALSO, AGAIN, IN NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST LONG BEACH.
CONVERSELY, WE'RE SEEING WHERE PEOPLE ARE, UM, LIVING LONGER.
AND THAT WOULD BE WHERE YOU SEE, UH, MORE GRADIENTS OF BLUE, UM, WHICH WOULD BE THE EAST SIDE.
UM, WHEN WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT THIS MEANS, UH, AN INFANT BORN TODAY ON THE EAST SIDE AND A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE ACCESS TO HIGHER QUALITY HOUSING, ACCESS TO GOOD PARKS AND SCHOOLS, THEY'RE PREDICTED TO LIVE AN AVERAGE OF 86.3 YEARS LONGER, WELL, 86.3 YEARS.
CONVERSELY, IN THE LOWER WEST SIDE, AN INFANT BORN TODAY, UM, WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES LACK IS PREDICTED TO LIVE AN AVERAGE OF 68.9 YEARS, WHICH IS A 17, UM, NEARLY A 17 AND A HALF YEAR DIFFERENCE IN LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO WE SHARE THIS DATA WITH OUR TEAMS AND WITH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SERVANTS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DIDN'T JUST ARRIVE HERE BY, YOU KNOW, COINCIDENCE.
IT'S NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE NARRATIVE THAT, OH, WELL, PEOPLE WANNA LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM ALSO LIVE.
THIS IS ALL, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH, UH, IT BEGINS WITH, UH, THE HISTORY OF RACIST POLICIES.
AND SO AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN, IN THAT.
UH, TO THAT END, GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, UM, BOTH AS HISTORICALLY, UM, IN HISTORICALLY CREATING THOSE INEQUITIES, BUT ALSO TO DISMANTLE AND TO JUST DISRUPT THOSE PATTERNS OF INEQUITY.
SO I'M SHARING OUR REDLINING MAPS FROM 1939.
UM, AND JUST FOR CONTEXT AND CASE NOBODY KNOWS, I DON'T WANNA ASSUME, BUT, UM, MAPS LIKE THESE WERE USED ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IN MAJOR CITIES.
AND, UH, THEY WERE USED TO DETERMINE WHICH AREAS WERE, UH, DEEMED WORTHY OF INVESTMENT.
UM, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT BACKED MORTGAGES, WHICH HELPED LAUNCH FAMILIES IN INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS.
[01:20:01]
SO THEY USED THESE COLOR CODED MAPS BASED OFF OF WHO LIVED WHERE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN, IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO DETERMINE WHICH AREAS WERE WORTHY OF INVESTMENT.AND SO THE BLUE AND GREEN, UH, AREAS WERE, UH, GRADED AS LOW RISK.
AND AGAIN, THESE WERE ALSO, THE COLORS ARE, UM, CORRESPONDING WITH, UH, RACIALLY HOMOGENOUS NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO BLUE OR GREEN WAS DETERMINED AS, UH, LOW RISK.
AND SO WHAT WE SEE ON THIS MAP IS THAT OUR, UM, WATERFRONT AREA, UM, AND POCKETS OF WHAT WOULD BE BIXBY KNOLLS ON THIS MAP ARE, WERE GRADED AS THAT.
WHEREAS, UM, OUR AREAS WITH RED AND YELLOW, UM, WE'RE DEEMED AS TOO, UH, TOO RISKY FOR AN UNWORTHY OF INVESTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE SEE, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR, UM, LIVING.
IN FACT, OUR MAP ACTUALLY SAYS, UH, THAT THESE AREAS WERE BEING INFILTRATED BY BLACK, MEXICAN, OR JAPANESE PEOPLE.
SO I'M GONNA SKIP THIS SECTION JUST TO GET TO, UM, THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF RACISM, JUST FOCUSING IN ON THE SYSTEMIC, UM, OR INSTITUTIONAL, WHICH, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RACISM, MANY OF US ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE INTERPERSONAL OR THE INDIVIDUAL.
WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH BIAS OR PREJUDICE.
UM, HOWEVER, US AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU ALL AS A COMMISSIONERS, MANY OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE INSTITUTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL LEVELS.
AND SO FOR JUST TO READ THE DEFINITION ON THE SLIDE, INSTITUTIONS, UM, AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ADOPTED POLICIES OR MAINTAIN THOSE POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT ROUTINELY PRODUCE INEQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND ADVANTAGES FOR WHITE PEOPLE.
UM, THIS WAS ONCE BEGAN AS VERY EXPLICIT POLICIES AND PRACTICES LIKE WHAT I DESCRIBED IN OUR REDLINING MAP.
AND NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE REMOVED RACE EXPLICIT LANGUAGE FROM OUR POLICIES, BUT WE, UM, WE'RE THINKING THAT THAT NEUTRALITY HAS CREATED EQUAL ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO EVERYBODY.
UM, WE AREN'T ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIFFERENCES, UM, OR THAT FOLKS HAVE BLACKED OPPORTUNITY FOR DECADES, CENTURIES.
AND SO, UM, SHARING THIS SLIDE, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU A VERY, UM, TANGIBLE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'VE MOVED AS AN INSTITUTION FROM RACE EXPLICIT POLICY INTO THESE RACE IMPLICIT POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
SO, UM, FOLLOWING FROM THE TOP, UH, LEFT TOP, LEFT QUADRANT ACROSS, AND THEN DOWN TO THE BOTTOM LEFT.
UM, AND AN INDIVID INSTITUTIONAL EXPLICIT EXAMPLE WOULD BE A POLICY THAT HAS EXPLICITLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST A VERY SPECIFIC GROUP.
AND SO THE EXAMPLE HERE, THESE ARE ALL VERY REAL, UH, BACK, UH, DURING LIKE JIM CROW LAWS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE, UH, RESTRICTIVE POLICIES THAT PRO, UM, PROHIBITED PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM ACCESSING, UH, PUBLIC POOLS OR PARK SPACES MOVING TOWARDS THE INSTITUTIONAL IMPLICIT.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF POLICIES THAT ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACT ONE GROUP UNINTENTIONALLY.
SO WHILE WE DON'T, UH, HAVE RACIALLY RESTRICTIVE POLICIES TODAY, UM, THE LOCATION OF OUR PARKS OR WHERE WE INVEST OUR EXPANSIVE, UH, RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, UM, ARE OFTEN IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE LARGE PARK SPACE, BUT IT'S NOT RECOUNTING OR ACCOUNTING FOR THE FACT THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LACKED THOSE RESOURCES IN THE PAST, RIGHT? SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF BUILDING OFF OF WHAT HAS ALREADY EXISTED THERE, OR WHAT WE HAVE ASSOCIATED AS THE NORM WITH THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, EXPLICIT.
THAT'S AGAIN, THAT PREJUDICE AND ACTION, THAT'S THAT DISCRIMINATION.
SO THE EXAMPLE HERE, UH, AGAIN, RELATED TO PARKS WOULD BE CALLING THE POLICE ON A PERSON OF COLOR FOR BEING AT A PARK.
UM, NEXT WOULD BE IN INDIVIDUAL IMPLICIT, WHICH IS NOW LOOKING AT THE UNCONSCIOUS ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS, UM, WHICH IS, UH, HERE WOULD BE LIKE SUSPICION OF CHILDREN OF COLOR WHO ARE CONGREGATING AT A PARK, UM, BEING UP TO NO GOOD.
AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE ACT ANY ACTUAL REASON OR JUSTIFICATION FOR, FOR, UH, SUSPECTING THAT.
AND YET YOUR INDIVIDUAL, UH, BIAS OR, UM, IMPLICIT BIAS HAS INFORMED THAT.
AND SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, HOW MULTI-LAYERED RACISM IS.
AND JUST TO WRAP THIS UP, I WILL TALK ABOUT OUR EQUITY LENS AT A HIGH LEVEL AND HAPPY TO DIG DEEPER AT ANOTHER TIME.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN EQUITY LENS, THIS IS, UM, A PRACTICE THAT WE ARE INTRODUCING AND, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING STAFF AT ALL LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION TO DO.
WHEN WE, UH, REFERRING BACK TO OUR THEORY OF CHANGE, THIS IS THE THING THAT HELPS YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST GAVE, I THREW A BUNCH OF REALLY HARSH DATA AT Y'ALL.
AND SO THIS IS THE THING THAT YOU, LIKE.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO ADDRESS THAT? THIS IS WHAT YOU USE, IT'S YOUR EQUITY LENS.
UM, SO AN EQUITY LENS MEANS THAT WE ARE THOUGHTFUL AND INCLUSIVE
[01:25:01]
IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS, INCLUDING OUR PROGRAMS, POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND BUDGETS.AN EQUITY LENS IS ALSO A PROCESS FOR ANALYZING OR DIAGNOSING THE IMPACT OF THE, OR DESIGN, UM, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. UH, BY USING AN EQUITY LENS, WE ARE, UM, IDENTIFYING AND POTENTIALLY ELIMINATING BARRIERS.
AND SO WHY, WHY DOES THIS MATTER? BECAUSE, UH, IT, IT GIVES US A SET OF QUESTIONS TO HELP KIND OF CHECK AND ENCOUNTER, UM, THE, THE PRACTICE OF DOING WHAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY DONE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
SO OUR, OUR EQUITY LENS FOR LONG BEACH CONSISTS OF SEVEN, UM, COMPONENTS.
THE FIRST BEING BURDENS AND BENEFITS, WHICH, UH, ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE GONNA ASK WHO WOULD BENEFIT OR BE BURDENED BY THIS POLICY OR PROGRAM.
YOU WANT TO THINK VERY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT POPULATIONS.
MAYBE YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, OR LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES.
UM, YOU WANT TO, TO THINK VERY INTENTIONALLY ABOUT POPULATIONS AS, AS NARROWLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES THEY MAY HAVE WITH, UM, WHATEVER DECISION YOU'RE MAKING.
NEXT STEP IS DISAGGREGATED DATA.
AND, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, HONING IN ON A VERY SPECIFIC POPULATION.
YOU WANT TO ASK WHAT THE DATA TELLS YOU, BUT YOU WANT TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY GRANULAR IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT WHICH POPULATION YOU'RE FOCUSING ON.
UH, DISAGGREGATED DATA IS JUST A VERY HELPFUL PRACTICE TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS BEING MOST, UM, AFFECTED BY OUR CURRENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
AND SO YOU WOULD LOOK AT THINGS SUCH AS RACE, MAYBE GENDER, YOU MIGHT LOOK AT TRENDS AND WANT TO ANALYZE THAT BY ZIP CODE OR CENSUS TRACK TO UNDERSTAND WHICH POPULATION IS BEING MOST AFFECTED.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET TO DECISION MAKING, WE WANNA ASK WHO'S AT THE, THE TABLE? WHO, UM, IS REPRESENTED? WHICH INTERESTS DO THEY HAVE? DO WE HAVE A DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT? DO WE HAVE A DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCES, UM, AT THE TABLE TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION OR PRAC OR A DECISION WE'RE MAKING IS INFORMED AND INCLUSIVE OF ALL, UH, THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT PERHAPS DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE HISTORICALLY.
ALRIGHT, UM, OH, I SKIPPED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AGAIN, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE ARE CENTERING THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MOST IMPACTED.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON DOING BETTER AS A CITY IS MAKING SURE WE'RE ENGAGING COMMUNITY EARLIER IN OUR PROCESSES.
AND SO, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITY ACTUALLY HAS A, A SAY, UM, OR SOME IN INFLUENCE IN THE OUTCOME OR, UM, OF OUR DECISIONS.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE JUST DOING THE CHECK THE BOX, WHICH IS VERY PERFORMATIVE AND DOES A DISSERVICE TO OURSELVES.
JUMPING AHEAD TO IMPLEMENTATION, YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO ADVANCE EQUITY THROUGH THAT POLICY, THAT PROGRAM, UM, THAT DECISION.
UM, SO YOU WANNA THINK REALLY INTENTIONALLY ABOUT EVERY STEP OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, UM, FROM HOW YOU DISPERSE COMMUNICATIONS TO, UM, WHO YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH, HOW YOU MAKE THAT INFORMATION PUBLICLY AND READILY AVAILABLE.
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IS REALLY THAT FORWARD THINKING AND THINKING, UM, AND ASKING YOURSELVES WHAT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES MIGHT, UM, OCCUR FROM THAT POLICY OR THAT PROGRAM, PERHAPS FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, MAYBE 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
UM, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, RECONCILE ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, DISPARATE IMPACTS OR HARM THAT WE DON'T INTEND.
AND THEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNICATION, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ASK OURSELVES, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING IN POL POLICY DECISION, UH, POLICIES AND DECISION MAKING.
UM, WE WANT TO ASK WHO ARE WE BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO? HOW ARE WE HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE? AND, UM, HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING OUR PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION? SO THIS IS, UM, A, A LENS OR A FRAMEWORK THAT IS COMPLIMENTARY TO WHAT WE CALL OUR EQUITY TOOLKIT.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE ENCOURAGE STAFF AT ALL LEVELS TO UTILIZE IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY TASKS.
AND, UM, IT'S A FRAMEWORK THAT YOU ALL CAN USE AS A COMMISSION.
SO I WANT TO LEAVE Y'ALL WITH THAT AND I'LL WRAP UP HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. GRANT, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
JUST A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR, UM, LIVING INTO THE WORK AND I HOPE THAT YOU ARE WELL SUPPORTED, UM, IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, BECAUSE EQUITY DOESN'T COME THROUGH ONE OFFICE.
[01:30:01]
THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.AT THIS TIME WE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE.
UH, COULD THE CH CLERK READ THE NEXT ITEM, PLEASE? ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT UPDATES.
DIRECTOR, KARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, I KNOW SHE HAS SNUCK OUT, BUT I JUST REALLY WANNA GIVE APPRECIATION TO ALANA FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I KNOW SHE ZOOMED THROUGH MOST OF THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW HEAVY THE, THE NEED IS FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE DO, WE'RE APPLYING THAT EQUITY LENS TO OUR WORK.
UM, THAT WILL FOLD INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL.
HOW WE ROLL OUT INFORMATION, HOW WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
SO I DO PLAN ON INVITING HER BACK FOR SEVERAL LAYERS THROUGHOUT, UH, THE COURSE OF OUR WORK TO COVER DIFFERENT THINGS 'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T JUMP INTO BIAS.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ALSO CONSIDER, UM, JUST KEEPING IN MIND THAT WHEN WE CONTINUOUSLY USE THIS LENS, NOT ONLY DOES IT HELP THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT MAKES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT STRONGER
[4. 24-55228 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on Office of Police Oversight updates. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
WITH HOW THEY GIVE, UM, WORK TO THE COMMUNITY.SO IT ALSO IMPACTS THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT LENS, BUT IT MAKES THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY BETTER AS THEY FOLD THAT INTO THEIR WORK AS WELL.
SO IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR BOTH SIDES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I MADE THAT NOTE.
UM, SO THIS IS A PRESENTATION.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA SKIP TO, UM, THE SECOND SLIDE FIRST.
SO IN ONE OF MY, UM, FIRST PRESENTATIONS TO THE COMMISSION, WE DID TALK ABOUT THE CHARTER LANGUAGE.
OH WAIT, DID YOU GUYS DO A MOTION ALREADY? DID I MISS THAT? THAT HAPPENED.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
UM, UH, WE WENT OVER THE, THE COMMISSION'S CHARTER LANGUAGE.
SO I'M NOT GONNA READ THIS SPECIFICALLY, UH, IN FULL DETAIL, BUT I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE POWER AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION, SOME OF THE, UM, MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE WORK IS SETTING THE AUDITING PRIORITIES, UM, FOR THE OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING IN UNISON WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY WERE WANTS, WHICH IS WHAT THE COMMISSION REPRESENTS.
UM, AND IN ORDER TO SET THOSE AUDITING PRIORITIES IN PLACE, WE HAVE MENTIONED DOING THE WORK OF A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO I'M GONNA GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL OF THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, THAT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS INTENTIONAL WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT AUDITS.
SO THE OFFICE HAS ALREADY SENT OUT REQUESTS FOR QUOTES TO FOUR DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS.
WE DID RECEIVE THREE RESPONSES BACK.
UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH OTHER OVERSIGHT PRACTITIONERS THAT DO THAT WORK, AND WE'RE CONSIDERING POTENTIALLY COLLABORATING WITH THEM AND JUST HAVING STAFF TAKEN ON THAT TASK OF CREATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN SINCE WE HAVE THE MOST TIME THAT WE CAN PUT FORWARD WITH THE COMMISSION.
AND WE COULD DO IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TIME THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE AVAILABLE AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO FOLD IN A CONSULTANT.
SO BASED ON SOME OF THE QUOTES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT AFFORD THEM, BUT IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST USE OF OUR MONEY.
SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO WORK THAT OUT.
BUT OUR PLAN STILL STANDS THAT THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND THE PLANNING WILL START BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PULLING TOGETHER.
SO GOING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS, UM, SO JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT VERY FIRST BULLET POINT REGARDING SETTING AUDITING PRIORITIES.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE OFFICE HAS, UH, SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF ACTUALLY FILLING.
UM, ONE SECTION OF THE OFFICE'S WORK IS AUDITING.
SO I HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY WHEN I GAVE YOU THE UPDATE ABOUT WHAT THE OFFICE WAS DOING, THAT WE WERE HAVING A HARD TIME FILLING THAT AUDITOR POSITION.
SO WE, WE DID FORTUNATELY HAVE A GOOD LUCK IN THE LAST BATCH OF APPLICANTS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGH LEVEL NUMBERS ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE OFFICE BASICALLY, UH, STARTED.
SO THE DIRECTOR MYSELF WAS APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
I HAD MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SENT ME CARDS AND FLOWERS.
UM, WE DID HOLD OVER AN INVESTIGATIVE MANAGER THAT IS PATRICK FROM THE CPCC.
UM, THERE'S STILL TIME FOR THAT BY THE WAY, IF FOR SOME REASON YOURS GOT HELD UP,
[01:35:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE I WORK.SO WE ALSO HAD THE INVESTIGATOR POSITION THAT CAME OVER WITH THE CPCC, BUT THAT PARTICULAR INVESTIGATOR HAD DECIDED TO CONTINUE HIS WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO AS I CAME INTO THE POSITION, UM, WE HAD SEVEN POSITIONS THAT THE OFFICE HAD.
ONE WAS HELD, SO THERE WERE SIX THAT I HAD TO FILL, UH, WHEN I STARTED THE JOB.
SO JUST GIVING YOU SOME NUMBERS, WE HAD SEVEN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, UM, SIX POSITIONS TO FIELD.
I REVIEWED MYSELF 457 APPLICATIONS WITH 19 INTERVIEWS THAT TOOK PLACE FOR THESE DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO OPEN RECRUITMENTS, UM, OR SORRY, TWO OPENINGS.
ONE OF THE RECRUITMENTS IS OPEN, THAT'S THE AUDITING MANAGER.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE INTERVIEWS OF FIVE INDIVIDUALS ON THE WEEK OF THE 28TH.
UM, MY INTENTION WAS TO HIRE THE MANAGER FIRST AND THEN THE PERSON THAT WILL, UH, COMPLIMENT THEIR WORK, WHICH WOULD BE AN AUDITOR.
UH, WE WOULD WANT THEM TO HELP CHOOSE THAT PERSON BECAUSE IT'S THE PERSON WHO WOULD WORK DIRECTLY UNDER THEM.
SO WE'RE THINKING THAT THOSE POSITIONS WILL LIKELY BE FILLED PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, THAT PARTICULAR AUDITOR MANAGER THAT'S GONNA COME IN IS GONNA HELP FREIGHT, UH, SHAPE THE FRAMEWORK OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE WILL ALSO DO AND THE AUDIT PLAN.
SO JUST JUMPING INTO THE SLIDE AFTER THIS ONE.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, LET ME FIND IT.
UM, SOME OF THE AREAS TO APPROACH AND CONSIDER WOULD BE CLEARLY COMMISSIONER'S CONCERNS AND PRIORITIES.
SO SOME OF THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE IS THROUGH THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING WITH THE COMMUNITY OR SOME OF THE COM CONCERNS THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT COME TO YOU BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE A PART OF THIS COMMISSION.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL BE A ONE TO THREE YEAR PLAN, BUT IT WILL ALWAYS GIVE ROOM FOR A PIVOT AS THINGS COME UP.
YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY AND THEY CAN BE HOT TOPIC ITEMS, WHETHER IT BE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING NATIONALLY OR HERE LOCALLY.
SO WE'RE NOT LOCKED IN NECESSARILY, BUT WE AT LEAST WANT TO HAVE AN INTENTIONAL VISION WITH THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE INTEND TO DO AS, AS A BODY.
UM, WE WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THEN ALSO THE MOBILE MEETINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ON IN THE YEAR.
WE ALREADY HAVE CONSULTED, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGY AND IN, UH, TID WHAT DOES THAT STAND FOR? TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION DEPARTMENT AS TO WHICH, UM, COMMUNITY CENTERS WILL WORK FOR US TO TAKE OUR MEETINGS OUTSIDE OF THE CIVIC CHAMBERS.
UM, AND ALSO THE ACCESSIBILITY.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FOLD ALL OF THAT INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL.
SO THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL NOT JUST SIMPLY FOCUS ON THE TYPE OF THINGS WE WANT TO AUDIT, BUT ALSO HOW WE WANT TO HAVE OUTREACH COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE OUR PLAN IN PLACE, UM, IT'S OUR INTENTION TO BASICALLY FILL UP OUR MEETINGS.
SO I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT CAUTIOUS WITH HOW MUCH OUTREACH AND ROLLOUT WE GIVE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY NOW BECAUSE WE'RE VERY MUCH IN INFANCY IN THE PLANNING STAGES.
AND WHAT WE DON'T WANNA DO IS GET A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE AND HAVE THEM TURNED OFF ABOUT WHAT MAY APPEAR AS LACK OF WORK.
UM, SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING.
AND THEN AS FAR AS AUDIT PLANNING, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT AREAS THAT NOT ONLY WE WOULD WANNA ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS, BUT WE ALSO WANNA ADDRESS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S AREA OF CONCERNS.
SO I'M SURE MOST OF YOU HEAR THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS A, THEY'RE IMPACTED ABOUT THEIR LOW AMOUNT OF STAFF.
THEY HAVE RECRUITMENT, UM, CONCERNS AND THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME BRINGING PEOPLE ON.
SO THEIR PRIORITIES AS TO WHERE THEY PUT THEIR MAN HOURS.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO AUDITING CHANGES MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS OR WHAT MAY DIRECTLY AFFECT THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEIR PRIORITIES ARE DIFFERENT TO THE COMMUNITIES.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME AREAS WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT KNOWS, HEY, WE CAN DO BETTER IN THIS SERVICE AREA, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO LOOK AT OUR METRICS.
LIKE WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DIVE IN.
THAT'S WHERE WE COULD POTENTIALLY HELP.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS WILL ALSO, UM, BE A BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT IT.
SO WE IMPLANT TO ALSO, WE PLAN TO ALSO TAP INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS AS WELL.
AND NOT ALWAYS JUST THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING FOR AUDIT PLANS, UM, THERE WAS A HUGE STUDY DONE BY THE POLISH CHANGE INTEGRATION STUDY THAT BASICALLY DID THE WORK PRIOR TO THIS OFFICE COMING TO BE.
AND DURING THAT STUDY THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNICATION THAT HAPPENED WITH THE COMMUNITY REGARDING WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA PULL THAT BACK OUT, DUST IT OFF, AND LOOK AT WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN THIS OFFICE WAS CREATED, WHAT WAS THE COMMUNITY MENTIONING WHEN IT CAME TO THEIR
[01:40:01]
CONCERNS AT THE TIME.AND THEN ALSO NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES.
SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT LONG BEACH IS NOTORIOUS FOR THE LONG BEACH WAY AND THEY TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT FOCUSED ON HOW THEY DO IT HERE.
BUT WE'RE GONNA BRANCH OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT TO KIND OF STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS WHY THE COMPLAINT PROCESS, AS NICE AS IT SOUNDS, UM, HAS SOME WORK TO BE DONE.
AND THAT WILL BE OUR FIRST AUDIT.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY, AS OF AUGUST RECEIVED, UM, DATA SETS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING COMPLAINTS THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO PUT THAT INTO OUR SYSTEM.
WE JUST GOT OUR DATABASE UP AND RUNNING.
UM, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC DATABASE THAT WAS CREATED FOR OUR OFFICE AND WE'RE STARTING TO INTEGRATE THAT, THAT DATA INTO OUR SYSTEM.
SO WHEN WE DO BRING THE AUDITOR ON BOARD, WE'LL BE READY TO KIND OF BE, BE UP AND ROLLING WITH LOOKING AT, UH, THE COMPLAINT PROCESS AND THE NUMBERS.
SO WHEN, OH, DID I MISS SOMETHING? OH, MY NEXT STEPS, OH, WAS I ON THIS SLIDE ALREADY? NO.
WELL, WE'RE ON THIS SLIDE NOW.
SO THE NEXT STEPS, UM, WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN HANDLE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING OF THE COMMISSION.
WE THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SOME OF OUR OVERSIGHT PRACTITIONERS IN THE AREA THAT HAVE DONE SOME OF THE WORK.
UM, AND BECAUSE THE BULK OF STANDING UP THE OFFICE HAS BEEN DONE, WE NOW HAVE STAFF, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, OUR, OUR NEXT THINGS ARE TO FINISH UP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND OUR STANDARDS, OPERATION OF PROCEDURES, HOW WE MOVE THE INVESTIGATIONS FORWARD.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT DILIGENTLY AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE STARTING OUR INVESTIGATIONS AS OF NOVEMBER 1ST.
SO BECAUSE THERE IS A BIT OF A LAG WITH HOW FAST INTERNAL AFFAIRS TURNS THEIR COMPLAINTS OVER, IT DOES GIVE US SPACE TO DIVE INTO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMISSION REGARDING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SO I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, THE ANNUAL REPORT WILL COME OUT RIGHT AROUND JANUARY, MIDDLE OF JANUARY, 2025.
SO WE THINK THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT ANNUAL REPORT TO YOU ALL.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU DO AS WELL, UM, IN THE CHARTER LANGUAGE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FINISH UP OUR HIRING AND THEN JUST DIVE INTO THE OFFICE, UH, BUILDING UP THE OFFICE AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE OFFICE.
SO I THINK THAT COVERS MOST OF WHAT I NEEDED TO SAY AND THEN I WOULD BE READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? THE DATES? I, I JUST WILL SAY I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I I THINK WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET IT DONE QUICKER AND AS YOU SAID, WE CAN AFFORD THAT.
WE CAN'T MAYBE AFFORD SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS, SO NO, I, I TOTALLY SUPPORT THAT IDEA.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, I DO, I DO AS WELL.
UM, I'M ALSO IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I'M, THIS IS MY INPUT TO IT AT THE MOMENT IS THAT, UM, THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE BRING COMMUNITY CONCERNS IS IN THAT PLAN.
AND A METRIC FOR MEASUR, YOU KNOW, FOR MEASURING OUTCOMES.
I'M ALSO BIG ON METRICS AS YOU CAN TELL, SO ON EVERYTHING.
UM, I DID WANT TO MENTION THERE WAS A POLL THAT WAS SENT OUT.
WE'RE GONNA RESEND IT BECAUSE WE WANNA LOCK IN THE DATES FOR NEXT YEAR'S MEETINGS.
UM, THE EARLIER WE CAN LOCK IN A DATE AND TIME, IT WOULD PROBABLY, UM, BE GOOD.
SO WE'RE GONNA RESEND IT TOMORROW, UM, SO THAT YOU HAVE IT SO WE CAN HOLD THE CHAMBERS.
SO WHATEVER TIME WORKS, I THINK WE'LL GIVE YOU MULTIPLE OPTIONS.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE, FEEL FREE TO THROW IT OUT THERE.
UM, WE HAVE A SMALL ENOUGH GROUP THAT I THINK WE CAN WORK AROUND MOST SCHEDULES AND THAT WILL BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN IF BY THE TIME WE GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND OUR PLANNING AND, AND THE WORK AND WE NEED TO PIVOT AND GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, THEN WE CAN WORK ON THAT FROM THERE.
BUT JUST PLANNING FOR NOW WITH THE DATES FOR THE, THE CHAMBER SO WE CAN LOCK 'EM DOWN.
SEE NO OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENT.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SCENE NONE.
MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS? SEEING
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Police Oversight Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
NONE, UH, THERE ARE ANNOUNCEMENTS,[01:45:04]
IF ANY.[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE THIS WEEK.UM, I WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY MY NEW INVESTIGATOR, HEIDI ALONZO.
SO WE WILL PROBABLY BE COMING BACK WITH SOME GOOD INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION AS WE PICK IT UP.
WE'LL PROBABLY SEND IT OUT THROUGH EMAIL.
UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND THEN WE'RE THINKING MAYBE NEXT YEAR PULLING SOME OF YOU ALONG.
'CAUSE THERE IS NOW A COMMISSIONER TRACK, SO JUST SO YOU KNOW.
ALL RIGHT, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.