Fresno Commission on Police Reform: Recommendations Update Overview
2 • The Commission was formed on June 11, 2020.
• On October 29, 2020, the Commission approved a final report that included seventy-three recommendations.
Overview
3 • A Police Reform Implementation Team (PRIT) was also established; seven members selected by Council in consultation with the Mayor and one member selected by Mayor.
• PRIT created four working groups:
1. Mental Health
2. Citizen Oversight Board
3. Community Programming
4. Discipline
• PRIT was responsible to prioritize, develop, and identify the resources to implement the Commission’s recommendations and the manner in which such recommendations may be implemented.
Overview
4 • The Commission identified the following eight categories which focus on specific recommendations:
1. Improve Police Oversight
2. Reduce & Reallocate Responsibilities of PD
3. Use of Force
4. Police Culture, Conduct, Bias & Discrimination
5. Ensure FPD Reflects the Community it Serves
6. FPD Fiscal Management; Steward of Public Funds
7. Partnership with Community Organizations
8. Community-Based Prevention Efforts
Recommendations Update
5 Improve Police Oversight
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
1 New Civilian
Oversight Board (COB)
to replace Citizens
Public Safety Advisory
Board (CPSAB)
X
2 Appointment of
members to COB
X
3 Functions of COB X
4 COB meetings open to
public; closed session
X
5 Change bodies that
provide oversight to
PD
X
6 Oversight of Office of
Independent Review
(OIR)
X
Recommendations Update
6 Reduce & Reallocate Responsibilities of PD
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
7 PD not dispatched to
non-violent Mental
Health (MH) calls
X
8 City/County to have
certified paramedics
X
9 Bed space for MH
juveniles and adults
X
10 Dedicated funding for
MH professionals
X
28 Officers not to
respond to low-risk
calls
X
Recommendations Update
7 Reduce & Reallocate Responsibilities of PD
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
43 PD not to contract
with school districts
X
45 City & FUSD invest tax
money in safety
programs
X
46 Transfer units
assigned to other City
Departments
X
Recommendations Update
8 Use of Force
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
11 Revise use of force
policy
X
12 Use of force only
when no other option
is viable
X
13 Use of Force Policy
300 to comply with SB
230
X
14 Deadly force used
only to protect human
life
X
Recommendations Update
9 Use of Force
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented by
City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
15 Level of force subject
to level of resistance
X
16 Review officer’s
tactical conduct
before use of force
X
17 Prohibit officers from
reaching into moving
vehicles
X
Recommendations Update
10 Police Culture, Conduct, Bias & Discrimination
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
18 COB to develop
means to assess PD
culture
X
19 PD to improve early
intervention system
(EAS)
X
20 All corrective action
to be documented in
employee file
X
Recommendations Update
11 Police Culture, Conduct, Bias & Discrimination
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
21 Improve process to
make complaints
against PD
X
22 Greater protections
for victims of
discrimination
X
23 Revise language in
Policy 328,
Discrimination
X
Recommendations Update
12 Police Culture, Conduct, Bias & Discrimination
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented by
City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
of Area of Responsibility
24 Investigations
completed in 6
months
X
25 Reprimands to remain
in employee file for 3
years
X
26 Timely investigation of
discrimination claims
X
27 Behavior/morality
clause to limit City
liability
X
34 City seek revision of
qualified immunity
X
48 Community input into
all PD functions
X
Recommendations Update
13 Ensure Fresno PD Reflects the Community It Serves
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented by
City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
29 COB to develop plan
for diverse hiring
X
30 Eliminate
discriminatory hiring
practices - Female
X
31 Work with colleges to
encourage PD careers
X
32 COB to review and
recommend hiring
practices
X
33 COB to ensure diverse
promotional
opportunity
X
Recommendations Update
14 Fresno PD Fiscal Management; Steward of Public Funds No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented by
City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
35 Transparency and
access to PD
operational funds
X
36 Community
participation in PD
budget process
X
37 Limit influence of
FPOA on PD budget
X
38 PD to track liabilities,
Workers Comp,
expenses by division
X
39 PD to disclose
updated financials
online
X
40 PD to analyze work
time lost due to leave,
Workers Comp
X
Recommendations Update
15 Fresno PD Fiscal Management; Steward of Public Funds No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
41 Evaluate current
Workers Comp and
Wellness programs
X
42 Evaluate work
assigned to Special
Units; CSOs
X
44 No grants with
unsustainable funding
source
X
Recommendations Update
16 Fresno PD Fiscal Management; Steward of Public Funds No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
47 Evaluate effectiveness
of Special Units; SWAT
etc.
X
49 Adopt consistent
hourly rates for
contract police
X
50 PD to develop an
Asset Management
Plan
X
Recommendations Update
17 Fresno PD Fiscal Management; Steward of Public Funds No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
51 Commission a survey
on asset replacement
costs
X
52 Consider officers
carry own liability
insurance
X
53 Assessment of paid
claims to determine
trends
X
54 Allocate liability costs
by division, unit
X
57 Redirect grant funds
to community
organizations
X
58 Use SLESA funds for
community violence
prevention
X
Recommendations Update
18 Fresno PD Fiscal Management; Steward of Public Funds No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
59 Ask County to spend
AB 109 funds on
violence prevention
X
60 Shift JAG funds to
community
organizations
X
61 Reallocate Tobacco
Grant funds to Code
Enforcement
X
Recommendations Update
19 Partnership with Community Organizations
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
55 Partner with
community to
improve safety
X
56 Disband Homeless
Task Force (HTF) &
allocate funds to
community
X
Recommendations Update
20 Community-Based Prevention Efforts
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
62 Evaluate the
effectiveness of
Chaplaincy Program
X
63 Establish safe
community places for
students
X
64 Pilot program to deter
graffiti under PARCS
X
65 Establish social equity
for shared mobility
programs
X
66 Implement a Poverty
Action Plan
X
67 Invest in programs for
students; career
opportunity
X
Recommendations Update
21 Community-Based Prevention Efforts
No. Recommendation Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
68 Pilot programs to
achieve diplomas, AA
degrees
X
69 Integrate Public Safety
into one department
X
70 Implement Juvenile
diversion strategies
X
71 Increase funding for
healing circles for
juveniles
X
72 Support violence
prevention; Advance
Peace
X
73 Partner with other
agencies (Ex.
homeless)
X
Recommendations Update
22 Totals
Implemented Implemented
by City
In Process/Partially
Implemented
Refer to PRIT
Working Group
Recommendation
Declined
Support but Outside
Area of Responsibility
TOTALS
(73)
32 6 13 10 7 5
QUESTIONS
Response to Reform Recommendations
individual officer liability insurance versus the self-insurance approach currently used by the City.
Response: This recommendation respectfully will not be adopted as it is cost prohibitive and adverse to recruiting efforts.
Recommendation #53: An assessment of each of the cases that resulted in a claim that was paid by the City on behalf of the Department should be conducted to determine if trends in behaviors, units, officers, or other relevant factors are present that result in a liability to the City. The City should implement necessary changes to Department policies to require further mandatory psychological testing of officers involved in incidents in addition to testing for drugs, alcohol, anabolic steroids, and any other substances which may cause impairment after a
critical incident.
Response: The Office of Independent Review was asked to provide their input on this recommendation. Please refer to the response in recommendation # 54 for their input.
Recommendation #54: The cost of liability claims should be assigned by Division, Section, and Special Units where possible.
Response: The City of Fresno Risk Management Division
assigns cost of liability claims by Department, Division, Section, and Unit as a matter of practice.
Recommendation #55: The City should support a partnership with a local community-based organization. The cost of this new partnership would be about $230,000 annually. The city and the selected CBO will convene a team responsible for developing and initiating a comprehensive and strategic plan to improve the overall safety, health, and wellbeing of the community, leading to the prevention of issues such as Family Violence, Gang Violence, and Sex Trafficking.
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