1 Police Commission
Application for Position of Commissioner – FACT SHEET
Purpose: Oversee the Oakland Police Department’s policies, practices and customs to meet national standards of constitutional policing and oversee the Community Police Review Agency that investigates police misconduct and recommends discipline.
Membership: 7 regular commissioners & 2 alternate commissioners Note. These positions are volunteer and unpaid.
Term Length: Typically, 3 years
Time Commitment: Significant time commitment anticipated for both meeting preparation and attendance. Regular meetings are held every second and fourth Thursdays of the month starting at 6:30 pm. Additional meetings for members serving on Ad Hoc or Standing Committees. Police commissioners should expect to spend 15-20 hours a week on commission business.
Minimum Requirements: Oakland resident
At least 18 years old
N
ote. Commissioners cannot be any of the following:
• current police officer or former Oakland police officer • current City of Oakland employee
• current or former representative of a police officer labor union • an
attorney who has a pending claim or lawsuit against the Oakland P
olice Department
• an attorney who has filed a claim or lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department that was resolved during the past year
Description of Work: Oversee the Oakland Police Department • Conduct annual public hearings, at minimum
• Issue subpoenas and take testimony on matters before it • Propose changes to policies and procedures
• Approve changes to policies proposed by OPD
• Review OPD proposed budget and make recommendations
• Authority to fire the Chief of Police
• Recommend list of 4 candidates for Chief of Police to Mayor Oversee the Community Police Review Agency
• Conduct performance review of Director of CPRA
• Serve as Discipline Committee to review proposed discipline of police of
ficers when CPRA and Chief of Police do not agree
• Authority to fire the Director of CPRA
• Recommend list of 3 candidates for Director of CPRA to City Administrator
Submit annual report to the Mayor, City Council and public.
Application deadline is Tuesday, June 30, 2022. For language assistance contact (510) 238-3301.
2 Police Commission
Application for Position of Commissioner
The purpose of the Police Commission is to oversee the Oakland Police Department in order to make sure that its policies, practices and customs meet national standards of constitutional policing.
A
Selection Panel of volunteer community members will select Oakland residents to serve on the Police Commission. Seated Commissioners are volunteers and will not be compensated.
Applicant Information
Full Name: Date:
Last First M.I.
Home
Address:
Street Address Apartment/Unit #
City State ZIP Code
Phone: Email
Supplemental Questionnaire
The purpose of this supplemental questionnaire is to evaluate your qualifications to serve on the Police Commission. This application, along with your answers to these questions, will be used by the Selection Panel to select the most suitably qualified candidates (Question 1, 2, 3 and 4 below.) • Applications submitted without a completed supplemental questionnaire will not be considered. • Please limit your response to each question to one 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper (single or double spaced).
P
lease respond (in writing) to the following questions:
1. P
lease describe any life work and significant community volunteer experiences that prepare you to c
ontribute to the work of the Commission.
2. P
lease describe your contacts or experiences with the Oakland Police Department.
3. P
lease describe, if applicable, if you or an immediate family member has had significant volunteer or employment experience:
a. as
a police officer,
b. as a criminal prosecutor or defense attorney,
c. with a public agency or nonprofit community group serving or advocating for crime victims or persons charged or convicted of crimes.
4. H
ave you ever served on a board, committee, commission, or other group? (Examples might include c
hurch boards or school organizations.) Please describe your experiences. What were the most challenging aspects of your participation?
3 Application Considerations
Check all that apply:
I would like to be considered as a Selection Panel appointee? YES NO I would like to be considered as a Mayoral Appointee?
YES
NO
References
Please list three professional or personal references who are familiar with your background, experience and qualifications, and who can answer questions about your ability to serve as a Commissioner.
Full Name: Relationship:
E-Mail Phone:
Full Name: Relationship:
E-Mail Phone:
Full Name: Relationship:
E-Mail Phone:
Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire
1. With which race and/or ethnicity do you identify? (Check all that apply.) White
Black or African American
Latino
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
Asian
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Other: _______________________
I do not wish to Self-Identify
2. What is your gender?
______________________ I do not wish to self-identify
3. You are considered to have a disability if you have a physical or mental impairment or medical condition that substantially limits a major life activity, or if you have a history of such an impairment or medical conditions.
Please check one of the boxes below:
☐ Yes, I have a disability (or previously had a disability) ☐ No, I do not have a disability
☐ I do not wish to answer
4 Required Questionnaire
4. How long have you lived in Oakland?
________________________
5. How many meetings of the Police Commission have you attended, on Zoom or in person? (You can find a link to the next meeting on the agenda for that meeting, which can be found at www.oaklandca.gov/policecommission. You can also find video recordings of past meetings there.)
0
1-2
3 or more
6. How did you hear about applying to be on the Police Commission?
________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer and Signature
The City Charter requires background checks for all Police Commission members and alternates. Prior convictions will not eliminate you from consideration. The Selection Panel strongly encourages formerly incarcerated individuals to apply.
I certify that I am over eighteen years of age and that my answers are true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
My signature below also indicates my acknowledgement that, by applying for the position of Commissioner, I will be subject to a background check.
Once submitted, your application form, along with all attachments, becomes a public record.
Signature: Date:
Completed applications must be received by June 15, 2021, by mail, hand-delivery, or email as follows:
Mail or
Hand-Delivery
(Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm)
Selection Panel for Police Commission
c/o City Administrator’s Office
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Email Address: [email protected]
Subject: Police Commission Application
For assistance or additional information
contact
City Administrator’s Office
[email protected]
(510) 238-3301
Police Commission ApplicationSupplemental QuestionnaireKarely Ordaz Question #1. Please describe any life work and significant community volunteerexperiences that prepare you to contribute to the work of the Commission.I believe my professional, community, and life experiences have prepared me tocontribute to the critical work of the Oakland Police Commission.
Commitment to Justice, Diversity, and Oaklanders’ Perspectives: I grew up inEast Oakland and understand firsthand the public safety challenges in the city. In2016, I organized the city-wide Chief of Police Community Forums to hear directlyfrom Oaklanders on the qualities and skills necessary for OPD’s Chief of Police as wellas what’s needed to improve community safety and police-community relations. Isupport the need to invest in alternative forms of policing to eliminate the racialinjustice of policing on people of color. As an immigrant Latina who grew uplow-income, I bring a much needed perspective to the Commission Governance & Leadership: I have 10 years of leadershipand governance experience.I have served on five (5) boards including the public City of Oakland CommercialSexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Task Force (see question 4). As an unpaidboard member, I’ve managed executive director transitions, led executive searchprocesses, approved multi-million dollar budgets, and developed policy inpartnership with leadership. I have also led strategic planning sessions, closedsession discussions, and attended many governance trainings including on theBrown Act.
Policy Analysis: For over 5 years, I worked as a legislativeand mayoral aide in the Cityof Oakland. In my roles, I developed and negotiated policy solutions to manyOakland problems. I understand the public policy process and how to work withstakeholders to find common ground. I’m currently pursuing a Master of PublicAffairs from the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, the number oneschool for policy analysis.
Experience Working with the Oakland Police Department: In my roles as aConstituent Liaison in the Oakland City Council and Special Assistant to the Mayor, Iinteracted with the Oakland Police Department extensively. I worked withcommunity members to address public safety concerns. I also worked closely withthe OPD’s Vice/Child Exploitation Unit as Chair of the CSEC Task Force. In my job atThe Unity Council, I interact regularly with OPD (see question 2).
Public Speaking Experience: I have formally presentedto the City Council andspoken publicly at town halls, community meetings, schools and business groupsincluding the Oakland Rotary. 1 Police Commission ApplicationSupplemental QuestionnaireKarely Ordaz Question#2. Please describe your contactsor experienceswiththeOaklandPoliceDepartment.
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) TaskforceFor 2 years, I was the Chair of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC)Taskforce, a victim-centered and survivor-informed collaborative comprised ofindividuals and organizations that serve, educate, protect, and advocate for victimsand Survivors/Thrivers of commercial sex trafficking. OPD’s Vice/Child ExploitationUnit was a critical partner in the Task Force and I worked closely with Lt. Encinias,who led the unit at the time.
OPD CSEC Awareness Trainings:When the OPD’s sexual misconduct was uncovered in 2016, I was tasked withresponding to stakeholder needs, anger, and mistrust. As a response, the CSEC TaskForce secured funding for CSEC Awareness Training across all community-facing Cityof Oakland departments including OPD. I co-design the curriculum and led theimplementation of the trainings across city departments, starting with includingOPD (and other departments).
OPD / East Oakland Community EngagementAs a Constituent Liaison for District 5, 6, and 7, I worked with OPD officers, at all levelsof the command chain, to respond to community concerns, questions andrecommendations for improving public safety.
In my role as Chief of Staff at The Unity Council, I engage with OPD regarding publicsafety concerns in Fruitvale and East Oakland. I’ve given walk-throughs of theFruitvale Transit Village to OPD officers including the Chief of Police.
Question#3. Please describe, if applicable, if youor animmediatefamilymemberhas had significant volunteer or employment experience:a. as a police officer,b. as a criminal prosecutor or defense attorney,c. with a public agency or nonprofit community group serving or advocatingfor crime victims or persons charged or convicted of crimes.
N/A
2 Police Commission ApplicationSupplemental QuestionnaireKarely Ordaz Question #4. Have you ever served on a board, committee, commission, or othergroup? (Examples might include church boards or school organizations.) Pleasedescribe your experiences. What were the most challenging aspects of yourparticipation?I have been civically engaged in my community for close to a decade. The mostchallenging aspect of my engagement has been balancing the needs of allstakeholders when making a decision. I’ve learned to listen, value and respect allperspectives; make decisions based on the best available data; and always have along-term perspective. The Boards / Task Forces I’ve served on are:
1) Alameda County-Oakland Community Action Partnership (AC-OCAP): TheAC-OCAP aims to improve community by creating pathways that lead to economicempowerment and prosperity. As a representative for District 5, I along with mycolleagues provided anti-poverty funding in the areas of job training, employmentplacement, and housing & community development for households at or below100% of the federal poverty guidelines. (2013-2015). 2) City of Oakland’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) TaskForce: I was a member of the newly formed CSEC TaskForce in 2013. By 2015, I wasthe Chair. In my role, I convened all stakeholders; created a new governancestructure; increased membership and engagement; wrote two annual reportspresented to the City Council; advocated for statewide legislation; secured funding;re-launchedreportjohn.org; and worked with the SanJose Police Department tolaunch asimilar program. (2013-2018) 3) Amethod Public Charter Schools (AMPS): AMPS isa charter school managementorganization whose mission is to prepare students from underserved communitiesto succeed in college and beyond. I was the first Alumni to serve on the board. I wasthe Board Secretary then served as Chair during the last year of my term. (2015-2019) 4) East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA): For over30 years, EOBA hasempowered underserved youth in East Oakland to be well-rounded champions athome, at school, and in their communities. As Board Chair, I’ve led an executivesearch process, managed an organization transition, and recruited new boardmembers. (2016 - present) 5) Oakland Latino Education Task Force (LEN): As amember of LEN, I’ve advocatedfor equitable educational access for Oakland Latinx students including the creationof a Director-level position to lead the Latino Student Achievement program inOUSD’s Office of Equity. (2016 - present) 3