Rules & Legislation Committee
June 13, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson
City Administrator
FROM: Felicia Verdin
Assistant to the City
Administrator
SUBJECT: Selection Panel Nomination For
Alternate Police Commissioner
Appointment
DATE: May 30, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Accepting The Police Commission Selection Panel’s Nomination Of Omar Farmer To Serve As Alternate Commissioner On The Oakland Police Commission
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In accordance with the City Charter, the City Council’s approval of the proposed resolution will accept the Selection Panel’s nominee for alternate Police Commissioner Omar Farmer to serve on the Police Commission. With the City Council’s approval, Mr. Farmer will be appointed as Police Commissioner to complete the term of the previous Alternate Commissioner, Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, ending on October 16, 2025.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The Oakland Police Commission was first established by voter approval through Measure LL on November 8, 2016, it was later amended through Measure S1 on November 3, 2020. Measures LL and S1 established a seven-member Police Commission, with two alternate commissioners, overseeing the Oakland Police Department (OPD) to ensure that its policies, practices, and customs meet national standards of constitutional policing. Police Commissioners’ duties include overseeing the Community Police Review Agency’s (CPRA) investigations of officer misconduct, overseeing the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) independent audits of OPD, reviewing current or proposed OPD policies, hiring and removing the Chief of Police, etc.
Measures LL and S1 also established a nomination process whereby a nine-person Selection Panel is responsible for nominating four (4) Commissioners and one (1) Alternate Commissioner to the Police Commission. The Mayor is responsible for nominating the other three (3) Commissioners and one (1) Alternate Commissioner to the Police Commission. All nominations are subject to City Council approval. The Mayor and each City Council Member select an individual to serve on the Selection Panel. The Selection Panel meets as needed to Jestin Johnson (May 30, 2024 23:17 PDT)
May 30, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Selection Panel Nomination For Alternate Police Commissioner Appointment Date: May 30, 2024 Page 2
Rules & Legislation Committee
June 13, 2024
determine its selection process, including advertising the position, reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and selecting commissioners.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
This recommendation is related to the citywide priority of holistic community safety. The work of the Selection Panel to recommend Police Commissioners is important to public safety in Oakland. The Police Commission is responsible for overseeing many policies and other work that govern OPD, the OIG and CPRA.
In the spring of 2023, the Selection Panel conducted an extensive community outreach process to seek applications for expiring commissioner positions. During the summer of 2023, the Selection Panel interviewed nine (9) applicants over the course of two rounds of interviews.
Following the interview and selection of candidates Karely Ordaz and Wilson Riles, the Panel established a reserve pool that included three candidates: Angela Jackson-Castain, Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, and Omar Farmer.
On May 8 , 2023, the Police Commission elevated Alternate Police Commissioner Ricardo Garcia-Acosta to the seat vacated by Jesse Hsieh, a Selection Panel appointee who resigned in March. P ursuant to City Charter Section 604(c)(8), when a vacancy occurs for any reasons other than the expiration of a regular mem ber's term, the Police Commission shall select one of the Alte rnate Commissioners to replace the regular member for that regula r memb er's remaining term of office, and if the Alternate Commissioner chosen to replace the regular member was appointed by the Selection Panel , the Selec tion Panel shall appoint another Alternate Commissioner, which is also subject to City Council’s appr oval.
The Selection Panel met on May 21, 2024, and selected Omar Farmer as its candidate to serve as an Alternate to fill the vacancy left by Ricardo Garcia-Acosta. The Selection Panel submits Omar Farmer to the City Council for its approval and appointment to the Police Commission. If approved, Mr. Farmer’s term as an Alternate Commissioner will end on October 16, 2025. Mr.
Farmer’s application is included herein as Attachment A.
If the City Council does not take any action on Mr. Farmer’s nomination within sixty (60) days, he shall be deemed appointed to the Police Commission pursuant to City Charter Section 604(c)(3)(c).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with City Council action on this report.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
Public outreach for the Police Commission vacancies was conducted in the form of a press release, postings on social media channels such as Nextdoor and Twitter, articles in newsletters and The Oaklandside, emails to local nonprofits, flyers provided at community events, and ads placed in the Oakland Post.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Selection Panel Nomination For Alternate Police Commissioner Appointment Date: May 30, 2024 Page 3
Rules & Legislation Committee
June 13, 2024
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney.
SUS TAI NABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are no economic opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Race & Equity: There are no race and equity opportunities associated with this report.
ACTION RE
QUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That City Council Adopt A Resolution Accepting The Police Commission Selection Panel’s Nomination of Omar Farmer to Serve as an Alternate Commissioner on the Oakland Police Commission.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Felicia Verdin, Assistant to the City Administrator, at (510) 238-3128.
Respectfully submitted,
Felicia Verdin
Assistant to the City Administrator
Attachments (1):
A. Omar Farmer application to the Police Commission