City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: November 4, 2024
Report #:2410-3650
TITLE
Independent Police Auditor's (IPA) Report of Review of Investigations Between January and May 2024 and Police Department Use of Force Report for January - May 2024
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Since 2006, Palo Alto has utilized an Independent Police Auditor (IPA) to conduct secondary review of certain investigations of uniformed Police Department personnel and provide related services. Since the inception of the independent police auditing program, the City has contracted with the Office of Independent Review (OIR Group), to provide these services.1 The following report transmits the Independent Police Auditor Report on Investigations Completed in the first half of 2024. For reference, the prior IPA report was published in April 2024 as an Informational Item2. The Police Department’s website lists all past Independent Police Auditor Reports, here3. Attachment A contains the IPA report for investigations completed between January 2024 - May 2024. Per Council direction, the Police Department also shares use of force information through a report provided alongside each IPA report, included here as Attachment B and covers the same time period. The Police Department’s responses to IPA report recommendations are included here as Attachment C.
Consistent with standing practice, this report is issued as informational for the City Council and the public. Within the next few weeks, a City Council session will be scheduled as the second discussion this year with the City Council to discuss general trends in criminal justice and policing, policy and training matters, recommendations made by OIR Group, and other City Council concerns. The discussion with the City Council is not intended for the IPA to elaborate 1 The City’s contract with OIR expires Dec. 31, 2024. Staff will schedule a 6-month contract extension before the end of the year. Consistent with City procurement procedures, an RFP for the IPA work will be issued in 2025. 2 April 22, 2024 Independent Police Auditor Report: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/police- department/accountability/ipa-reports/independent-police-auditors-report-and-papd-use-of-force-report-for- second-half-of-2023.pdf
3 Palo Alto Police Department Accountability Webpage:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Departments/Police/Accountability Independent Police Auditor Reports Webpage:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Departments/Police/Accountability/Independent-Police-Auditor
on published reviews of specific incidents and shall not include discussion of personnel matters prohibited by law.
Process to File a Complaint to the IPA
The public can find more information about filing a complaint through the link here:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Departments/Police/Accountability/Employee-Complaint Complaints may also be directed to the Independent Police Auditor as follows:
Contact:
Mike Gennaco
Phone: (323) 412-0334
Email: [email protected]
Or mail to:
OIR Group
1443 E. Washington Blvd.,
#234 Pasadena, CA 911
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The OIR Group is already contracted with the City and this report did not incur any additional expenses.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City’s Independent Police Auditor activities are not a project under section 15378(b)(25) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (administrative activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Independent Police Auditor's (IPA) Report of Review of Investigations Between January 2024 – May 2024
Attachment B: Police Department Use of Force Report for January 2024 – May 2024 Attachment C: Police Department Responses to IPA Report, October 2024 APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager