Agenda Report
June 20, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Public Safety Committee (June 15, 2022)
FROM: City Attorney/City Prosecutor's Department
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF THREE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION
NOMINEES TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the proposed action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 21065 of CEQA and Sections 15060(c)(2) , 15060(c)(3), and 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines and, as such , no environmental document pursuant to CEQA is required ; and
2. Appoint three community-based organization nominees to the Community Police Oversight Commission for 3-year terms beginning on July 1, 2022, as further described in this Agenda Report.
BACKGROUND:
On October 5, 2020 , the City Council adopted an ordinance creating a Community Police Oversight Commission , as well as an Independent Police Auditor . On January 25, 2021, the City Council approved a resolution setting forth a policy for appointment of the 11 members of the Community Police Oversight Commission The resolution , included as Attachment 1, provides that, for each community-based organization vacancy, staff will publicize the opportunity for community-based organizations to recommend applicants for a vacant position on the Commission and submit the applications it receives to the Public Safety Committee. The Committee would review the applications and submit at least three nominations to the City Council to consider for appointment. The City Council shall consider the Public Safety Committee's nomination for appointment, or, in the alternative, may subsequently consider other applications considered by the Public Safety Committee .
MEETING OF __ 0 6_ 1_2_0_/_2_2_ AGENDA ITEM NO. _ _ z_4 _ _ _ Appointment of Nominees to the Community Police Oversight Commission June 20, 2022
The three current commissioners (Alexis Abernethy, Florence Annang, and Juliana Serrano) holding the community-based organization seats were appointed to one-year terms that began on July 1, 2021 and expire on June 30, 2022 (initial terms of all CPOC commissioners were staggered) . Going forward, commissioner terms will be three years, and the terms for these community-based organization seats will go through June 30, 2025. A full roster of the CPOC commissioners and their term expiration date is included here as Attachment 2.
All current community-based organization nominated Commissioners are eligible for reappointment to a second term.
Staff publicized the open application period on May 6, 2022, and accepted applications through May 23, 2022. Five applications were received. The initial applicants, listed alphabetically, are as follows:
• Alexis Abernethy, on behalf of the Links, Pasadena/Altadena Chapter • Florence Annang, on behalf of the NAACP, Pasadena Branch • Kim Santell , on behalf of the Rainbow Rescue
• Juliana Serrano, on behalf of All Saints Church*
• Tina Williams, on behalf of Harambee Ministries
*Note: Applications materials arrived after the May 23rd deadline. In past practice, late submissions have been accepted but noted for Council consideration.
On June 14, 2022, prior to the Public Safety Committee meeting to review applications and make a recommendation for appointment to the City Council, Tina Williams withdrew her application . The four remaining applications are attached here as Attachment 3.
The Public Safety Committee cons.idered the remaining applications at its June 15, 2022 meeting. The Committee unanimously recommended the Council reappoint of Alexis Abernethy and Florence Annang . With Councilmember Madison recusing himself, the remaining three Public Safety Committee members also unanimously recommended the Council reappoint Juliana Serrano .
Committee members asked that, despite their recommendation, all four applicants be invited to attend this City Council meeting to answer questions from the full City Council.
Staff has shared that invitation with all four applicants .
Consistent with the resolution setting forth a policy of appointment of Commission members, the Council should first consider the Public Safety Committee's nominations.
If the discussion on the Committee's nominations does not yield three appointments, the Council could then move on to consider other applications.
Appointment of Nominees to the Community Police Oversight Commission June 20, 2022
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378. The appointment of members to the Community Police Oversight Commission is an organizational and administrative action that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Therefore, the proposed action is not a "project" subject to CEQA, as defined in Section 21065 of CEQA and Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines . Since the action is not a project subject to CEQA, no environmental document is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this action.
Prepared by:
~~
C AandaFo*r
Principal Administrative Analyst
Oversight Commission Support Division
City Attorney/City Prosecutor's Department
Respectfully submitted,
Michele Beal Bagneri
City Attorney/City 8 os utor
City Attorney/City ecutor's Department
Attachment 1 - Resolution No. 9823, Setting Forth Policy of Appointment of Members to the Community Police Oversight Commission, adopted January 25, 2021 Attachment 2 - Current CPOC Roster and Term Expiration Dates Attachment 3 - Applications for community-based organization positions to the Community Police Oversight Commission