Pasadena City CouncilJune 12, 2023Dr. Richard Rosenthal, Independent Police Auditor IPA & CPOC Accomplishments & Prioritiesfor 2022-2024
IPA Roles & ResponsibilitiesSection 2.30.020.A.8a. Serve as a best-practices advisor to the community police oversight commission;b. .. unimpeded access to all police department personnel complaints and investigations…, be permitted to observe briefings received, interviews conducted, and deliberations on personnel matters…;c. Review all categorical uses of force by police department personnel to assess whether the police department's investigation into a use of force was complete, thorough, objective, and fair;d.Review investigations of personnel complaints of bias-based policing;e.Recommend changes and additions to police department policies, procedures, and officer trainingf.Issue public reports and give public presentations to the commission regarding police department operations, to the extent permissible under applicable law.
CPOC Roles & ResponsibilitiesSection 2.60.110Purpose: to enhance, develop, and strengthen community-police relations and review and make recommendations regarding the ongoing operations of the police department to the chief of police, city manager, and/or city council.Functions:1. Receive community feedback and complaints and refer them for further review, as appropriate; 2. Monitor and receive reports from the police department on hiring, training, and promotions within the police department; 3. Monitor and publish statistics on police uses of force, personnel complaints, and outcomes within the police department; 4. Provide input on police department policy recommendations prior to adoption; 5. . Receive reports from the independent police auditor regarding critical incidents, police department policies, and other matters; CPOC/IPA 2022-2023Policy Work:IPA/CPOC Recommendations regarding PPD community complaint website revisions. (June 2022)CPOC Recommendations regarding updates to PPD Use of Force Policy (Oct. 2022) IPA/CPOC Best Practices Presentation - Timing of Critical Incident Administrative Investigations & Reviews (Oct. 2022)IPA ongoing assessment of Internal Affairs investigations & recommendations for going forward (March 2023)IPA/CPOC Best Practice Presentation - Community Police Mediation (April 2023)IPA Assessment of PPD Categorical Use of Force Investigations (May 2023)CPOC Recommendation regarding pointing of firearm reporting (accepted May 2023) IPA Proposed Projects for 2023-2024 (Policy) Project PriorityTracking & Public Reporting on Implementation of Report Recommendations (OIR, IPA, NPF)Implementation of UOF policy recommendations(Firearm pointing, Taser, Shooting at Moving Vehicles) Develop methodology (with CPOC subcommittee) to assess Pretext Search policy and practicesDevelop (with CPOC subcommittee) proposal for Community-Police mediation program.
IPA Proposed Projects for 2023-2024 (Auditing) Project PriorityEvaluation of UOF Training(requires site visits)Ongoing monitoring of UOF and Discipline Board hearings (virtual)Ongoing review and assessment of categorical UOF investigationsAssessment of Internal Affairs investigations (2022-2023)Review of Imposition of Discipline (& potential need for Discipline Matrix)Assessment of Early Warning System (subcontractor led) Recent Reports & RecommendationsReport Recommendations PPD – Agree PPD – Agree in ConceptCompleted Defer to CPOCDisagreeIPA Assessment of Categorical Use of Force Investigations10 5 5 - - -OIR 2023McClain OIS (2020)27 17 7 1 1 1 Prior Reports & RecommendationsPasadena Independent Police Audit on Critical Event Recommendation Implementation (2021)Report Recommendations Implemented Partially ImplementedRejected / Not ImplementedOIR 2009Barnes OIS (2009)14 10 3 1OIR 2014McDade OIS (2012)26 13 11 2National Police Foundation 2019Reginald ICD (2016)8 7 - 1National Police Foundation 2020Use of Force Policy Review35 24 5 6 Key OIR/IPA Recommendations for follow-upTiming of Administrative Investigations of Critical Incidents:•PPD should revise its investigative protocols to ensure that its Administrative Investigation of a deadly force incident is not delayed because of either prosecutive review or civil proceedings.Body Worn Cameras:•The Department should update its Body Worn Camera policies and training to ensure consistency as to when BWCs are activated and deactivated.Need to clarify roles of involved officers:•PPD should revise its critical incident & use-of-force investigation protocols to ensure clarity in officer assignments and that involved officers refrain from actual evidence collection. Pretext Stop Policy Review:•The Community Police Oversight Commission should convene community conversations to formally discuss and consider the pros and cons of PPD’s use of pretext stops, especially with regard to minor equipment violations.
Use of Force Policy Issues for Follow-upPointing of Firearm as UOF:•Follow up on the implementation of CPOC policy recommendation.Taser policy:•IPA recommendation to delete language that makes it appear that an officer is permitted to use a Taser on a person solely because that person is physically resisting or solely where there is a potentialrisk of harm (v. where there is immediacy of threat or risk to officers or others).Shooting at/from Moving Vehicles:•Pending review by CPOC policy workgroup.
Next Steps – Implementation & TrackingOIR Recommendations:•Recommendation No. 26: PPD should create a work plan to implement the recommendations that have come from this incident to include task owners and a timeline. •Recommendation No. 27: PPD should establish a mechanism to track progress and ensure the completion of tasks, including providing regular public status updates on the work plan for transparency and accountability. Tracking & Reporting on Recommendations & Implementation•Key role of IPA in project management and reporting of recommendations & implementation•Accountability•Transparency