The following rules and regulations were approved by the City Council on March 21, 2022 for the conduct of the Commission’s business consistent with the Pasadena Municipal Code.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
COMMUNITY POLICE ADVISORY COMMISSION
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this advisory body is the Community Police Oversight Commission.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Commission, as set forth in Pasadena Municipal Code Section
2.60.110(A), is “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.”
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. The membership of this Commission shall be limited to eleven (11) members, appointed by the City Council as set forth in Pasadena Municipal Code Section
2.60.030.
SECTION 2. Members shall be appointed in conformity with applicable provisions in
Pasadena Municipal Code Section 2.60.030.
SECTION 3. Any member desiring to resign from the Commission shall submit his/her
resignation in writing to the Chair of the Commission and to the Office of Mayor and City Council. The member seeking to resign shall communicate that intent to the Councilmember, Mayor, or full City Council that nominated him or her.
SECTION 4. A member must advise the Chair twenty-four (24) hours in advance of any anticipated absence from a scheduled meeting. The Chair may excuse an absence.
SECTION 5. Upon appointment, all members shall receive a copy of these rules and regulations, Chapter 2.60 of the Pasadena Municipal Code relating to this Commission,
and any applicable resolutions adopted by the City Council pertaining to the Commission.
SECTION 6. Each member has the right to:
a. Receive timely notice of all meetings with accompanying documents; b. Receive a copy of the minutes prior to approval;
c. Make motions or second them;
d. Debate motions;
e. Vote on motions;
f. Hold office on the Commission
g. Make inquiries, parliamentary or informational; and
h. Make recommendations to the Commission.
SECTION 7. No member shall purport to represent to speak on behalf of the Commission without the prior approval of a majority of the Commission. Neither the Commission nor any member shall purport to speak on behalf of the City of Pasadena without prior approval of the City Council.
SECTION 8. Members shall preserve the privacy of Police Department employees, the confidentiality of their personnel files, the confidentiality of Police Department files, and the confidentiality of other confidential information to the maximum extent permitted by law, including, but not limited to the closing of meetings or portions thereof consistent with the applicable provisions of the Brown Act, as required by Pasadena Municipal Code Section
2.60.110(B)(8). Staff to the Commission, or, in the alternative, City staff that maintains Commissioner applications, shall keep a record of each member’s written oath that they will not divulge confidential information, including identities of witnesses and contents of confidential testimony and documents, either during their term of office or thereafter.
SECTION 9. When a member needs or desires to disqualify themselves from an agenda item due to conflict of interest, the member is encouraged to notify staff as early as possible, and to still attend the meeting. Following the announcement of the item by the Chair, the member will announce the reason for their recusal and leave the dais before discussion commences.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
SECTION 1. The officers of the Commission shall be Chair and Vice-Chair.
SECTION 2. The Chair shall have the following responsibilities:
a. Preside at all meetings of the Commission;
b. Vote on every motion as other members;
c. Call special meetings when necessary;
d. Assist City staff and/or the Independent Police Auditor in preparing Commission meeting agendas;
e. Assist the Independent Police Auditor in preparing the annual report for submission to the City Council;
f. Fix the date, hour and place of meetings;
g. Make appointments to standing committees;
h. Create and/or convene an ad hoc committee whenever necessary; i. Execute official communications authorized by the Commission; j. Sign orders or recommendations of the Commission;
k. Excuse absences; and
l. Conduct Commission business in a manner consistent with these rules and regulations and applicable laws.
SECTION 3. The Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of an absent or disabled Chair and perform such other duties as are assigned by the Chair. In the absence of both the Chair and Vice-Chair, the members shall select a temporary chairperson.
SECTION 4. Subject to general direction of the City Attorney, the staff to the Commission shall have the following responsibilities:
a. Record the Minutes of all proceedings before the Commission; b. Maintain the records of the Commission in complete and up-to-date order; c. Advise the Chair and the secretary to the Mayor three (3) months prior to expiration of appointments;
d. Advise the Chair and the secretary to the Mayor of any members with three (3) consecutive, unexcused absences;
e. Assist in the preparation of the agendas; make and serve all notices; and f. Poll members to ensure that a quorum will be present.
SECTION 5. At the initial meeting of the Commission, and at the July annual meeting of the Commission every year thereafter, the members shall elect by open ballot a Chair and
a Vice-Chair to serve for one year. In the absence or disability of the Chair and Vice-Chair, the Chair shall designate a temporary Chair.
SECTION 6. No member shall hold more than one office on the Commission at a time.
SECTION 7. No member shall serve as an officer for more than two consecutive one-year terms unless the Commission waives this provision.
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. Unless otherwise provided in Chapter 2.60 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, the Chair may appoint members of standing or ad hoc committees necessary to carry on the work of the Commission. Each committee shall consist of at least one member of the Commission. Recommendations from a committee shall be advisory to the Commission.
The Chair shall define their area of operation and concern, and establish rules of operation. The Chair shall be an ex officio member of all committees so created.
SECTION 2. Generally speaking, a standing committee is a committee with continuing subject matter jurisdiction over a topic, and an ad hoc committee convenes for a single topic with a limited time frame, and its charge is over when its work on a single item is
finished.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS – GE NERAL RULES
SECTION 1. The regular meetings of the Commission shall be held on the first Thursday of every month at 6:00 PM, except for August, unless a regular meeting day falls on a holiday.
a. Spec
ial meetings may be scheduled based upon need and action by the Commission; and
b. Written notice of these meetings, including the date, time and location, shall be given to each member, the City Council and the City Manager.
SECTION 2. The regular meeting in July shall be known as the Annual Meeting and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, and for any other business that may arise.
SECTION 3. Special meetings may be scheduled by the Chair or a majority of the Commission. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the notice. Notice of special meetings shall be given at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance.
SECTION 4. A
majority of the Commission seats filled by the Mayor and City Council shall constitute a quorum for convening meetings.
a. A seat is deemed to be filled after a nominee has been sworn in by the City Clerk;
b. No action of the Commission shall be valid without the affirmative vote of at least six (6) members; and
c. If the quorum no longer exists during the course of a duly convened meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned.
SECTION 5. All meetings of the Commission shall be held in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and shall be open to the public as provided by law.
SECTION 6. Meeting minutes shall be recorded as “Action Minutes” to include:
a. Name of the body, date, hour, and place of the meeting; b. Names of members present, absent, arriving late, leaving early; c. Whether it is a regular or special meeting with proper notice given; d. Time meeting commenced and recessed;
e. Topics of business and action taken (i.e. motions, votes, directions to staff); f. Statements made “for the record” as requested by a member; g. Public comment to only reference name of person and subject matter addressed; and
h. Adjournment time.
ARTICLE VIII
MEETINGS – SPECIAL RULES
SECTION 1. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used to ensure the orderly conduct of meetings and efficient flow of agendas provided the rules are not inconsistent with the Pasadena Municipal Code and the Ralph M. Brown Act.
SECTION 2. Discussions by members shall be monitored by the chair.
SECTION 3. The order of business at regular meetings shall be as follows unless changed by
the Chair or vote of the body:
a. Call to order;
b. Roll Call;
c. Public comment on matters not on the agenda;
d. Approval of the minutes;
e. Informational reports from the Chair and Vice-Chair; the last Commission meeting or upcoming maters of interest not likely to be covered by the agenda or subcommittee report;
f. Informational reports from the Independent Police Auditor and/or Police Department:
g. Unfinished business (designated action or information); h. New business (designated action or information);
i. Commissioner comments/questions/requests;
j. Subcommittee reports;
k. Correspondence; and
l. Adjournment.
SECTION 4. The Commission shall not place an item on the agenda, such as the review of a specific incident, if it could compromise a pending criminal or administrative investigation, as those terms are used in Penal Code Section 832.7, unless directed by the City Council.
ARTICLE IX
MEETINGS – MOTION
SECTION 1. Voting on issues before the Commission shall be by voice vote unless a roll call is legally required or requested by the Chair or a member of the Commission. There shall be no secret ballots.
SECTION 2. After a motion has been made and seconded, the Chair shall repeat the motion for the Commission, with the assistance of the secretary. The Chair may rule the motion out of order or restate the motion so that the Commission may know what is before it for consideration and action.
SECTION 3. The Commission staff shall announce the vote on the motion. In announcing the vote, staff shall state whether the motion carried or failed and the number of votes for and against.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS
SECTION 1. These rules may be proposed to be amended by a majority vote of the Commission, upon which the rules shall be submitted to the City Council for approval.
SECTION 2. In the event of a conflict between these rules and any rules established by the City Council for the conduct of meetings of all Council, committee, board, and commission meetings (such as Resolution no. 9716, dated June 3, 2019, as may be amended or superseded), the broader City Council rules (including, but not limited to, rules applicable to all City Council, committee, board, and commission meetings) shall prevail.