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Agenda Report
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August 25, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Public Safety Committee (July 16,2025)
FROM: Community Police Oversight Commission
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE
HANDLING OF COMMUNITY COMPLAINTS SENT 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. Approve the Rules and Regulations for the handling of community complaints sent to the Community Police Oversight Commission (CPOC).
ADVISORY COMMISSION/BOARD/CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION:
On June 12, 2025, the CPOC voted 7-1 (with two abstentions and one absence) to adopt the Rules and Regulations pertaining to the handling of community complaints alleging misconduct by Pasadena Police Department (PPD) employees, which are included here as Attachment 1. On July 16, 2025, the Public Safety Committee unanimously voted (with one absence) to approve the proposed Rules and Regulations.
BACKGROUND:
Chapter 2.60 of the Pasadena Municipal Code (PMC) states that the Commission shall adopt Rules and Regulations for the conduct of the Commission's business consistent with the municipal code. These Rules and Regulations do not become effective until i
MEETING OF 08/25/2025AGENDA ITEM NO.15
Approval of Rules and Regulations for Community Police Oversight Commission August 25,2025
final approval by the City Council.
The PMC does not provide for the CPOC or the Independent Police Auditor (IPA) to investigate or adjudicate complaints of misconduct by PPD personnel. However, PMC Chapter 2.60.110(B)(1) stipulates that one of the CROC'S functions is to "receive community feedback and complaints and refer them for further review, as appropriate." Additionally, Chapter 2.30.020(A)(8)(b) empowers the IPA to audit complaints made against PPD personnel.
At the beginning of fiscal year 2025, the CPOC established an Ad Hoc Committee to review the PPD's complaint handling process, as well as define the CPOC's role in receiving and following up on allegations of police misconduct.
Although the CPOC and IPA have limited authority in the complaint process, members of the public may be unaware of these limitations and may still bring complaints directly to either party.
To provide clarity and consistency in handling such complaints, the Ad Hoc Committee, in collaboration with IPAs Dr. Richard Rosenthal and Teresa Magula, developed the attached Rules and Regulations. These Rules and Regulations, which have been vetted by the City Attorney, outline the procedures to be followed when the CPOC, the Oversight Commission Support Division (OC3D), or the iPA receives a compiaint or allegation of misconduct involving a PPD employee.
The proposed Rules and Regulations ensure that all complaints are promptly acknowledged. Complainants wiil receive information on how to file a formal complaint with the PPD. Furthermore, if a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of the PPD's process, they may contact the CPOC to request an audit by the IPA. To the extent permitted by taw, the IPA will share the results of any such audit with both the CPOC and the complainant.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
The proposed action is consistent with the City Council's Strategic Planning Goal of ensuring public safety.
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 approval of rules and regulations for Commissions 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 Approval of Rules and Regulations for Community Police Oversight Commission August 25, 2025
15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Since the action is not a project subject to CEQA, no environmental document is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approving the Rules and Regulations of the Community Police Oversight Commission would not entail any fiscal impact.
Respectfully submitted,
ESPRIT JONES
Chair, Community Police Oversight
Commission
Prepared by:
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Shannon Prior
Principal Administrative Analyst
Oversight Commission Support Division
Reviewed by:
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MICHELE BEAL~BAG.
City Attorney
Attachments:
Attachment A - Rules and Regulations for the Community Police Oversight Commission's Handling of Community Complaints
Attachment B - Community Police Oversight agenda and draft minutes, June 16, 2025