Minutes of the Regular Meeting
of the Police Oversight Commission
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March 13, 2025
REGULAR MEETING - 5: 00 P. M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701
CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES: Vice Chair Carpenter called the meeting to order at 5:09 P.M.
ATTENDANCE Commission Members Gabriel Castillo Laughton Evangeline Gawronski
Amalia Mejia
Carlos Perea
Nadin Said
Vice Chair Keith Carpenter
Chair
Danny Vega
Staff Members
Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez
Police Commander Jorge Lopez
Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Martinez
Recording Secretary Abigail Y. Alcala
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 1 MARCH 13, 2025
ROLL CALL
MINUTES: RecordingSecretaryAbigailY. Alcala conductedroll call.
Commissioners Castillo Laughton, Gawronski, Mejia, Perea, Said, and Vice Chair Carpenter were present. Chair Vega was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MINUTES: Vice Chair Carpenter led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENTS-- Publiccommentswill be heldduringthe beginningofthe meeting for all comments on agenda items. Members of the public may provide comments on any agenda or non-agenda items within the subject matterjurisdiction of the commission.
MINUTES:RecordingSecretaryAbigailY. Alcalareportedthefollowingemailcomments received: Two (2) comments regarding non-agenda items.
1. David Pulido spoke regarding the state of the commission, requested the commissionappoint an oversight director, and spoke regarding the shootingand death of Noe Rodriguez.
2. AbrahamQuintanaspokeregardingthe stateof the commission, requestedthe implementationof a policy addressingreleaseof informationfollowingofficer involved shootings, and spoke regarding the shooting and death of Noe Rodriguez.
3. Emma Gottfried requested the release of information following critical incidents andofficerinvolvedshootings, and spokeregardingthe shootingand deathof Noe Rodriguez.
4. StephanieDurantesrequestedofficernames and videofootagebe released within 48 hours after police related incidents.
5. Erika Armenta (translation: Spanish) spoke regarding the shooting and death of Noe Rodriguez, requested the release of the incident video to the public, and demandeda response from the police departmentregarding the incident.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 2 MARCH 13, 2025
CONSENT CALENDAR
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve staff recommendations on the following Consent Calendar Items: 1 and 2.
MINUTES: At 5:20 P. M., the Consent Calendar was considered.
MOTION: Commissioner Said moved to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1 and 2, seconded by Vice Chair Carpenter.
The motion carried, 6-0-0-1, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONER CASTILLO LAUGHTON, COMMISSIONER
GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER MEJIA, COMMISSIONER
PEREA, COMMISSIONER SAID, VICE CHAIR CARPENTER
NONE
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: CHAIR VEGA
Status: 6- 0 - 0 — 1 — Pass
1. Excused Absences
Recommended Action: Excuse the absent members.
2. Minutes from the Regular Meetings of October 10, 2024 and February 13, 2025 Recommended Action: Approve minutes.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR***
STAFF PRESENTATIONS
3. Sanctuary Ordinance and Santa Ana Police Department Policy No. 413 MINUTES: Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Martinez and Police Commander Jorge Lopezprovided a presentation regarding the Sanctuary Ordinanceand Santa Ana Police Department Policy No. 413.
Discussion ensued regarding information sharing, finger print data, holding of inmates, immigration status of inmates, federal contracts, and judicial warrants.
Commissioner Perea requested city manager staff provide the commission information regarding the 2017 council action passed regarding federal contracts.
Assistant City Attorney Martinez, Police Commander Lopez, and Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez provided clarification and answered the Commissioners' questions.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 3 MARCH 13, 2025
Commissioner Me7a inquired regarding possible policy changes as a result of the current administration, and requested information sharing and mutual agreements between the City and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Commissioner Gawronski inquired regarding consulates located within the City.
Commissioner Castillo Laughton inquired regarding the enforcement of the ordinance and whether it specifies disciplinary action for violations.
AssistantCityAttorneyMartinezspoke regardingconsulateswithinthe city limits and stated the ordinance is not an enforcement tool.
Commissioner Perea requested clarification on the process for detaining inmates at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE) and inquired regardingtheavailabilityof an annualreportdetailingthenumberof ICEdetainer request received by Santa Ana Police Department( SAPD). He also asked whether the city's currentordinancelanguagewasderivedfromtheLexipolpolicy.
Discussionensued regarding the drafting of the ordinancelanguage and the provisions related to ICE requested detainers.
Commissioner Perea asked whether the SAPD would decline to help in ICE task force operations and on the frequency and content of immigration policy training for SAPD staff
Police Commander Lopez responded that SAPD has not been asked to assist with ICE task force operations and confirmed that SAPD staff are required to receive 24 hours of immigrationpolicy trainingevery two years, howeverstaff exceedsthe requirements by completing two trainings a year.
Commissioner Perea asked whether a specific SAPD staff member is assigned to processUvisaapplicationsandwhethertherequestsaretracked.
Police Commander Lopez confirmed the U visa applications are reviewed and assigned by a Sergeant.
DeputyCityManagerVazquezstatedthatapresentationregardingUvisaswillbe provided at a later meeting.
Commissioner Castillo Laughton asked whether there has been any violation of the sanctuary ordinance.
Police Commander Lopez stated there has not been any violations to his knowledge.
AssistantCityAttorneyMartinezclarifiedtheremedysetforthin section9regarding to disciplinary action for violations of the ordinance.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 4 MARCH 13, 2025
Commissioner Perea requested clarification whether a violation of the policy by SAPD staff would fall under the scope of the commission.
Assistant City Attorney Martinez stated he would fake a look into the matter.
STUDY SESSION
4. Police Oversight Commission Bylaws Discussion
MINUTES: Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Martinez gave a brief presentation regarding potential bylaws for the Commission.
Brief discussion ensued regarding the Commission Bylaws.
Commissioner Gawronski provided her closing comments and stated that members of the public should aim to work collaboratively with City staff rather than make demands.
MOTION: Vice Chair Carpenter moved to continue Commission Bylaws to a Special Meeting, seconded by Commissioner Mejia.
The motion carried, 6-0-0- 1, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONER CASTILLO LAUGHTON, COMMISSIONER
GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER MEDIA, COMMISSIONER
PEREA, COMMISSIONER SAID, VICE CHAIR CARPENTER
NONE
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: CHAIR VEGA
Status: 6- 0 - 0 — 1 — Pass
MINUTES; Assistant City Attorney Martinez stated he will provide additional examples of other City Commission Bylaws for the Commission to review.
Discussion ensued regarding the possibility of the City Council amending the Commission Bylaws before they are adopted and on the role of the Independent Oversight Director.
Assistant City Attorney answered the Commissioner's questions and provided clarification.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 5 MARCH 13, 2025
STAFF COMMENTS
MINUTES: DeputyCityManagerSylviaVazquezreportedthatat theMarch4, 2025City Council Meeting City Manager Alvaro Nunez announced that he is working on schedulinginterviewsfor the IndependentOversightDirectorwithinthenext 30 days, and a Municipal Code update would follow soon after.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
Minutes: Commissioner Perea thanked the City Manager' s Office for their attendance and assistance with the commission, requested the commission review the Police Department's Body WornCameraPolicyin the near future, and thankedthepublicfor their participation.
CommissionerSaid thanked staff for the Bylawspresentationand study sessionand the public for their attendance and participation, and spoke regarding possible legal restrictions related to the release of information following an officer involved shooting.
Commissioner Mejia ( translation: Spanish) expressed condolences towards Erika Armenta and thanked her for attending the meeting, echoed Commissioner Perea's commentsregardingthe Body WornCameraPolicy, and requestedclarificationregarding the release of information for cases actively being reviewed by the commission.
Commissioner CastilloLaughton thanked City staff for their presentation and the public for their comments, and spoke regarding the importance of in-person participation.
Vice Chair Keith Carpenter thanked the public for attending.
ADJOURNMENT- Adjourn the Police Oversight Commission Meeting.
MINUTES: Vice Chair Keith Carpenter adjourned the Police Oversight Commission meeting at 6:38 P.M.
Thenextmeetingof the PoliceOversightCommissionis scheduledforApril 10, 2025 at 5: 00 P. M.
Respectfully submitted:
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i lcala
R i g Secretary
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 6 MARCH 13, 2025