Minutes of the Regular Meeting
of the Police Oversight Commission
4 April 10, 2025
REGULAR MEETING - 5: 00 P. M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701
CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES: Chair Vega nailed the meeting to order at 5:05 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 APRIL 10, 2025
ROLL CALL
MINUTES: Recording Secretary Abigail Y. Alcala conducted roll call.
Commissioners Gawronski, Mejia, Perea, and Said, Vice Chair Carpenter, and Chair Vega were present. Commissioner Castillo Laughton was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MINUTES: Chair Vega led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENTS— Publiccommentswill be heldduringthe beginningof the meeting for all commentson agenda items. Membersof the public may providecommentson any agenda or non-agenda items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission.
MINUTES; RecordingSecretaryAbigail Y. Alcala reported the followingemailcomments received: one ( 1) comment regarding Agenda Item No. 3.
The following individual addressed the Commission via teleconference:
1. Manuel Arreguin expressed concern regarding the police department's process in handling complaints submitted to the police oversight commission due to the lack of the police oversight director.
CONSENT CALENDAR
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve staff recommendations on the following Consent Calendar Items: 1 and 2.
MINUTES: At 5: 10 P. M., the Consent Calendar was considered.
MOTION: Vice Chair Carpenter moved to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. ' I and 2, seconded by Commissioner Said.
The motion carried, 6-0-0-1, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONER GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER MEJIA,
COMMISSIONER PEREA, COMMISSIONER SAID, VICE
CHAIR CARPENTER, CHAIR VEGA
NONE
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONER CASTILLO LAUGHTON
Status: 6— 0 — 0 — 1 — Pass
1. Excused Absences
Recommended Action: Excuse the absent members.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 2 APRIL 10, 2025
2. Minutes from the Regular Meetings of March 13, 2025.
Recommended Action: Approve minutes.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR***
BUSINESS CALENDAR
3. Military Equipment and Santa Ana Police Department Policy No. 707 MINUTES: At 5: 12 P. M., the Business Calendar was considered.
Commander Matthew Sorenson gave a presentation regarding military equipment policy 707.
Chair Vega asked whether the community events referenced in the presentation included the armored vehicle visiting schools.
Commander Sorenson clarified the armored vehicle visits schools without additional military equipment weapons and is the most requested item at community events.
Commissioner Mejia questioned the cost effectiveness of investing in an armored vehicle if it is mainly being used for visual representation at community events.
Discussion ensued regarding the use and funding of armored vehicles, frequency of equipment deployment, vehicle capabilities, risk assessment process for the use of military equipment in critical incidents, protests, and SWAT team activations.
Commander Sorenson answered the commissioner' s questions and provided clarification.
CommissionerPerea requested copies of the department's military equipment policies, asked for clarification regarding the annual compliance requirements stated in AB481, requested public accessibility to police data including settlements and community forums on military equipment usage, and expressed concern regarding website navigation and accessibility.
Commander Sorenson spoke regarding AB 489.
Chair Vega asked whether there needed to be a majority agreement for staff to receive input from the committee.
Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez clarified that staff would receive input and return at a future meeting to provide updates.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 3 APRIL 10, 2025
Commissioner Perea commented on the accessibility of police oversight matters, requested a tab on the city's website main page, data, policies, designated place to submit complaints, revisions to the policy related to the use of military equipment and surrounding cities models, and asked whether the police department has had or is planning on having community forums regarding the military use equipment.
Commander Sorenson reported the lack of prior community forums and the intention to organize one in the future.
Commissioner Said requested crime rate data of surrounding cities, spoke regarding other cities military equipment policies, and expressed concern regarding the use of other cities military use equipment policy with higher crime rates as it may negatively affect residents.
Commissioner Mejia requested clarification regarding the definition of force as it was used in the presentation.
Commander Sorenson stated the use of force was defined as military equipment being used as a means to take someone into custody.
Commissioner Mejia spoke in support of a public forum, and requested data on types of incidents that lead to use of equipment and more information on how crowd control is being defined and managed.
Commissioner Gawronski thanked Commander Sorenson for the presentation.
Vice Chair Carpenter expressed concern regarding the use of military equipment and long- range acoustic devices as force options deployed in civilian environments.
Chair Vega asked whether the military equipment is visible during peaceful protests.
Commander Sorenson spoke regarding the procedure with military equipment during protest and clarified the equipment is kept at the command post out of sight.
CommissionerMejia expressed concern regarding the lack of a crowd control policy.
Commander Sorenson spoke regarding crowd control incident action plans with priorities being protection of life and allowing people to peacefully protest.
Vice Chair Carpenter expressed concern regarding maintenance cost of armored vehicles and stated he would rather see funds be used to hire additional officers.
CommissionerPerea asked whether there has been any missing equipment in the last 15 years.
CommanderSorenson stated there had been no instances of missing equipment.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 4 APRIL 10, 2025
STUDY SESSION
4. Police Oversight Commission Bylaws Discussion
MINUTES; Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Martinez gave a brief overview regarding potential bylaws for the Commission.
Commissioner Said spoke in support of drafting bylaws from both the Planning Commission bylaws and the City of Riverside' s Police Oversight Commission bylaws.
Vice Chair Carpenter expressed concern regarding the ability of the Police Oversight Director to be fully independent.
Assistant City Attorney Martinez clarified the distinction between bylaws and the ordinance of the Police Oversight Commission.
Chair Vegaasked whether the commission couldreview complaintsalthough they do not have the ability to give a recommendation.
Assistant City Attomey Martinez stated the complaints continue to be available for review in his office.
Discussion ensued regarding the commission's ability to review complaints pending a police oversight director.
Chair Vega asked whether there was an update on the Police Oversight Commission director.
Deputy City ManagerSylvia Vazquezstated there wouldbe an announcementregarding Police Oversight Commission at the next City Council meeting.
Commissioner Perea spoke in support of a blend of the Planning Commission and the City of Riverside' s Police Oversight Commission bylaws and requested to review the bylaws of the Rent Board Commission or a commission with longer terms. He spoke regarding updating the city charter to make the commission more independent.
Discussion ensued regarding a process to review the commissions' bylaws as a reoccurring agenda item and spoke regarding examples and sections to be included in the initial draft of bylaws.
Assistant City Attorney Martinez answered the commission's questions regarding the draftingprocess and statedstaff could present a draft at the next commissionmeeting to discuss and make changes based on the commission' s recommendation.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 5 APRIL 10, 2025
MOTION: Commissioner Said moved to request a draft of the commission' s bylaws including items one through six, 10 and 14 from the Santa Ana Planning Commission bylaws, a process to agendize items similar to the City of Riverside' s Police Oversight Commission bylaws Article 7 Section 6, and a process to receive and review complaints without an independent oversight director, seconded by Chair Vega.
The motion carried, 6-0-0-1, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONER GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER MEDIA,
COMMISSIONER PEREA, COMMISSIONER SAID, VICE
CHAIR CARPENTER, CHAIR VEGA
NONE
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONER CASTILLO LAUGHTON
Status: 6 - 0 — 0 — 1 — Pass
STAFF COMMENTS
MINUTES: Deputy CityManagerSylvia Vazquezreminded the commissionthat they are welcome to do a ride along with the police department.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
Minutes: CommissionerGawronskiasked whether SWAT is able to do a ride along.
Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez stated SWAT has not yet conducted a ride-along but will inquire about the possibility of doing so.
Vice Chair Carpenter requested a pdf copy of future agendas and his stipend be paid.
ADJOURNMENT - Adjourn the Police Oversight Commission Meeting.
MINUTES: Chair Vega adjourned the Police Oversight Commission meeting at 7:02 P. M.
The next meeting of the Police Oversight Commission is scheduled for May 8, 2025 at 5: 00 P. M.
Respectfu4 submitted:
J
A it Gala
R c r i Secretary
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 6 APRIL 10, 2025