Minutes of the Regular Meeting
of the Police Oversight Commission
August 14, 2025
REGULAR MEETING - 5: 00 P. M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701
CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES: Chair Carpenter called the meeting to order at 5:06 P.M.
ATTENDANCE Commission Members Evangeline Gawronski
Amalia Mejia
Carlos Perea
Nadin Said
Danny Vega
Vice Chair Gabriel Castillo Laughton
Chair
Keith Carpenter
Staff Members
Independent
Oversight Director T. Jack Morse Jr.
Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez
Deputy Chief Roland Andrade
Police Commander Jorge Lopez
Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Martinez
Recording Secretary Abigail Y. Alcala
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 1 AUGUST 14, 2025
ROLL CALL
MINUTES: RecordingSecretaryAbigailY. Alcalaconductedroll call.
Commissioners Gawronski, Mejia, Perea, Said, and Vega, Vice Chair Castillo Laughton, and Chair Carpenter were present.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MINUTES: Chair Carpenter led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENTS— Publiccommentswill be heldduringthe beginningof the meeting for all comments on agenda items. Members of the public may provide comments on any agenda or non-agenda items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission.
MINUTES: The followingindividualsaddressedthe Commissionin person:
1. AbrahamQuintanarequestedjusticefor NoeRodriguezandspokeregardingPolice Officer Luis Casillas.
2. DavidPulidorequestedjustice for NoeRodriguezand an independentinvestigation be commenced regarding the incident.
3. CarinaMunozspokeregardingan incidentinvolvingPoliceOfficerKavendishand demanded justice.
4. Emma Gottfried expressed concern regarding police violence with the Officer Luis CasillasregardingMarioDiaz's arrestandNoeRodriguez's death.
5. VictorMendezspoke in favorof thenew directionthe commissionis takingand wished them success in the upcoming SpecialJoint Meeting with the City Council. 6, ErikaArmentaspokeregardingherhusbandNoeRodriguez's incident, statedsheis scared for her life and her families, and requested the Commission due their due diligence and complete independent investigation related to Noe Rodriguez' s.
CONSENT CALENDAR
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve staff recommendations on the following Consent Calendar Items: 1 and 2.
MINUTES: At 5: 25 P. M., the Consent Calendar was considered.
MOTION: Vice Chair Castillo Laughton moved to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1 and 2, seconded by Commissioner Said.
The motion carried, 7-0, by the following roll call vote:
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 2 AUGUST 14, 2025
AYES: COMMISSIONER GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER MEJIA,
COMMISSIONER PEREA, COMMISSIONER SAID,
COMMISSIONER VEGA, VICE CHAIR CASTILLO
LAUGHTON, CHAIR CARPENTER
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
Status: 7— 0 — Pass
1. Excused Absences
Recommended Action: Excuse the absent members.
2. Minutes from the Regular Meetings of July 10, 2025.
Recommended Action: Approve minutes.
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR***
STUDY SESSION
MINUTES: At 5: 27 P. M., the Study Session was considered.
3. U-Visa Work Study Session
Recommended Action:
1. Receive presentations the from the following nonprofit grassroots organizations that work to respond to immigration enforcement activities and police, in order to discuss their experiences with SAPD' s U-Visa process/ procedures and provide input for recommendations:
a) Sandra De Anda of the Orange County Rapid Response Network b) Faby Jacome of the Orange County Justice Fund
2. Review and discuss proposed/ redline changes to SAPD Procedure No. 4130 prepared by Police Oversight Director Jack Morse.
MINUTES: Sandra De Anda, Orange County Rapid Response Network ( OCRRN), and Faby Jacome, Orange County Justice Fund ( OCJF), provided a presentation regarding data, community experiences and a path forward regarding U-Visas in the City.
Commissioner Mejia requested clarification regarding wrongful investigations given to the District Attorney' s (DA) office and information regarding the determination of a domestic violence crime case within the policy.
Sandra De Anda and Faby Jacome answered the Commissioner' s questions and provided clarification.
Commissioner Perea thanked the presenters for their presentation and requested the Commission be provided annual reports including the number of cases, data POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 3 AUGUST 14, 2025
related to denials and approvals, clearerguidelines for determining helpfulness, and process for appealing denials including data and language, number of cases referred to DA's office, and accessibility and transparency of U-Visa resources on the City website.
Sandra De Anda and Faby Jacome stated there are no immigration attorneys or experts assisting with U- Visa applications, and recommended establishing a Sanctuary Board.
Commissioner Said requested clarification regarding the requirement for referring cases to differentjurisdictions, why referral data from 2017-2023 is difficult to obtain, what the standard turnaround time is for U-Visa follow- ups, the number of staff involvedinprocessingU-Visas, and whethertraininghasbeenprovidedformaking determinations on applications. She requested an analyst be assigned to track applications, referrals, and denials, suggested the appellant review process be conductedby a differentindividualrather than the person who is processingthe application within SAPD, more accessibility on City's website such as language options, recommendedprovidingaccuratecontactinformationto applicants, and voiced concern regarding discretion in helpfulness determination.
Commander Jorge Lopez stated there is no requirement to refer cases and cases sometimes are deferred to the DA' s office when there is an ongoing prosecution involvingthe victimand thereis no definedturnaroundtime requirement. He confirmed there is a unit dedicated for overseeing U-Visas with a crime analyst responsiblefor inputtingall receivedinformation, and a sergeantwhoreviewsand assigns cases to detectives for further review.
Deputy Chief Roland Andrade spoke regarding data from 2017, the appeals process, and clarified the U-Visas applications process.
Commissioner Mejia requested clarification on " helpfulness" and " usefulness." She suggestedthe followingthe revisionsto the U-Visapolicy: in Section 4130.3.1, adding language to include " Have been the victim, the bystander, or indirect'; in Section4130,3.3, changingthe title from "Victim's Responsibilityto be Helpful" to Guidance on Helpfulness" or" Definition on Helpfulness"; Section 4130. 4, removing the language " such as the Department, verifying the applicant is the victim of qualifyingcriminalactivityandhasbeenhelpful, is beinghelpfulor is likelyto be helpful to the investigation..." to avoid redundancy; and Section 4130.5, providing further explanation as to why applications are sent over to the DA's office.
Commissioner Vega asked for information regarding the process for handling a victim's complaint against SAPD and whether such a cose could be handled by PD or DA.
DeputyChiefAndradeclarifiedthe investigatingentityis responsiblefor the investigation, therefore, if a victim alleges a crime involving SAPD, the responsibility would fall on SAPD.
Commissioner Perea asked whether the commission would be an appropriate entity to conduct the investigation in cases where SAPD is the alleged perpetrator, specifically for certifying a U-Visa for the victim.
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Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez confirmed U- Visa certifications is determined by the police department.
Vice Chair Castillo Laughton thanked presenters for their presentation, supported the recommendations made by fellow commissioners to the U-Visa policy, and suggested trainings be conducted once policy is finalized.
Chair Carpenter thanked presenters for their presentation and suggested adding consequences for deadlines not met by SAPD within the policy.
Chair Vega thanked presenters, requested additional information on U- Visa denials, and clarification on SAPD's role in determining helpfulness and whether a victim's case falls within a qualifying crime.
Deputy Chief Andrade clarified SAPD's role regarding helpfulness determination and the qualifying levels of crime needing to be met during the certification U-Visa process.
Commissioner Mejia stated she supports the initial set of revisions presented in the policy and is working toward clarifying the concept of helpfulness during the certification process.
Vice Chair Castillo Laughton suggested moving the excerpt in Section 4130. 3.3 explaining determination factors to Section 4130. 5 regarding procedures, recommended the wording related to Form 1-918 in Sections 4130. 3.3 and 4130. 5 be consistent, rather than using " may sign and certify..." in one section and " shall provide a written explanation..." in another, correcting the wording in Section 4130. 5. 10 from " repeal" to " appeal', and requested clarification on certifications for denials.
Independent Oversight Director T. Jack Morse Jr. clarified in Section 4130. 3. 3, the wording " may sign and certify" regarding Form 1-918 refers to the Police Chiefs determination of helpfulness, while Section 4130. 5. 8 addresses situations where forms are not certified and requires a reason to be provided for the application not being certified for U- Visas.
END OF STUDY SESSION***
STAFF COMMENTS
MINUTES: Deputy CityManagerSylvia Vazquezstatedinvitationsto upcomingmeetings with Councilmembers, the City Attorney, Police Chief, Police Oversight Director, and the City Manager regarding the proposed amendments to the Police Oversight Commission ordinance will be sent to commissioners.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
MINUTES: CommissionerGawronskiaskedregardingthe citizensacademyand whether commissioners need to retake the academy.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION AUGUST 14, 2025
CommissionerVega thanked staff, presenters, and members of the public who provided comments, and requested information on SAPD's policies regarding arrests and interactions with individuals experiencing mental health issues, as well as whether a policyexistsgoverninglanguageuseduringencounters, suchastheuseofEnglishor Spanish.
DeputyChiefAndradeconfirmedthereisnopolicyinplaceto utilizinglanguagesother than English during encounters.
CommissionerMejia thankedpresenters, colleagues, and individualswho made a public comment, and inquiredregardingcommunitynotificationof upcomingmeetingsand whether meetings can be scheduled at more reasonable times to encourage greater attendance. She asked whether a future meeting will provide additional information on reportsmadeduringthepreviouscommunitymeetingregardingmilitaryequipmentunder AB 481,
DeputyCityManagerSylviaVazquezconfirmedreportsfrom2022--2023and2023-2024 werenotpresentedduringthecommunitymeetingduetocomplianceissues, andstated theCityofSantaAnaandPoliceChiefRodriguezareworkingtoensurecompliancewith laws and regulationsfor future meetings. She clarified thereports currentlypresentedare those available and identifiable at this time.
Commission Said thanked presenters and staff, and requested viewing body worn camera footage regarding Noe Rodriguez' s case.
AssistantCityAttorneyJonathanMartinezexplainedhe wouldneedto lookintoPenal Code832.7of confidentialpeaceofficerrecordsandwhetherviewingfootageispossible with no violation of codes and a qualifying case
Chair Carpenterasked whether the Police Oversight Director can be directed to further investigate incidents such as Noe Rodriguez' s case.
Independent Oversight Director Morse Jr. confirmed SAPD is investigating.
Vice Chair CastilloLaughton suggestedindependent OversightDirectorand SAPD work in conjunctionregarding Noe Rodriguez's investigation.
Commissioner Mejia requested the Independent Oversight Director have a separate investigation from SAPD.
CommissionerPerea thanked everyone for their work on the U-Visapolicy over the last few meetings, suggested the Commission review previous City Council discussions regardingthePoliceOversightCommissionordinance, andstatedhelooksforwardtothe upcomingjoint sessionwiththeCityCouncil.
ChairCarpenterthankedthepresenters, staff, and the independentOversightDirector, and emphasized the need for a clearer definition of helpfulness.
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ADJOURNMENT-Adjournthe PoliceOversightCommissionMeeting.
MINUTES; Chair Carpenteradjournedthe Police OversightCommissionmeetingat T: 32 P. M.
The next meeting of the Police Oversight Commission is scheduled for September 11, 2025 at 5: 00 P. M.
Respectfully submitted:
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