Minutes of the Regular Meeting
of the Police Oversight Commission
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December 11 , 2025
REGULAR MEETING 5: 00 P. M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701
CALL TO ORDER
MINUTE'S: Chair Carpenter called the meeting to order at 5:03 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 DECEMBER 11, 2025
ROLL CALL
MINUTES: Recording Secretary Abigail Y. Alcala conducted roll call.
Commissioners Gawronski, Perea ( arrived at 5: 22 P. M.), Said, and Vega, and Chair Carpenterwerepresent. ViceChairCastilloLaughtonand CommissionerMejia were absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MINUTES: 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 matter jurisdiction of the commission.
MINUTES; The followingindividualaddressed the Commissionvia teleconference:
1. Manuel Arreguin inquired regarding Commissioner Gawronski reviewing previous meetings transcriptsfrom thispast year and thankedthe Commissionfor their work.
CONSENT CALENDAR
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve staff recommendations on the following Consent Calendar Items: ' I and 2.
MINUTES: At 5: 05 P. M., the Consent Calendar was considered.
ChairCarpenterspokeregardingan erroronpage eightof minutesand requestedthe minutes be updated to reflect the appropriate chair of the commission.
MOTION: Commissioner Gawronski moved to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1 and 2, as amended, seconded by Commissioner Vega.
The motion carried, 4-0-0-3, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONER GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER SAID,
COMMISSIONER VEGA, CHAIR CARPENTER
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONER MEJIA, COMMISSIONER PEREA, VICE
CHAIR CASTILLO LAUGHTON
Status: 4- 0 - 0 — 3 -- Pass
1. Excused Absences
Recommended Action: Excuse the absent members.
2. Minutes from the Regular Meetings of November 13, 2025.
Recommended Action: Approve minutes.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 2 DECEMBER 11, 2025
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR***
BUSINESS CALENDAR
MINUTES: At 5: 08 P. M., the Business Calendar was considered.
3. Recommendation to SAPD Procedure 4130 U- Visa Certification Procedures Recommended Action: Receive a presentation and approve the recommended procedure to the City Manager for changes to the Santa Ana Police Department' s U-Visa Procedure No. 4130 prepared by the Police Oversight Director.
MINUTES: Independent Police Oversight Director T. Jack Morse provided a presentation regarding SAPD Policy 4130 U- Visa Certification Procedures recommended revisions.
Commissioner Perea arrived at 5. 22 P. M.
Commissioner Gawronski asked what CID stood for.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse stated CID stood for Criminal Investigation Division and SAPD is the entity who reviews the U- Visa applications.
Commissioner Vega thanked staff and Independent Police Oversight Director Morse for their efforts on the U-Visa policy documents and asked whether the outcome of an investigation affects U-Visa qualifications.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse explained it does not affect U- Visa applications.
Commissioner Said asked for clarification regarding page five of the presentation regardingan officialconsultingthe USCISResourceGuideas a supersedingguideline and SAPD' s victim- centered and trauma- informed approach to investigations, and spoke in support of limitations of forwarding cases to the DistrictAttorney' s( DA) office, appeal process, and annual report.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse spoke regarding the USCIS Resource Guide where SAPD will be trained on with assessing U-Visa applications and those who need clarity on decision making for U-Visas and explained SAPD' s victim- centered and trauma informed approach to investigations is to reduce the risk of retraumatizing victims who suffered traumatic experiences during interviews.
Commissioner Perea thanked Independent Police Oversight Director Morse for bringing back a revised U-Visa policy, echoed Commissioner Said' s comments regarding limiting cases sent to the DA office, explained the importance of USCIC Resource Guide, and stated he looks forward to the implementation of the policy, future reports, and impact on U-Visa applications. He asked whether the policy would be an administrative policy change or codified into the ordinance.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 3 DECEMBER 11, 2025
DeputyCityManagerSylvia Vazquezstatedthepolicy wouldbe an administrative policy change and explained the process.
Commissioner Perea recommended the Commission send the policy to the City Council to be adopted as an ordinance once it has been administratively changed.
Commissioner Vega asked whether the policy would be sent to the City Council for approval.
DeputyCityManagerVazquezexplainedthepolicyprocessgetsreviewedby the CityManagerandcanbe sentforreviewto theCityCouncilif theCommissionis not satisfied with the response provided by the City Manager.
Chair Carpenter asked for clarification regarding U-Visa procedures in Section 4130.5, the last paragraphof Section2, and asked whathappenswhen U-Visas are revokedafterapprovaldue to determiningthe victimis no longerhelpfuland deadlines are not met by SAPD.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse stated the Chief of Police or designee informs the USCIS of victims no longer being helpful.
DeputyChiefRolandAndradestatedviolationofpolicyis subjecttoreviewand/or potentialdisciplinewithpossibleterminationdependingonfactorsleadingtomissed deadlines.
MOTION: Commissioner Vega moved to approve the recommended action for Item No. 3, seconded by Commissioner Perea.
The motion carried, 5-0-0-2, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONER GAWRONSKI, COMMISSIONER PEREA,
COMMISSIONER SAID, COMMISSIONER VEGA, CHAiR
CARPENTER
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONER MEJIA, VICE CHAIR CASTiLLO
LAUGHTON
Status: 5- 0 — 0— 2 — Pass
END OF BUSINESS CALENDAR***
STAFF PRESENTATIONS
4. AB 847 and POC Complaint Process
MINUTES. Independent Police Oversight Director T. Jack Morse provided a presentationregardingAB 847: PolicePersonnelRecordsandPoliceOversight Commission Complaint Process.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 4 DECEM13ER 11, 2025
Commissioner Gawronskiasked for clarificationregarding the submitted complaints related to other agencies.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse stated the information presented is strictly informational.
Commissioner Vega asked how complaints will be received and processed.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse explained the complaint process and stated the complaints will be sent via email.
Deputy City Manager Sylvia Vazquez explained the Police complaint portal is accessible to all via the City website.
Commissioner Said asked whether Commissionersmay review body-worn camera footage related to complaints, whether such footage is considered part of an officer's personnel file, how decisions are made without disclosing confidential information, and the closed session process for handling complaints.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse stated body- worn camera footage may be requested as part of the investigation and reviewed by the Commission in closed session to determine whether further investigation is warranted, relevant footage is consideredpart of the officer's personnel file, the Commissionmay direct the Independent Police Oversight Director to proceed or not proceed with further investigation, and Internal Affairs ( IA) is conducting a parallel independent investigation.
Deputy City Manager Vazquez explained the process for complaints for the upcoming Closed Session meeting.
Commissioner Perea requested a report on complaints from late 2023 and 2024.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse stated complaints must be investigated within the one-year limitation however, a report could be presented to the Commission.
Deputy Chief Roland Andrade stated complaints received from 2023 and 2024 were investigation by Santa Ana Police Department( SAPD).
CommissionerPerea requested IA outcomes related to the complaints filed prior to 2025.
CommissionerGawronskiasked for clarificationregarding the votingprocess for the complaintsto be investigatedand data related to complaintsfiled prior to 2025.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse explained the one-year timeframe limitation for complaints prior to 2025.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 5 DECEMBER 11, 2025
Commissioner Vega asked whether feedback can be relayed to those who filed complaints and whether the public is notified of the results from investigations.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse explained the process for email communications regarding filed complaints, the creation of annual reports summarizinginvestigationoutcomes without disclosingconfidentialinformation, and stated investigation outcomes may be requested through a public records request.
Chair Carpenter asked what effect AB847 has on the Police Oversight Commission ordinance.
Independent Police Oversight Director Morse stated the AB 847 does not affect the ordinance rather clarifies the responsibility of the Commission.
DeputyCityManagerVazquezfurtherelaboratedonAB 847.
END OF STAFF PRESENTATIONS***
STAFF COMMENTS
MINUTES: DeputyCityManagerSylviaVazquezwishedeveryonea MerryChristmas and Happy Holidays.
DeputyChiefRolandAndradeannouncedChiefRodriguezsworeinthreenewofficersto the department, Pancakes with Santa was successful, and thanked everyone.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
MINUTES: CommissionerGawronskithanked staff and the Commissionfor all their hard work and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.
CommissionerVega wishedeveryone a Merry Christmasand Happy New Year.
CommissionerSaid thankedstaff and the Commissionfor all their hard workand wished everyonea Merry Christmasand Happy New Year.
CommissionerPerea thankedstaff and the CommissionforaiItheirhard workand wished everyone Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.
Chair Carpenter thanked staff and the Commission for all their hard work and wished everyone Happy Holidays.
ADJOURNMENT- Adjourn the Police Oversight Commission Meeting.
MINUTES: Chair Carpenteradjournedthe Police OversightCommissionmeetingat 6: 21 P. M.
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 6 DECEMBER 11, 2025
The next meeting of the Police Oversight Commission is scheduled for January 8, 2026 at 5: 00 P. M.
Respedf, Ily subm"tfted:
b g it IcaIa
R c dig Secretary
POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION 7 DECEMBER 11, 2025