Correspondence - #38 - Laserfiche WebLink

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When high-profile police killings occur locally or nationwide, calls for police accountability and transparency grow louder. In fact, the very origins and advancements of police oversight are rooted in civil rights movements'response to excessive and deadly force by law enforcement.z Given the recent high-profile killing of Santa Ana resident Brandon Lopez by Anaheim Police Department officers in September 2021, it is imperative that the City of Santa Ana build an effective police oversight model to help avert future unjustified use of deadly force against civilians, hold police officers accountable for misconduct, and intervene in systemic problems within the Santa Ana Police Department. An investigative-auditor/monitor model will accomplish these tasks and pave the way to a more holistic approach to public safety for communities that are under-resourced and over-policed. One of the core tenets of effective police oversight is independence. The police department is currently the only agency responsible for investigating excessive and deadly force and civilian-complaints against officers. An independent investigative-auditor/monitor model will enable a civilian-led inquiry and findings into deadly use of force and misconduct allegations separate from the police department's investigation and findings. By excluding current and former law enforcement from serving on the oversight board and commission, the City will retain the core tenet of independence and thereby ensure public trust in the model. Civilian-led oversight of law enforcement ensures that those who are subject to the power of the police department lend their expertise to shaping it, and empowers residents to correct injustices that they and their neighbors suffer at the hands of police. As the City Council further discusses police oversight, it must also address the issues of staffing and scope of authority. First, it is imperative that the Police Oversight Commission (Commission) tasked with conducting independent investigations is properly staffed to handle the number and breadth of investigations into civilian complaints, allegations of serious misconduct, and uses of deadly force. At least one attorney-investigator per fifty officers will enable impartial and thorough investigations; this ratio would amount to eight attorney-investigators for the City of Santa Ana, as it has roughly 380 sworn officers. Moreover,we recommend that attorneys working for the Commission not provide legal advice or representation to any department or function of the City of Santa Ana other than the Commission. We also recommend that all financial, personnel and administrative functions of all Commission attorneys be under the jurisdiction of the City Manager or Commission Director, and not under the jurisdiction of the City Attorney, as the City Attorney provides counsel to the Santa Ana Police Department. This structure ensures the City has departmental authority over the Police Oversight Board/Commission and the Board/Commission is fully 2 Vitoroulis,Michael,Cameron McEllhiney,and Liana Perez.2021.The Evolution and Growth of Civilian Oversight:Key Principles and Practices for Effectiveness and Sustainability.Washington,DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.