Item 15 - Ordinance Establishing a Police Review Commission

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55394.00000\40763936.1 ORDINANCE NO. ___ AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ADDING DIVISION 16 TO ARTICLE IV OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION RECITALS A. The residents of the City of Santa Ana are concerned about public safety and have expressed their concern through various means of civil engagement, including participation in community forums on establishing civilian oversight, following widespread protests in 2020 as part of the national movement for racial justice and police accountability. B. There have been allegations of excessive force and other types of alleged misconduct committed by Santa Ana Police Officers, which can erode public trust in law enforcement; the community of Santa Ana. The Santa Ana Police Department (“Department” or “Police Department”) and the City Council are committed to working together to build trust and improve public safety. C. Historically, the City of Santa Ana has settled several lawsuits involving the Police Department involving incidents prior to 2017. The City Council is committed to exploring ways to reduce liability through improvements in police operations through continued transparency. D. The process for establishing a Police Oversight Commission began in June 2020 when the Mayor and Councilmembers directed staff to research police oversight . This resulted in numerous public informational sessions, data-gathering through two community feedback surveys, and reports outlining the various models of police oversight. In October 2021, the Mayor appointed three Councilmembers to the Police Oversight Ad Hoc Committee, who met from November 2021 to June 2022. The Ad Hoc Committee studied police oversight in detail, resulting in a working draft of an ordinance to establish a Police Oversight Commission. E. The establishment of the Santa Ana Police Oversight Commission will support democratic governance and lead to an even more professional, well-managed, accountable, and highly functioning Police Department. F. Santa Ana residents and the City Council desire a highly resourced and effective Police Oversight Commission to improve law enforcement operations and sustain community trust. G. The Santa Ana City Council is committed to providing the resources needed to properly investigate allegations of police practices, police misconduct, officer-involved shootings, and other serious uses of force and thereby determines it is necessary to en sure the people who conduct investigations have the requisite expertise, establish the credibility