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