Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />January 26, 2026 <br />Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />ecomment@santa-ana.org <br />Via Email <br />RE: Item 1: Preserving the Authority and Integrity of the Santa Ana Police Oversight <br />Commission <br />Dear Mayor Amezcua and City Councilmembers, <br />We write to express our strong support for preserving the powers and processes that are essential for the <br />City of Santa Ana (City) Police Oversight Commission to maintain meaningful oversight and public <br />trust. Police accountability must remain a priority and a firm commitment to the residents of the City. <br />The Santa Ana Police Oversight Commission (Commission) was created in 2022 after years of <br />community advocacy. It was designed to be independent, investigatory, and community-led. It was a <br />long-overdue response to generations of police violence, secrecy, and impunity. <br />Diluting the Commission’s powers would undermine its purpose and erode public confidence. For the <br />Commission to function as a meaningful vehicle for accountability, we urge the City to preserve the <br />following core powers: <br />● Retain independent investigative authority, including the ability to investigate serious and <br />deadly uses of force. <br /> <br />● Maintain the Commission’s authority to make disciplinary recommendations based on the <br />findings of those investigations. <br /> <br />● Ensure clear and direct pathways for Commission recommendations to reach the City <br />Council, allowing for transparency, accountability, and public oversight. <br /> <br />● Preserve the Commission’s responsibility to review the Memoranda of Understanding for <br />both the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and the Santa Ana Police Management