If the Pasadena Police Department acquires traffic reconstruction drones, a citizen commission wants a process already in place that gives the public a voice in such decisions.
The Community Police Oversight Commission will vote Thursday on a work plan that would create a standardized workflow for reviewing police technology and equipment — with the drone acquisition serving as the test case. The police department may acquire the drones soon, making them ideal for piloting the review process.
“This will enable the commission to shape and recommend policies to PPD and Council,” the work plan states.
The commission meets Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
The technology review is one of four objectives in the proposed fiscal year work plan. Ad hoc committees have been developing each objective since September, with support from staff and Independent Police Auditor Teresa Magula.
A second objective addresses how police respond to mental health crises and domestic violence calls. The commission chose to focus first on mental health incidents based on call-for-service data. Magula will conduct a review that incorporates perspectives from people who have experienced behavioral health crises during police encounters. Community mental health providers will also contribute feedback.
The third objective calls for a comprehensive training program for commissioners themselves, built on five foundational pillars: commission foundations and legal framework, policing practices, community awareness, oversight processes, and continuing education. The plan emphasizes more in-person training and engagement with community organizations.
The fourth objective involves creating a public tracking tool for commission recommendations. Staff are working with the city’s IT department to explore Microsoft Power BI for a dynamic dashboard with improved data visualization.
The work plan frames the commission’s role in pointed terms: demanding sincere improvement, it states, is fundamentally a supportive act. The goal is bridging community needs with the police department’s public safety responsibilities.
The Community Police Oversight Commission aims to strengthen community-police relations and review Pasadena Police Department operations. Members provide recommendations to the Chief of Police, City Manager, and the City Council.
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