New Training Rules Could Be In Store for Police Oversight Commissioners

Pasadena’s civilian police watchdogs would be required to visit the Police Department’s shooting range, ride along with a supervising officer and complete community-based training on implicit bias and the history of policing in the city — all within the first year on the job — under rules headed before a City Council committee Wednesday.

The proposed Rules and Regulations, adopted by the Community Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) on a 7-4 vote on March 12, would build on existing training mandates set by Pasadena Municipal Code Section 2.60.040, and would only become effective after final approval by the Pasadena City Council.

As a strictly advisory committee, the Public Safety Committee has no independent authority to enact the rules; its role is limited to forwarding a recommendation to the full Council, which retains final decision-making authority.

Under current municipal code, new CPOC commissioners must complete a four-hour ride-along and receive at least 30 hours of training facilitated by the Pasadena Police Department. Required topics include constitutional rights and civil liberties; fundamentals of procedure, evidence and due process; procedural rights and confidentiality protections afforded to officers under California law; and police department operations, policies, practices and procedures.

The proposed amendment would add a new Article XII to the commission’s Rules and Regulations. New commissioners would also have to complete foundational oversight training within 90 days of appointment, covering historical background on the formation of CPOC, an overview of prior commission meetings and recommendations that impact ongoing and future work, an orientation provided by the CPOC Chair, board norms and procedures, the role of the CPOC, the role of the Independent Police Auditor, the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights, officer wellness initiatives, use-of-force policies, the complaint intake and disciplinary process, confidentiality requirements of certain types of police personnel matters under state law, and facility tours that would include a visit to the Pasadena Police Department shooting range.

Within the first year of appointment, commissioners would also be required to complete training provided by community-based organizations on topics that may include, but are not limited to, the history of policing in Pasadena and its impact on diverse communities; implicit bias, cultural humility and trauma-informed approaches; community-based alternatives, restorative justice principles and harm-reduction strategies; and perspectives from advocacy groups, community organizations and impacted residents. They would additionally be required to participate in a ride-along with a Pasadena Police Department supervisor within the same period.

The package was developed by an ad hoc committee that worked with Independent Police Auditor Teresa Magula to review best practices in civilian oversight training and identify key pillars of knowledge.

The staff report states that approving the Rules and Regulations would not entail any fiscal impact and that the action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act. The recommendation was submitted by CPOC Chair Esprit Jones and prepared by Shannon Prior, Principal Administrative Analyst in the Oversight Commission Support Division.

The Pasadena Public Safety Committee is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, in the Pasadena City Hall Council Chamber, Room S249, in Pasadena. For more information call (626) 744-7311 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/agendas/.