Pasadena Police Chief Agrees With All 11 Auditor’s Reform Recommendations

In response to a critical independent audit, Pasadena’s Police Chief has agreed with 11 recommended reforms to the department’s handling of misconduct complaints. The changes come after an assessment found deficiencies in witness interviews and timeliness of investigations.

Police Chief Gene Harris said the department agrees “either in whole or in concept” with 11 recommendations made by Independent Police Auditor Richard Rosenthal. The reforms aim to address shortcomings in how the Pasadena Police Department investigates allegations of officer misconduct.

“On behalf of the Police Department, I applaud the process and believe it will assist significantly in applying lessons learned moving forward,” Chief Harris wrote in an August 3 memo to the Community Police Oversight Commission.

The Community Police Oversight Commission is scheduled to discuss Chief Harris’ response at its meeting on Thursday, September 12.

The Commission will likely assess whether the proposed reforms adequately address the deficiencies identified in the independent audit.

The audit examined formal complaints closed in 2023. It found that interviews were not consistently conducted with all necessary witnesses.

“Almost one-quarter of all personnel complaints could have been handled in a timelier manner,” according to the report.

The audit noted that the department was in 100% compliance with the mandatory one-year statute of limitations for investigations. However, it criticized the lack of video recordings of interviews conducted by the department’s Professional Standards Unit.

In response, the Police Department said it will upgrade its facilities to enable video recording of interviews by December 2024. The Professional Standards lieutenant has implemented a new 30-day update requirement to track the progress of investigations through the chain of command, the report said.

Chief Harris agreed “in concept” with a recommendation to seek input from an independent outside source during the administrative process for complaints.

However, he cautioned that adding an ombudsperson “may significantly impact morale and retention within the rank and file.”

The Department fully agreed to reinstate a community-police mediation program for certain personnel complaints. A draft policy has been developed with IPA Dr. Rosenthal, with the program tentatively scheduled to start in December 2024.

Other planned reforms include currently modifying the department’s website to clarify procedures for filing complaints. The department is also collaborating with the City Attorney’s office to formalize the review process for civil claims against officers.