TITLE
Recommendation to request the Mayor to convene the Charter Amendment Committee of the City Council within 30 days to discuss placing a City Charter amendment before the voters to amend and restate Article XIA of the City Charter to establish a Police Oversight Commission and add a Director of Police Oversight position. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
As a part of the City of Long Beach (City) Racial Equity and Reconciliation Initiative, the City Council provided direction to engage an outside expert to evaluate the operations of the Citizen Police Complaint Commission (CPCC). Between May 2021 - February 2022 the independent evaluation of the CPCC was conducted. At the conclusion of the evaluation, a final report was drafted outlining recommendations for a new police oversight body.
The independent evaluation was identified as a short-term action under the evaluation to redesign both the police approach to community safety and the police oversight and accountability through improved complaint and discipline practices. As part of the Adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Budget, the City Council approved $150,000 of funding to be used to conduct a study of the CPCC and support the implementation of the study’s recommendations.
On February 15, 2022, the City Council received a presentation of the evaluation final report and directed City staff and the City Attorney to begin the process for a City Charter amendment and to initiate the meet and confer process with relevant employee labor organizations. Below are the recommended changes to the City Charter:
Police Oversight Commission (Commission)
Proposed powers and duties of the Commission include:
· Solicit input from the community on recommendations under consideration;
· Provide feedback to Police Oversight Director on annual reports with a focus on statistical trends and special reports on matters addressed by the Police Oversight Director;
· Educate and engage the community and bring their concerns to the atten...
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