In the last several months, a number of items related to public safety have come to the forefront of the public debate. Much of the discussion has stemmed from various media stories, public testimony, court proceedings or statements made from candidates during numerous City Council forums. What's been missing is a chance for the full City Council to hear a report from the Police Chief at a regularly scheduled public city council hearing about the department. Particularly in the last month, I have received a number of comments from residents asking about the Peter Lance/Kasi Buetel court proceedings and the recent arrest of Tony DeNunizo. While it would be legally inappropriate for me to comment on any ongoing investigation, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to contact me about their concerns regarding these matters. Please be assured that these matters are being reviewed in detail.
As a matter of good public policy, I propose that twice each month the City Council meetings include an agenda item for the Police Chief to give an update on the department's status. The Chief's report should be about five minutes in length and can include any aspect of the department's work he so chooses, such as crime reports, updates on the Police Activities League, and officer recruitment updates, to name a few. As with any Council agenda item, public comment is welcome and the City Council can discuss the items and follow-up with questions to the Chief.
I hope these modest steps to increase transparency at City Hall will be embraced by my colleagues.
COMMENT 226822P
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2011-10-27 08:56 AM |
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What is really needed is not an update by the Chief of Police. What is really and truly needed at this point is a Citizen's Police Review Board.
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COMMENT 226826P
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2011-10-27 08:59 AM |
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Indeed, these are "modest" steps, but steps towards what? What does department's "status" mean except bureaucratese as chosen by a challenged police chief who applied for a job elsewhere and was turned down? What's needed is an independent analysis of the SBPD, focusing, initially, at least, on these two incidents, the Lance-Beutel incident, and the seemingly out-of-control and excessive use of force by Tudor. "Independent" means outside of the police, the city control analysis. What's also needed is a civilian review board. We should be proud of our police, not afraid of them. This is a _very_ disappointing response by the mayor to the outrage expressed by many Santa Barbarans.
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COMMENT 226827
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2011-10-27 08:59 AM |
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It is a pro-active and positive step. Thankyou Mayor. =). It is much needed. Accountability that is.
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COMMENT 226836P
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2011-10-27 09:11 AM |
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Have the Chief bring the beating video to the first meeting. Actually, this is a good first small step in holding the police department accountable and transparent.
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COMMENT 226837
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2011-10-27 09:12 AM |
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now if she can only stop him from defending cops that abuse their power & beat people up...
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COMMENT 226838P
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2011-10-27 09:13 AM |
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This is not accountability. This is just another opportunity for Sanchez to spin a cover-up of how bad the SBPD has become. Schneider gets lots of $ from the cops' union so she's trying to cover for them as much as she can in return. We need an INDEPENDENT citizens' review board.
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ROGER DODGER
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2011-10-27 09:40 AM |
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When I was a kid cops treated ex offenders like scrap they could not change in the eyes of a cop. Will here's proof if a cop can become a criminal, a criminal can go straight. A former Santa Barbara Police Chaplin is now in hot water for stealing from elderly clinets. He might not have been a police officer but he was assoicated with the department. NEXT....
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COMMENT 226861
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2011-10-27 09:41 AM |
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I agree 100% with 226822P. A Citizen's Police Review Board should be standard in all communities. The police and their communities should coexist. Try walking up to an officer and ask him/her questions. Not all of them are that friendly or will talk to you with any type of respect. Our government depends on checks and balances. Who is policing the police? Mayor Schneider and Chief Sanchez, I hope you are both reading these posts. You seem to be losing credibility with those who put you in office and pay your salaries (per the Independent 7/29/10, Cam Sanchez $194,000/year).
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COMMENT 226869
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2011-10-27 09:44 AM |
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@822P, 826P and 861 - We already have a Fire and Police Commission. Look it up on the City's web site. It is comprised of five city residents. One of it's duties is to consult on operational policy of the fire and police departments. Perhaps the city's concerned citizens should attend the next meeting of this commission and demand some accountability there.
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COMMENT 226873
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2011-10-27 09:51 AM |
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No Ms. Mayor, we need to update our Police Chief.
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COMMENT 226889P
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2011-10-27 10:09 AM |
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226869 - The Fire and Police Commission is an entirely different thing than an indepedent Citizen's Police Review Board. Look up those review board in other cities, for instance Oakland. A review board's job is to make sure that the department acts with integrity. The Commission's job is to make sure that there are written procedures, not to make sure that they are adequately followed.
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COMMENT 226893
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2011-10-27 10:12 AM |
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I have always been treated with respect by our local police officers, and have often been very impressed by their professionalism in difficult circumstances. That's not to say that abuse has not and will not occur, but I want to post my positive experiences to counter those that have only negative comments.
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COMMENT 226899
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2011-10-27 10:16 AM |
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FYI there is a "Police/Fire Commission" currently IN PLACE within the City. The problem is it's limited power which has been neutered by the current Police Chief over the years.
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COMMENT 226909
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2011-10-27 10:34 AM |
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I am incredibly disappointed in this completely inadequate response from the Mayor. You mean to tell us you haven't been getting regular updates from your Police Chief? What does that say about our Mayor and City Council? Aren't they his bosses? Sickened by this whole situation.
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COMMENT 226918P
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2011-10-27 10:58 AM |
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Since the City Council continues to fail to deal with the problems in the police department and its corrupt Chief Sanchez, a proposition should be put on the ballot at the next election to amend the City Charter to create an independent citizens review board to oversee the police. Since the cops' union has bought off most of the Council, that's the only way anything will change.
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COMMENT 226924P
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2011-10-27 11:07 AM |
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838P - Then what are you waiting for? Get 10,000 signatures and put it on next year's ballot. I won't be signing it.
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COMMENT 226925
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2011-10-27 11:12 AM |
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@838... As above posts have mentioned there IS a Police Fire Commission already installed for the public to attend and voice concerns. Maybe it's just easier to vent on blogs rather than attend and get involved. As for the "cops union", EVERY City in California has public saftey unions as they NEGOTIATE with the City for salaries and benefits every couple of years. Those same terrible unions are the ones whose union members decided to aid the City by opening a "binding contract" to give monies back to the City during these difficult times. Get involved and informed, don't just drink the Kool-Aid...
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COMMENT 226950P
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2011-10-27 12:11 PM |
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The four member (there's one vacancy) Fire and Police Commission regular monthly meeting is today at 4 pm at the police station (Murphy/briefing room.) Here is what it does link and here is today's agenda; 10 minutes are allocated to public comment. It is not televised.
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COMMENT 226952
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2011-10-27 12:21 PM |
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Sounds like a good idea. I wonder how many of the negative whinners that posted here will actually show up and voice there concerns? I also keep seeing comments from obvious conservatives about needing more Government in our lives. Am I far off 838?
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COMMENT 226953P
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2011-10-27 12:23 PM |
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#899- Many of the posters here just don't understand the way the system works. This move by the Mayor is brilliant, sure there have always been internal reports from the PD to City Council, but this puts the Chief in front of the council and the public. If he presents a bunch of "spin" or blather, he can be questioned, in front of the public and broadcast on TV. Let's see how it goes before passing judgment on the council, the Mayor or, for that matter, the Chief.
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COMMENT 226958
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2011-10-27 12:40 PM |
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I think it will be good for there to be official, documented reports - hopefully it will cut down on the rumors and vitriole. And so that no one out there feels like it's just us, many cities of this size in Cali have tempests in their teapots - it's commonplace - things are never as transparent as people want them to be. It just seems like people from this city have more time on their hands to chase after it.
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COMMENT 226964
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2011-10-27 12:50 PM |
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This reminds me of a horrible manager I once had. She was so bad at hiring and retaining good employees that she had a few bad seeds in her department among quite a few good, loyal workers. Instead of ousting the bad and retaining the good, she let the bad workers continue and that brought overall morale and quality down. Then she was so fearful of how her department was functioning, she decided we needed DAILY meetings so she could feel on top of what we were all working on. We'd meet one morning, each talk about our day's agenda, and then she would question each of us on "why" we were doing certain things. She'd usually reset our priorities. Then we'd do it all over the very next day. I lost an hour each day meeting with this lady. If you are a good manager, you hire good people you can trust and let them excel in their position. You don't retain the bad and micro-manage them out of any possible productivity.
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COMMENT 226970
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2011-10-27 01:12 PM |
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Anyone know if the members of the Fire and Police Commission have the authority to require Chief Sanchez to release the video of the Loreto Plaza incident?
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COMMENT 226980
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2011-10-27 01:51 PM |
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I think this is a good idea because it will mean that individuals during public comment can raise questions and the council can also ask questions and take action if needed. Thank you to Mayor Helene Schneider for taking people's concerns seriously.
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COMMENT 226986
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2011-10-27 02:02 PM |
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Mayor Schneider and City Council Members: Why don't you avail yourselves of the opportunity to ride along with one of your SBPD employees? I would suggest Officer Tudor and Officer Beutel for a start. Draw your own first hand conclusions, rather than have them filtered for you at a City Council presentation by the Chief of Police. And also please consider (I know this is tough), not accepting campaign contributions from the SBPD. It makes it harder for you to appear truly non-biased when investigations are needed.
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COMMENT 227028
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2011-10-27 03:10 PM |
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This is all about Union Money - Wake up SB
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COMMENT 227029
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2011-10-27 03:13 PM |
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@028 So... SBPD and its associated union arranged for officers to commit acts that would call their credibility into question, thus forcing the city to negotiate a better contract so that they can... ? I guess I'm just not seeing the correlation. Care to enlighten us on how this is a union/money thing?
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COMMENT 227047P
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2011-10-27 03:40 PM |
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Don’t listen to Genis. He is trying to force the premature release of the video so that he can claim ‘tainted jury pool’ to get his client released. By now he should be in possesion of a copy of the video himself. Will he release it? Of course not if it shows his client resisting arrest as Chief Cam has indicated. He would only release it if it didn’t show the officer innocent of his charges. Otherwise eventually the tape will be seen by the public but not until the trial.
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COMMENT 227066P
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2011-10-27 04:17 PM |
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This is drivel from the Mayor's office. Serious problem - token statement.
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COMMENT 227124
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2011-10-27 05:38 PM |
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Isn't it the mayor, city council and city administrator's job to control the chief of police? It should never have gone this far. Just fire the chief and get some good cops. It can't be that hard. He is looking for another job anyway so it's not like he is really attached to his job.
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COMMENT 227249P
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2011-10-28 09:14 AM |
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The existing Fire and Police Commission has no power to review police misconduct, but they could have their authority expanded via leadership by the city council. The current city council candidates should not be ducking this issue.
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COMMENT 227446
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2011-10-28 03:08 PM |
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Disappointed in the community, whiners, and Ms. Helene.
I support our police officers who put their lives on the line every day whether on or off duty. The day you may need an officer to assist you during a robbery, or any other crises in your life, remember how much you despise them and send them away and call the mayor.
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COMMENT 227473
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2011-10-28 04:10 PM |
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@446 As someone who has been vocally critical of the SBPD and their handling of this situation, I want to point out that I have the utmost respect for the police and law enforcement _as an institution_. However, that does not mean that I cannot criticize the actions of a few bad apples. There is no organization that can be without criticism, whether it is the federal government, the SBPD or a non-profit charity. Perhaps you should take that line of thinking into account when you are so disappointed in the community for trying to shine a light on a bad situation and possibly clean up a seedy element of our local police force.
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