Public Input Sought on Draft Ordinance for Civilian Police Oversight
By the City of Santa Barbara
The City of Santa Barbara seeks feedback on a draft ordinance that will guide its efforts in implementing a new civilian oversight system of the Police Department. The ordinance is an important step towards further strengthening accountability and transparency. This is an historical effort and the City’s first collaboration with the community on police oversight.
“The City strives for transparency and accountability in its operations, and community input is vital to make those efforts successful,” shared Barbara Andersen, Senior Assistant to the City Administrator. “It is critically important that we hear from you during this stage of the process and throughout the implementation of the new civilian oversight system.”
The draft ordinance elevates and assigns new duties of police oversight to the long-standing five-member Fire & Police Commission. Among its new duties, the Commission will be receiving reports with data on the number and type of internal and external complaints received and subsequent action taken, including the number of officers disciplined and the level of discipline imposed. The Commission will also review and discuss with the Chief of Police, in open session, individual investigations when they become disclosable under the California Public Records Act. Moreover, the Commission will receive presentations from the Chief of Police concerning any Officer Involved Shootings once determinations of findings have been made by the agency conducting such an investigation.
The draft ordinance also prioritizes community participation and engagement as a key component of strengthening understanding of what our law enforcement officers are confronting every single day in ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors in the City of Santa Barbara. This includes rigorous training for Commissioners as well as providing more opportunities for community input and education on policing practices in Santa Barbara.
In addition to soliciting public input, over the next several weeks, City staff will engage with various community members and organizations to gather comments on the draft.
To view the draft ordinance visit: SantaBarbaraCA.gov/CommunityOversight
The City welcomes any and all insights, questions and concerns to be shared during this time. Public Comment can be directed to FPOrdinance@SantaBarbaraCA.gov. The deadline for capturing public comment that will be presented to the Ordinance Committee is September 20, 2022.
6 Comments
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Aug 25, 2022 02:55 PM453130 - It wouldn't surprise me cops are removed from high schools due to a shortage of personnel. IMO a cop at each school is not high priority. As to the principal's phone. I'm confident a high percentage of the students have a phone which also gives them a "direct line to first responders" via 911.
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Aug 25, 2022 11:45 AMBe interesting to see/hear their stance on School Resource Officers at the high schools. KEYT just reported yesterday that some Memorandum of Understanding was approved and it vaguely seemed to say, once finalized, there would be no more SROs and the principal would instead have a direct line to first responders. I'm pretty liberal, but this wokeness stuff has gone to a new level if we're removing cops from schools just because this generation doesn't feel "safe" around police officers.
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Aug 25, 2022 11:36 AMI think this, personal opinion, is a waste of time. The problem is not our City PD, it's our Sheriff department, and poorly trained trigger happy deputies. That is where to civilian oversight should be. SBPD does not have a history of murdering unarmed civilians as the SBSD does. They have 5 deputies still on the payroll and still armed, that have gunned down several locals with no weapons and no threat to their safety. Those deputies have cost the county and city millions in law suits. THAT is what needs to be reviewed and scrutinized.
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Aug 24, 2022 05:29 PMThe city should do that to every department, too many morons in management getting away with wasting tax payers money on losing lawsuits over stupid mistakes, and not wanting to hold each other accountable for simply being uneducated dumbass envious power tripping lowlife assholes
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Aug 24, 2022 04:14 PMIMO the Chief should not make a presentation to the Commission about officer involved shootings until (after) the DA's office determines whether or not it will take any action against an officer. Findings of an investigating agency should (initially) only be presented to the DA to assist them in this regard. The Commission, as I understand, won't be able to take any action related to their "oversight" duties until the DA acts. It is only once the issue has been resolved that the case should be presented in full to the Commission enabling them to act within the scope of their duties. What "rigorous training" will Commissioners receive?
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Aug 24, 2022 03:39 PMHope those who have a lot of opinions on what should be done for the city and the police write in and express their thoughts.