Sacramento Community Police Review Commission Meeting Summary - August 14, 2023

The Sacramento Community Police Review Commission met on the afternoon of August 14, 2023, to discuss community outreach, the Sacramento Police Department's military equipment use policy, and a follow-up log of pending items. Commissioners reviewed the proposed outline for recommendations to the City Council, heard public testimony, and debated the limitations of their purview over police hiring. The meeting included a unanimous vote to forward the outline to the Council for its September 5, 2023 meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Meeting Minutes (June 12, 2023): The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the June 12, 2023 meeting via a motion by Commissioner Guerrero, seconded by Commissioner Carter Martinez. The roll call vote was unanimous with Commissioner J. Johnson, Commissioner Marion, and Commissioner Z. Johnson (who later arrived) noted as absent during the initial roll call.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Consent Calendar (Item 1): One public speaker questioned the meaning of green and red highlights in the MEU report, requested clarification on blacked-out sections, and asked why the commission did not include most recommendations from the 2022 ad hoc meeting. The chair deferred responses to the discussion on Item 2.
• Item 2 – Military Equipment Use (MEU) Policy & Community Outreach: Two speakers from the American Friends Service Committee (Jennifer and John) provided detailed testimony:
  • Jennifer argued that the SPD's proposed annual use report and use policy fail to comply with AB 481, which requires reporting per specific equipment type (e.g., three separate reports for different armored vehicle models). She emphasized that total annual costs must include personnel time for maintenance and training.
  • John noted that AB 481 requires annual, not 12-month, reapproval by the City Council and that the department's reporting on use should include deployment or display, not only discharge. He called for the commission to incorporate these points into its recommendations.
• Item 3 – Follow-Up Log: No public comments were received on this item.

Discussion Items

• Item 2 – Proposed Outline of the SCPRC’s Recommendations to Council on Community Outreach and SPD’s Military Equipment Use Policy and Report:

  • Chair Castillo-Krings and Vice Chair Bliss summarized three community forums held in July 2023 (Hagenwood, Heart, and a third location). The forums drew over 60 participants each and lasted 2.5–3 hours. Key lessons included the need for earlier outreach, simplified language, council member attendance, and more support from the city (e.g., refreshments, child care).
  • Commissioner Bliss presented draft recommendations (13 priorities and additional items) from the working group, including: requiring the department to produce less technical reports, providing comparative and demographic data on equipment use, establishing a formalized community input process, prohibiting crowd control use of military equipment, creating a disciplinary matrix, and funding commission-led engagement.
  • Deputy City Manager Mario Lara (via Zoom, due to COVID-19) acknowledged the feedback and committed to more explicit reporting on implemented recommendations. He noted that Lieutenant Shiraishi was absent due to a family death and that the department had taken copious notes.
  • Commissioners Guerrero, Carter Martinez, Buenrostro, Sample, and Johnson (Z. Johnson and Wayne Johnson) shared insights from the forums, highlighting community frustration with unmet recommendations, the importance of two-way engagement, and the lack of consistent SPD attendance at commission meetings.
  • The commission voted unanimously to approve the outline, authorize the Chair and Vice Chair to formalize it per Council Rules, and request staff to forward the report to the City Council for its September 5, 2023 meeting.

• Item 3 – Follow-Up Log:

  • Vice Chair Bliss requested clarification on items 13 and 15 (hiring practices and authority). City Attorney Audrey explained that under the city charter's non-interference clause, the commission's purview over police hiring does not include the police chief (hired by the city manager) and that a charter amendment would be required to change that. Commissioners Carter and Guerrero pressed for a written memo; the attorney noted such memoranda are confidential unless the Council waives privilege. The commission decided to keep items 13 and 15 on the log with a note explaining the charter limitation.
  • Commissioner Wayne Johnson requested a joint presentation from PD and city HR on hiring practices for rank-and-file officers, which was added to the log.
  • Discussion also addressed Rule 17 (work plan process); the attorney clarified that exceptions are handled case-by-case, and the commission can request a two-thirds Council vote to waive rules for time-sensitive items.
  • The follow-up log was received and filed without a formal vote.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Meeting minutes approved unanimously.
• Item 2 (MEU Policy & Outreach): Motion passed unanimously to approve the draft outline, authorize finalization, and forward to the City Council for the September 5, 2023 meeting.
• Follow-Up Log: Received and filed. Added requests: a presentation from PD and HR on hiring practices; and a note explaining the charter limitation on police chief hiring. No further action was taken on the log.
• Commissioner Comments: Commissioner Guerrero raised concerns about discourtesy incidents reported in the Sacramento Bee and requested a future agenda item on SPD's efforts to address discourtesy. Commissioner Bliss urged the commission to request a presentation on the OPSA search and seizure audit, citing profound racist outcomes in multiple studies. Commissioner Carter called on the City Council to take meaningful action instead of commissioning further reports. The chair noted that unbecoming conduct falls within the second-half work plan and that a working group would be formed.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:50 PM (approximate time based on transcript length) with no further business.