Sacramento Community Police Review Commission Meeting - May 12, 2025
Sacramento Community Police Review Commission Meeting - May 12, 2025
On Monday, May 12, 2025, the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission (SCPRC) held a regular meeting from 5:37 PM to 6:42 PM at City Hall. Chair Kim Carter Martinez presided. All seven present commissioners (Buenrostro, Brookins, Griggs, J. Johnson, Korbs, Espinoza Salazar, and Chair Martinez) voted unanimously to approve the April 14, 2025 meeting minutes. The meeting featured a detailed discussion of the Office of Public Safety Accountability (OPSA) Q1 2025 quarterly report, updates on ad hoc committees, a review of the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) recommendation backlog, and planning for the annual Military Equipment Use Policy Community Forum.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (File ID: 2025-00060): Passed unanimously (7-0).
- Office of Public Safety Accountability Quarterly Report – Q1 2025 (File ID: 2025-01034): Pulled from the consent calendar by unanimous consent to become a discussion item.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Keon Bliss (speaking on Item 5 – SPD Recommendation Backlog): Noted that since 2018, the commission has produced 187 recommendations, of which 117 have received department responses, leaving at least 70 outstanding (dating back to 2021). He highlighted critical unresponded recommendations from 2021 (crowd control/riot response), 2022 (budget transparency and surveillance), 2023 (search and seizure), and 2024 (military equipment use).
- Keon Bliss (speaking on Item 6 – Military Equipment Use Policy Forum): Stated that the commission has approved 30 MEU recommendations since August 2024. He expressed concern about duplicate responses and urged scrutiny of equipment purchases given the city's budget shortfall, citing AB 481 requirements for necessity, cost-effectiveness, and protection of civil rights.
Discussion Items
Office of Public Safety Accountability Quarterly Report – Q1 2025
Jody Johnson, Assistant Director of OPSA, answered commissioner questions. The report showed 67 complaints and 298 allegations in Q1 2025. Of 54 closed complaints (146 allegations), 12 allegations were sustained (meaning the alleged conduct was found true). OPSA reached a significant benchmark: as of January 2025, the office reviews 100% of police and fire investigations due to additional staffing. Commissioners discussed the need for more granular data (e.g., number of complaints resulting in sustained allegations, breakdown by district). The item was continued to a future meeting for deeper review.
2025 Workplan and Planning Discussion
Commissioners briefly discussed priorities and noted that the discussion would overlap with the ad hoc committee report. No action taken.
Ad Hoc Committee Report Back
- Engagement and Function Committee: No report submitted; Commissioner Sample (lead) was absent. Chair Martinez will send a reminder.
- Community Policing and Response Efficiency Committee: Vice Chair Buenrostro reported the committee met and prioritized traffic safety, specifically the "Drive Safe Sacramento" initiative. Next steps include reaching out to SPD Sergeant Buchanan and planning a community meeting on traffic safety. The committee will also assist with the Military Equipment Use Policy forum.
- Resource Allocation and Efficiency at Impacting Public Safety Committee: Chair Martinez acknowledged the committee has not yet met; she will schedule a meeting before the next commission meeting.
Sacramento Police Department Recommendation Backlog Report
Captain Buchanan presented SPD's perspective: total of 204 recommendations received, 154 responded (135 posted on the transparency page). Breakdown by year: 2021 – 3 of 27 completed (24 remaining); 2022 – 26 of 37 completed (11 remaining); 2023 – 18 of 33 completed (15 remaining); 2024 – 8 of 8 MEU recommendations completed. He acknowledged discrepancies in numbers and will provide a list of outstanding recommendations to the chair for ad hoc review.
Military Equipment Use Policy Community Forum Planning
Captain Buchanan explained the process: the annual report and policy are posted for 30 days of public review before the community forum. The earliest possible forum date is mid-July 2025, with a deadline likely in August. Last year's forum was held at Oak Park Community Center. Commissioners suggested locations: Oak Park, Del Paso Heights, or District 2 (e.g., Hagginwood or Robinson Community Center). The Engagement and Function ad hoc committee will draft a plan (dates, location, agenda) for the next meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved minutes (7-0). OPSA Q1 report pulled for discussion.
- OPSA Q1 Report: Continued to a future meeting for further discussion after commissioners pose specific data requests.
- Workplan: No formal action; ad hoc committees will drive implementation.
- Ad Hoc Committees: Engagement and Function committee to meet and report back. Community Policing committee to focus on traffic safety and MEU forum. Resource Allocation committee to schedule meeting.
- Recommendation Backlog: SPD will provide a list of outstanding recommendations to the chair. The backlog will be reviewed by the ad hoc committee.
- MEU Forum: Planning continued to the next meeting; the Engagement and Function committee will produce a draft plan. Forum expected in July/August 2025.
- Meeting Adjourned: 6:42 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Oh, I am unmuted. All right, good evening. Welcome to the May 12th, 2025 meeting of the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. I have a cough drop in my mouth. That's why I sound like this. The meeting is now called to order. Will the clerk please call the roll to establish a quorum? Thank you, Chair. Members, please unmute your microphones. Commissioner Sample is absent. Commissioner Johnson. Present. Commissioner Corps. Present. Commissioner Buen Vice Chair Buen Rostro. Present. Commissioner Griggs. Present. Commissioner Lewis is absent. Commissioner Brookins. Present. Commissioner Espinoza Salazar. Present. And Chair Carter Martinez. Present. Thank you. We have quorum. I would like to remind members of the public and chambers that if you would like to speak on an agenda item, please turn a speaker slip when the item begins. To provide create greater community participation in our commission's work. We will also allow more time for members of the public to speak, to give comments, and we'll ask the clerk to accept speaker slips until the final speaker has concluded their comments. For matters not on the agenda, you will have five minutes to speak once you were called upon. For members listed on the agenda, you will also have five minutes to speak once you are called upon. We will now proceed with today's agenda. Please rise for the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sacramento's indigenous people and tribal lands. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous people's history, contributions, and lives. Thank you. Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Matters not on the agenda. As a reminder for the public, you will have five minutes to speak on this item. Clerk, are there any members of the public who wish to speak on public comments? Matters not on the agenda. Yes, I do have one speaker. If you could make your way to the podium. We're parallel to you. I introduced myself last year, but I see there's new members and you have a new chair. We meet on the third Tuesday of every month. Now please take a look at the website. We're a little squirrel around this time of year because it's the end of our year, so we're having to shuffle meetings around due to conflicts, and also because we have a report that is due at the end of June. So we're trying to get a lot of work done before now and then. Next business today is approval speak on the consent calendar.
openpublica.com