Sacramento Community Police Review Commission Meeting - April 13, 2026

The Sacramento Community Police Review Commission held a regular meeting on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 5:37 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting included a presentation on the Sacramento Police Department's Inspections and Standards Team, a detailed audit of the Police Department's Evidence and Property Division, establishment of ad hoc committees for the 2026 work plan, discussion on commissioner outreach to councilmembers and the mayor, and planning for Military Equipment Use (MEU) community outreach. The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of March 9, 2026 Minutes (File ID 2026-00169): The commission voted unanimously (6-0, with four absent: Coleman, Brookins, Buenrostro, Gianulias) to approve the minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Speaker – Ms. Tanji Lewis: During the public comment period for matters not on the agenda, Ms. Lewis addressed the commission regarding her inability to report a crime involving her son, stating she had been refused service by multiple police agencies. She asked the commission for help in connecting her with resources to address the situation.

Discussion Items

• SPD Staff Update (Item 2): Captain Clayton Buchanan presented on the Inspections and Standards Team, created in 2020 to ensure accountability through equipment inspections and constitutionality of arrest audits. Key statistics: In the third quarter of 2025, SPD made approximately 2,500 arrests; the team reviewed 126 of them, finding 125 fully compliant and one referred for additional review. Commissioners asked about training for auditors and how the 5% sample is used to identify trends.

• Audit of SPD Evidence and Property Division (Item 3): Assistant City Auditor Kevin Christensen presented findings from an audit covering 2020-2024. Highlights:

  • Evidence location/retrieval: Error rates within acceptable industry ranges. Drugs tracked at 100%, firearms at 99.6%.
  • Ammunition storage: Best practices recommend fire-rated lockers; ammunition was stored on pallets on the warehouse floor.
  • Firearms pending destruction: Initially stored in open racks; SPD added locking mechanisms during the audit, but procedures weren’t updated.
  • Surveillance workstation: Placed on the open warehouse floor; risk of unauthorized access.
  • Governance gap: Draft policy manuals not formally adopted.
  • Homeless property: SPD spends ~8,000 staff hours annually (estimated $588,000) collecting, storing, and disposing of property from homeless individuals. Other agencies use third-party providers.
  • Evidence accumulation: Between 2022-2024, SPD booked over 143,000 items and disposed of about 122,000, resulting in a net increase of over 20,000 items. 75% of items require external authorization for disposal.
  • Jewelry handling: Items over $100 require safe storage but value determination is inconsistent.
  • Access controls: Strong overall, but policies lack routine periodic reviews of access permissions.
  • Booking accuracy: Error rate less than 1%, corrected within 2-7 days. Commissioners discussed hurdles for homeless individuals retrieving property and the potential for contracting with service providers. The report was received and filed.

• Establishing Ad Hoc Committees (Item 4): Chair Sample formed three committees for the 2026 work plan (April through December 31, 2026):

  1. Outreach and Events Ad Hoc Committee (includes MEU planning): Commissioners Espinoza Salazar, Vice Chair Johnson, and Lewis.
  2. Policy and Procedures Ad Hoc Committee: Commissioners Korbs, Gianulias (tentatively), Griggs, and Vice Chair Johnson.
  3. 2026 Annual Report Ad Hoc Committee: Chair Sample, Vice Chair Johnson, and Commissioner Lewis.

• Commission Outreach to Councilmembers and Mayor (Item 5): Vice Chair Johnson led a discussion on strategies for commissioners to meet with their appointing councilmembers. Commissioner Korbs shared a successful experience attending a joint community meeting. Commissioner Lewis highlighted the need to advocate for additional commission staffing. Chair Sample asked commissioners to prioritize these meetings within two months.

• Proposed MEU Outreach Planning (Item 6): Commissioners discussed timeline (community meeting needed before July 31, 2026 per state ordinance) and potential locations (Oak Park, Del Paso Heights, or Land Park Zoo/fairy tale town). The Outreach and Events Ad Hoc Committee will work on securing a location and date. The City Attorney clarified that only ad hoc committee members (plus the chair) may attend planning meetings under the Brown Act, but other commissioners can attend if the meeting is agendized as a public meeting and does not exceed quorum.

• Follow-Up Log (Item 7): The commission received and filed the follow-up log; no new items were added.

• Commissioner Comments: Commissioner Korbs inquired about the status of OPSA (Office of Public Safety Accountability) and noted the Sacramento County Sheriff’s community academy (10 weeks, Tuesdays, May 5 – July 7, applications due April 20). Chair Sample shared updates on a recent school incident, District One community conversations, a meeting with Sacramento County counterparts, and congratulated Police Chief Kathy Lester on her retirement after 32 years, expressing hope that the commission can engage in the search process. Deputy Chief Bails is expected to serve as interim chief in May.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar approved unanimously.
• SPD Staff Update received and filed.
• Audit of SPD Evidence and Property Division received and filed; commission offered to support recommendations before the Budget and Audit Committee or City Council.
• Ad Hoc Committees established with appointed members and scope through December 31, 2026.
• Commissioners directed to schedule one-on-one meetings with their appointing councilmembers within two months.
• MEU outreach planning to proceed with the Outreach and Events Ad Hoc Committee tasked to secure a location and date before the July 31, 2026 deadline.
• Follow-Up Log received and filed without additions.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.