Uh it's uh 725.

Uh we uh we are returning from recess.

Uh and we are now uh joined.

Uh this is uh item number A32.006.

Uh this is an appointment to the police commission.

Uh Mary Bidelli, uh, our old colleague uh for a term that expires December 1st, 2029.

Uh this is uh submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Uh welcome and thank you so much, uh for uh uh volunteering to take this on can't get enough of uh city government now, can you too much time on my hands so how did you come to uh apply for this particular so yeah, happy thank you everyone for having me here tonight.

I'm happy to be here.

Um after the election, Mayor Simmons put in a call and asked what I would be interested in.

And I said the police commission would be my first choice.

Um just a little background.

Um my dad was a police officer in the city of Stanford for 25 years.

Um, so I grew up in a police family, have a lot of respect for the police department.

Um was always uh interested in the police um department, you know, as a part of the uh the board.

Um so I think I'd have some qualities that we can discuss um in my background that I think would be a good fit for the police commission.

So that was my first choice.

I've heard I've heard some discussion, and maybe this is slightly out of the purview of of um being uh sitting on the police commission that that uh relationship between the board and the police department.

Um were occasionally bumpy during the portion of the previous board.

The commission or the board of reps?

The well the board reps.

Um I I didn't feel that way, to be honest.

Um I I think there was um from uh from a personnel perspective, I uh was chair of the personnel committee.

So the union contract was passed on consent when when they came before us.

Um the assistant chiefs contract and the chief contracts were passed without issue.

Um fiscal um under when I ran the fiscal committee, uh we did not cut the police budget.

Um board of finance, on the other hand, I think was the board that I would say had a little bit of um uh back and forth.

Right.

Um there was some contentious discussions um in a joint meeting with the board of finance and the board of representatives in regard to the pensions.

Um there's some discussions around that and fully funded and things of that nature, but I would not say that the board of representatives, I think the board of representatives was a very positive um force for the for the police department.

Oh, good, good to hear.

Yeah.

In my in my tenure.

Yeah.

Have a question for uh former representative.

Come on.

I'm ready.

We should be able to grow up with this uh list.

No questions?

Okay.

Yes, yes.

I know the uh the police forces always asking for more police officers, and we have five just go approved representatives.

Would you like to see uh more police officers hired by the city?

And uh how would you go about justifying that through the various channels and uh so thank you for that question, Representative Gardner.

I I do think the police department needs more police officers.

I think um the numbers are basically the same as it was when the population was probably 20 or 30,000 um less.

Um as a representative, you're gonna hear it from your constituents as I heard it.

Quality of life issues are very important to um constituents, and I think having the extra officers to do things like community policing, boots on the ground in North Stanford and in Springdale, there's there's where I am, there's not a lot of police officers that are in there patrolling.

Um so I think the additional police officers um would be very helpful.

Um just for that, you know, speed enforcement.

I mean, of course, red light cameras, things like that would also be helpful, but to have the boots on the ground to have the physical presence, I think make people feel safer.

Um and I think that would be a welcome addition, in my opinion.

We the fiscal committee had the discussion of the officers.

I think um the can the consensus was we would have approved the 13, I would have guessed if they if that had come before us, but it didn't.

Um you can ask members of the Board of Finance.

I'm a very good advocator for what I believe in.

Um I've done it for my district, I've done it to get a park, I've done it to get additional funding for things that I believe in.

And I would have no qualms about making phone calls to people that I could depend on or that I could help try to sway to get additional funding for both the board of representative from both board of representatives and the board of finance.

I would have no problem with that, and happy to do it because for a cause I believe it.

So thank you.

Yep.

Representative Wilder.

Hi.

Hello.

Um thank you, Mary, for being here.

Yeah.

And and for putting your hand up in the air yet again.

Like deeply appreciated.

Yeah.

Um there's sort of a there's I'm intrigued by your interest in growing the police force, which by the way, I I support.

Um there's a there's a risk.

Um since one of the jobs of the police commission is candidates and um you know, and promotions and and so forth is making decisions on those on those subjects.

How do you um how do you control the urgency, the understandable urgency to grow the to grow the police force, to move people up through the officers up through the ranks, um, with the need to make sure that we're not like looting the quality of what based on my observation has been a very high performing police force because tension there and how do you how do you manage that?

That's a very good question.

I um in my due diligence before coming to the board, I um I previously had met with Chief Shaw quarterly um in my role as personnel chair and being on fiscal committee.

So we met um last month and we talked about that.

Um and his feeling is as you know, several years back, you know, being a police officer was not really the way to go for a lot of young people.

There was a very negativity around becoming a police officer.

He seems to think that's changing, and the mood is now becoming more positive to becoming a police officer.

So I think there was a time in the past couple of years where we weren't getting as many candidates as we might, but now that's starting to change.

So I think we're going to see a large number, the candidates start to improve again and become this job becoming what it used to be, which was you know, a uh a res much respected way to earn a living.

So I think that's going to help.

And I think the mood of change is going to help that.

So I see your concern.

Um, it's not like we're looking for huge classes, but we we do want to get a big um depth and breadth of candidates.

And I think the the police department has done a better job lately in the past couple of years of really getting a diverse community involved in um promoting the job in recruitment um from what I've seen on the outside looking in.

Now, I wasn't on the commission, but I could see it from the border rep side, and we would get um you know emails and things of that nature to see how people were going out to the community into the neighborhoods um and and trying to recruit.

So I think we're gonna have an a little bit of an easier job getting the candidates these times around, that's my opinion.

Another question which gets into the again focuses on the on the re recruiting issue.

Um what should we be doing as a city?

What should we either be doing differently or what should we be doing more of to um to make the Stanford police department the police department, the police department employer of choice in the you know in in the region?

Um I think listening to the chief and you know, his ideas and what he wants to do and encouraging him to do that, um funding the initiatives that are out there, promoting the the um the programs that we have in place that have been doing so well, like the um uh the community work that we're doing back into the communities, the work that we're doing, um, you know, I think we could maybe uh and this I'm not sure of, and this is what I would like to learn about.

You know, how are we doing in the schools?

You know, are we in the high schools?

Are we you know promoting police work in the in the high schools as a as a career choice, you know, for secondary education in college?

Um, we have a lot of local colleges, and when you and I like doing Rabbit Fire Friday, I always watch it, and it's interesting to see a lot of the officers are from local colleges.

So, you know, are we in Sacred Heart?

Are we in, you know, Southern?

Are we promoting our police department?

Are we actively recruiting?

Maybe that's something the commission can help with.

I I don't know.

I mean um, but I think we can we should do whatever we can to promote, like you know, they the sharpshooters and all the SWAT team work that they do and their award winning.

That all should be out in the community.

And I think they do get that recognition, but we have to make sure they get it so that people want to come to Stanford, that they that Stanford is the number one place they want to be, that it's not Norwalk or Greenwich or something like that.

You know, if you want to come to Stanford, you want to be in Stanford where you know you you can you know have the opportunity to earn a good living, you know, have good benefits, be part of a great community and a diverse community.

Okay, all right.

Thanks.

That's yeah that's very helpful, very insightful.

Appreciate it.

Yep.

Thank you, Representative.

Uh any other questions?

Uh anybody online, uh Representative Caporelli.

Thank you for recognizing me, Chair.

Good evening, Representative Fidelity.

Hi, Karen, Representative Camparelli, how are you?

I I bet you think this is a slam dunk.

Yeah.

And I think you'd be slam dunk.

I think you'd be right.

Um, thank you so much for stepping up once again to serve after the decades that you've served.

Um my question to you is that well, Stanford has a behavioral police unit, which I am really a big fan of, very fond of that unit.

Um because as you probably know, most polls, you know, have to do with family issues or mental health issues, things like that, things of that nature.

Um, how do you see policing in the future going?

Like, do you see those types of units sort of becoming the the bigger end of policing, 50% of policing?

I I do think that's going to take a wider swath.

Um, I agree with you.

I think it's a very important part.

And I think the chief has done a good job to promote that and and enhance that group.

Um and you know, to have the social worker involved from the beginning on a police call, I think is very important, because as everyone knows, mental health is is a serious, serious issue.

And I think the more we can do with that, the better off the Stanford police department would be.

Um and you know, for the overall health of the of the population of the city.

I couldn't agree with you more.

Thank you for that.

And I'm I'm glad you agree.

And I and I agree that the chief has done an amazing job um growing that.

I know that we approve some grant funding for additional um additional mental health workers in that unit.

And I I hope beyond the grant that that department continues to grow.

Um, thank you again, Mary, for stepping up as usual.

I yield, Chair.

Thank you.

Representative Camparelli.

Caparelli.

Any any other questions from the from the board.

Representative Pavy.

Oh, uh Representative Pavia.

Hi, Mary.

Hello, ex-colleague.

How are you?

Well, how are you?

I'm good, thank you.

Um, thank you for I want to echo everything that Representative Camparelli just said.

And I um also want to echo her statements about Chief Shaw.

I think he's the best.

Um, what I want to ask you is I I mean, you know, obviously you have my 100% support for this.

Um, there's nobody more qualified than you for this for this commissioner job, I think.

Um I I want to ask you, you're very well known, obviously.

I share a district with you, and uh people feel comfortable asking you just if they see you on the side of the road, they're gonna ask you a question or call you.

And that one percent chance where a police officer is acted in a way that's not great.

That's the best I could say.

And they just they figure, hey, it's Mary Fidelity, I can call her, right?

Um, what do you tell them?

Well, I mean, I certainly would have to know the circumstances of what that officer was involved in.

And I think one of the qualities that I think I can bring is is fairness, right?

I'm not gonna rush to judgment.

I'm certainly not I one of the qualities that I I think I have is I I'm not gonna be quick to glad hand and smack somebody on the back and say, don't worry, it's gonna be okay.

That's not that's not my style.

And I think I'm fair.

And and I think that was um shown in a lot of the ways when I had to jump in to run some of the meetings that we've had on the last board that were pretty contentious.

Um, and I had to make some rulings.

Uh I kind of prided myself on the fact that I was listening to both sides of the story before I made a decision.

And I think that's the way I'm gonna go on on any kind of commission grievance or or um you know, appeal or something of that nature.

You can't just um because you know somebody, they can they shouldn't, they shouldn't expect you to automatically take their side.

You have to know all the all the sides of the story, and that's very important to me, and that is going to come into how I judge the situation.

So they can call me and I'm happy to speak to them, but I would never make make uh any kind of judgment just based on a phone call.

It's got to go through the proper process and procedure.

I am all about process and procedure, and this word used to drive me nuts on our board, but it it is about transparency, and it that has to be in the forefront.

Of course, and for all those reasons, that's why you're so qualified for this.

But you would like to guide them through the process.

Oh, of course.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah, yeah.

Of course.

They have to know.

I would have to you know point out to them that there's a proper process to be to be gone before, and this is how you do it.

And I'm I'm happy to help you through that process, but that's but there is a process that has to be gone through.

Gotcha.

Mary, thank you for stepping up again.

Um glad to be working with you again.

You know, you're my favorite.

And with that, I yield the floor and I support your nomination.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Representative Pavia.

Uh, representative Weathers.

Yes, hello.

Thank you for recognizing me.

I just want to say thank you, Bobby, for asking that question because I was thinking the same thing.

Thank you, Representative Weathers.

Uh, President Shaw.

She's muted.

You're on mute.

Sorry.

Thank you, Co-Chair Shor.

Um, I just ultimately wanted to say thank you, uh, Mary, for um applying on this, and um glad to see you and have another opportunity to work with you in some capacity.

Um, and I wish you the very best, and I'm fully supportive of you, and I will be supporting your nomination.

Thank you.

Thank you, President Shaw.

Uh representative uh where is it?

Now the blogs come off.

Uh I am thrilled that you put your name forward for this.

And you did so so quickly after ending 30 years of amazing uh service to the city.

Uh I'm thrilled to be continuing and uh needless to say my support.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

I yield.

Uh thank you.

Uh do I address you as minority leader?

Majority.

There's only one.

Yeah.

Uh do we have any other questions?

Well, thank you for joining us.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for uh the opportunity to come before us.

It was actually a pleasure.

So I appreciate the I appreciate the interview.

Thank you very much.

So much for joining us.

Don't go soft on us.

No, no, no, I'll just go to the back now.

Let somebody else take the money.

All right.

Uh moving along to uh uh number A32.

Uh 007 uh police commission.

Uh this is uh Carlo Leon.

This is a reappointment to the term that expires uh December 1, 2029.

Last submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Thank you for joining us, sir.

Uh pleasure to be here.

Uh thank you to the to the board and to all the representatives and the chairs.

I appreciate the opportunity to be here.

Well, thanks so much.

Uh, just as a general question, you're you're here for a reappointment.

Um you uh share with us some observations you've made uh over the course of uh your service on the commission.

Yes, so um it's been uh a year now since I was first appointed when I first came in front of the board.

Uh Mayor Simmons had given me a call and asked if I'd want to uh apply and be on the board, which I gladly accepted and was looking forward to doing.

Um it's been a year now being on the board serving with uh my fellow colleagues, and one thing that I can easily say is I've been surprised, not so much surprised as much as um expected um the caliber of the professionalism of the police force and of the commission themselves and my colleagues and how they conduct themselves.

And every time we have had our meetings, just listening to the chief and his his uh captains and lieutenants present information to us, um, has always been stellar, it's always been up front, always been willing to answer any question, given us full details as to what to what they could tell us, especially in terms of investigations.

But in the past year, just seeing them and how they conduct themselves both in the meeting and how they conduct themselves in the city have been exemplary.

As you all probably know, we've had two high profile events in the past year where they uh conducting themselves in a way which really uh put the city in a positive light with how they've um present themselves as a police force to the extent that um you know they provide exemplary safety for us here as citizens, and I have a little reason why I wanted to be on the board and continue on to serve.

So it's been a great experience uh both in serving and in watching our police force do an exemplary job.

Well, thank you, sir.

I appreciate that.

Um Coach Hair Gardner.

My question, I see you have a zero two zip code.

So I imagine you live in the downtown-ish area, like I do, or close by, absolutely.

That's fine.

Um I I it's my understanding that there is uh limited police resources to police downtown effectively at the moment in Stanford, either not enough uh units or offices to be publicly stationed downtown.

And I think they offer obviously they they serve downtown, but it's more of a sort of skeleton staff, perhaps doesn't have the presence throughout the day, which may be necessary.

Do you do you feel that's a valid statement?

And do you feel that uh downtown needs more attention from our police force?

Well, I think they try to do the best they can with the workforce that they have, and obviously they've applied to the city for increasing the numbers and thanks to all the members that supported your request.

Um, but the city is growing.

Um they should grow with it in terms of the the staffing.

Uh, but what they're trying to do with what they have, um, you know, they could always do more, uh, but they're using every tool at their disposal, using new technologies and using new policing methods that provide good safety for what they can and can't do.

Um, so I think they do as best a job as they can.

Obviously, we would like to see more police officers walk in the beat and being in the community, um, but they can't be everywhere at once.

So they do try to prioritize, and those are the questions that we ask um the the chief and his and his uh and his folks as the police commissioners as to how can they do it better, and then they let us know what is to be needed and how we can best support them.

Thank you.

Do you find that uh new technology uh fiber cameras uh drone technology uh extends the reach of the force given the numbers that we have uh and and to what extent does that balance that equation?

I know the the force didn't get quite as many officers as they requested on this go-round.

Um is there any value to uh this advance of technology uh uh to balance that equation?

Um I believe yes.

The answer is yes to that.

Uh the new technology is a tool that they can easily use uh to be in places that actual officers can't be.

Um drones uh specifically really does provide an overreach and aerial view of a situation that doesn't put their officers at high risk and gives them a chance to assess the situation and then deploy the resources properly.

It's been used quite well in the military.

Um I work for the state of Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Uh we use drone technologies uh for our engineering uh review of bridges and roadways.

Uh so embracing new technologies to help you do your job better is a welcome addition to all the other tools that they may have.

And I think it's great that the city is forward thinking and supporting those endeavors for our force.

Um there's another city that is actually not wanting to do something like that, and I think that's a detriment um to the city, to their city and to their citizens and their police force.

I'm glad to say that Stanford's not one of them.

Is it is that a philosophical um uh point of view, uh, you know, like good old-fashioned feet on the ground police work versus uh uh a more tech technological approach or uh I wouldn't say it's philosophical budget driven or it could be budget driven, it could be just fear of technology, it could just be a little bit more cautiousness in embracing new technologies, and being um not wanting to be the first uh first mover.

So Stanford is sort of leading the way.

I think the successes that they will show that it brings will allay the fears of those other towns that may not may not have been as quick uh to make that decision.

But I think over time they're gonna see the value for what it is if it's done and embraced properly um that it'll it'll help them in the long run.

Well, thank you very much for that.

Uh representative pillow.

Yeah, um we we we've it's it's been brought up tonight that we have the same number of officers that we had basically in the force when the city's population was 30 percent smaller.

Uh one of the reasons I think we've been able to do that well is because of ditch jobs as a um force multiplier, if that's sustainable.

What was the kind of job you said?

Ditch jobs.

Ditch jobs.

Well, the policeman is all the policeman is out on the street.

That policeman is still tied into the force and can still respond to emergencies.

So uh the overtime jobs have in fact been a force multiplier for us.

And I and I think that's good, but I just don't know if it was it's it's the sustainable plan as you plan in the future or not.

Well, as I said a little bit earlier, I think this with the city growing, I think our police force has to grow with it.

Um is it sustainable over the long term?

I would guess not.

Um as the city grows, you're gonna need more officers so that they can provide the high level of safety that we would want and expect.

Um so I think any time that we have a chance to give them more resources, I would be supportive of that.

Do we have any uh other questions?

Well, thank you, sir.

Um we're gonna be uh oh wait, uh Representative Camperelli, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there.

That's okay.

Thank you, Chair.

Good evening, and thank you for stepping up and for all the service that you've already given.

Um I just I wanted to ask you the same question that I asked uh Ms.

Fidelity, and that is the the Stanford Police Department has uh a behavioral department that's just a few years old, and uh it had grown through some grant funding.

Um, and I think you know, very highly of it.

And I'm wondering what you think of it and how you see policing in the future in terms of behavior offices that are trained, uh behavioral social uh social workers, things like that, versus just regular traditional policing.

Uh thank you, uh representative.

I think that uh I I agree with representative uh I'm now hopefully Commissioner Fidel.

Um expanding the behavioral services, uh I would fully support and embrace uh the police are asked to do so much more than what they've had to do in the past.

Mental health is uh is an issue that it plagues the whole country, and we've seen daily uh instances where if it's not assessed properly, the wrong things can happen.

So having a behavioral unit and expanding their resources is only any it can be nothing but positive for the city if we continue to fund it and continue to grow it.

So I would fully embrace it.

I I want to thank you for drawing the parallel from what's happening right now in our streets to uh behavioral units, because that is exactly the reason that I've been stuck on asking this question tonight.

So thank you again.

And I yield the floor.

Thank you, uh Representative Cameron.

Uh Representative Pavia.

Thank you very much, sir.

Again, um Commissioner Leone, I I can't think of a better, more qualified person than him.

I've been following you, sir, uh my whole life.

I remember your signs of we talked about this at the last when you were appointed last time.

And I just wanted to um ask you the same question that I asked um Mary Fidelity, but since drones were brought up, can I ask you a drone question?

Sure.

Thank you.

Um might be more philosophical than it is like your actual opinion, but I think drone technology is great for so many reasons, right?

At what point or do you see a point where it's a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights?

Well, you know, drone technology, uh, if used improperly, uh, could invade people's privacy.

Um, but I know our police force and the rules around drone technology and how they can use it and how they're not able to use it is pretty clear.

Um, and we as the commission, we would have that oversight to ask those type of questions if ever it was used in the wrong way.

Um, since it's a relatively new tool for the for the force here in Stanford, I think they're using it cautiously.

Uh, but in the the last incident um that they were able to deploy it, it gave them an overview of the field uh to assess the situation and make sure that not only their officers but the community was safe and had to deploy the resources to to thwart the threat.

Um so when it's used properly, uh I don't think the Fourth Amendment uh rights will be violated.

If there could always be a chance of misuse, but I think with all the safety controls that we have here in the city um and other elected officials and how our city is run, um, I don't see that happening anytime soon, and I hope never.

Well, that's great.

That's great that you have uh oversight over it, and as you just said, there are rules regarding like the protocol of using drone technology, right?

That's a very assurance.

Yes.

Well, and thank you.

And I would just ask you the um same question I asked Ms.

Fidelity about uh you too are also very well known, um, and uh all for good reasons.

Um what happens if you get that call or see a friend in the street who has a complaint about that one percent time that you know cop that doesn't maybe handle himself allegedly great.

Right.

Uh well I think as mentioned, uh following the rules and following the process.

Uh I would see myself is if anyone comes to me for guidance or questions, it's to point them in the right direction and to go to the first uh level of uh how it should be addressed and then what the protocols are, and then if they need any further assistance, you know, happy to assist them uh to the extent possible.

But it's pretty much putting them in the right direction, talking to the right people so that they put themselves in the best flight.

Commissioner Leone, thank you so much.

Thank you for your service, and I look forward to working with you again.

Thank you.

I yield.

Thank you, representative.

Thank you, Representative Pavia.

Uh any any other questions from the table from the uh from the screen.

Well then, thank you, sir.

Thank you, thank you.

And thank you for everyone and the board and the folks back at home.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

All right, our our our next uh agenda item is A32.008.

Uh also the police commission, uh, also a reappointment, Robert Oliera.

Uh did I pronounce you name properly, sir?

Yes, I mean, but oh, Roberto.

Okay, yes, yes, sir.

Uh as a reappointment, the term expires on December 1st, 2029, and uh uh was submitted by uh Mayor Simmons.

Uh welcome, sir, and thank you so much for joining us in the uh inclement weather.

Thank you for having me.

I would like to pick up on a point that uh Representative Pavia made.

Uh yeah, my understanding is that the city now employs the use of almost 200 cameras in and around town.

Um and and I do worry from time to time uh surveillance state, you know, so much of our personal information is uh has uh found its way into many different hands, and and uh you know how how concerned should a citizen who's worried about their privacy be about uh the the amount of surveillance that uh that that does occur on a routine and daily basis?

Um, definitely I'm very big in uh technology.

I know technology does what I do for dating, and I totally fulfill and one of the biggest things that I believe we have here at the department is that uh we have procedures, and you everybody mentioned here is amazing, and he's really going to based on their procedures, and we as commissioners we're doing also the same thing, and uh definitely we we have to stick to the policies and procedures to use those commands and also applies that to the drone.

I look at it more on the positive side than the negative that will happen.

So I would say uh I'm not concerned.

I feel safe.

Like those um devices.

Right.

Okay.

Um the other questions?

Uh coach.

I know we talked about the technology.

I think we all love to talk about technology when it comes to policing, clearly.

I recently saw uh No Work Police has uh employed the new axon body cameras, which can do live translation, uh, where they can translate between a um a person on the street who make as a problem, can translate whatever language they speak from 150 languages into the police officer's language, and then vice versa with this body camera technology.

How would you uh you know I think a truly innovative invention which could really make a big difference in modern policing?

How would you balance the need for a sort of a large investment like that with I'm sure other big investment needs which you need throughout the police force?

How would you balance that sort of choice that you have tonight complication?

Um definitely, as I said, you know, I really enjoy uh technology, but um one thing that you know regarding the device that you're talking about is the diversity that we have in our town, and I think it's definitely going to be very helpful.

Um, luckily, I believe so far, and I'm gonna speak especially on the Spanish community.

We have a good amount of police officers, Spanish speaking that are available for translation and can help.

But uh in general, I think definitely I will have to review all the requirements and what's needed in order for us to implement or support that.

I support, as I mentioned before, on the technology side, it's great.

Um, but of course we have to see, I'm sure there will be a cost associated with it.

So definitely I will review those.

Thank you.

Representative, uh, thank you.

Um, let's take into another controversial technology issue related to policing.

Um facial recognition software uh has started to become popular uh in in in law enforcement.

Um can you share with us to the extent that you that you know?

Um how, if at all uh the Stanford Police Department is using facial recognition software, what are the safeguards that are built in so that it's not being misused?

Um, and what you see is its potential coming forward.

Um honestly I haven't really seen how the software is being used.

Uh, but once again, uh normally what we do in the commission is we try to go and review all our procedures in anything that the police is or the police officers are doing.

Um not that familiar with the uh Facebook mission that they're using the software, uh, but definitely you know, I would go and I always uh like to ask questions and learn about it.

Okay, all right.

Thank you.

Uh co-chair.

Sorry for the second question.

Could you could you tell us about uh a particularly rewarding experience you've had on the commission so far?

Because I see you've been on for four years at this point.

Yes, yep.

Can you tell us about something which you uh a key moment, something which you remember as uh as a great achievement or a great uh experience you have on the board so far?

Definitely.

I think um first of all, I'm gonna say something that really motivated me to be part of this commission is I really enjoy getting involved with the community and reaching out to people.

Um one key moment, and we all know what happened a couple of years ago with this accident here on um Washington Boulevard, where I was heavily involved, and I think that was uh we had a great achievement that I believe started somehow with me because I got a lot of calls from the Spanish community and not only the Spanish community, but the community in general, um, asking me about the situation of those two people that were killed, uh it was in 2022.

That week they were I mean, there were so many organizations, and I followed social media, and I saw it and I got information also from the police department, so many organizations, not only in Stanford, but also um in the state and from other states.

They were planning to have a big march, a big protest here in um in Stanford, and it was gonna be a lot of people.

So that was something that I got heavily involved with, and we were able to stop button.

They were gonna do it.

The accident was on um, I believe it was a Saturday morning.

The march was prepared for the next Sunday, where all the restaurants in Stanford they donated food, and they were gonna have a you know, people can go and pay, eat, and that all the part of the profit will go to the family.

Um the march was prepared just two hours before the dinner.

So that even though if you you were to go to dinner just to help the community or to help the family, you're gonna be part of this march without you knowing because you're gonna be at the same place.

Um that morning, that was the first time that I met with the family, and they're attorneys because they wanted to talk to me.

And 110 we met, we were supposed to meet, and at 11 in the morning I got the message that the march has been cancelled that day.

Us a community and of course the police department, I've been five uh police commission.

Thank you.

And if you probably start.

Thank you, uh Chair Garden.

Any anybody else?

Uh do we have any hands up on the uh on the board there?

Well, thank you, sir.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you.

Yes, thank you.

Uh next item on the agenda is uh number seven, uh32.009.

Uh again, uh we appointment to the police commission, uh uh Rodney Bass uh for a term that expires on uh December 1st, 2029.

Let's see it back here, Ms.

Mr.

Bass.

Uh welcome and thank you so much for coming in.

Thanks, thanks for your service uh over these many many years in Stanford and in so many different uh capacities as uh as the uh husband of a middle school teacher.

Uh I particularly appreciate uh your perspective uh with respect to that.

So my honor.

So thanks.

Um tell me, as uh a Stanford kid uh growing up and finding yourself in in this uh position, uh what are your observations?

Um well I I'm uh like my other fellow commissioners, I'm I'm pretty excited about the direction uh that the department is going in.

Uh one of the things that I think uh the commission has been committed to is making sure that we're putting um the best people uh forward, and we're looking very specifically um because most of us that grew up in Stanford remember a flow, a particular tone that the city has.

And uh, you know, we when I first got on the commission, um, I noticed that there were uh a number of people uh on the department that were from other places.

And um the uh as uh Mrs.

Fidelity talked about um the uh movement of people getting more concerned and excited about um employment uh in the department that are members of the community, I think uh bolsters our opportunity to um have a safer place because of the familiarity with the neighborhoods and the people uh that that we serve.

And um I I see that um when we on our on our opportunities to to hire a number of uh former students, um, you know, and and other people that that um are now interested in working for the department that are from the communities, and um we feel pretty good about the fact that uh these homegrown products are going to serve our community very, very well.

Thank you, sir.

Uh Representative Wagner.

Okay, thank you.

Um, thanks.

Thanks for thanks for meeting with us, sir.

Um, and and thank you for a lifetime of uh of generosity to this community.

Um I I think I think we we we probably all agree that one of the reasons for the success of the of the Stanford Police Department is um is its most senior level, it's most senior leadership.

Um and we talk about that a lot, and and you know, clearly you know, Chief Shaw and his direct reports uh deserve an enormous amount of credit.

Um we don't talk as much about um about what we're doing to develop the next generation of leaders in the department.

Um so I was hoping that you could um give us some insights uh from your perspective uh what uh what the poll what the Stanford Police Department is doing to groom the next generation of leadership um and what it needs to be doing going forward.

Well, one of one of the things that I think that the department is doing um with the diversity of uh various departments within the larger department um are giving people opportunities to move into various areas of human services, behavioral other places, and by virtue of those particular um areas within the department, even though it does pull from the patrolling at times, which is why we need more officers so that we we don't get depleted, but those particular opportunities that they get in SWAT and other places helps them to develop uh um certain skills that absolutely are fundamental and necessary to take that next step up.

But those particular opportunities that they get in SWAT and other places helps them to develop certain skills that absolutely are fundamental and necessary to take that next step up.

One of the things that I think I'm most proud of is seeing the chief's appointment of people that have come up through the ranks.

So many of the people that are now in those leadership positions have been homegrown products of Stanford for a long time.

So again, the flow and temperament of the city has not been interrupted, nor do we have to grapple over some types of ideas and concepts because there's an understanding of that particular flow.

So I think that there are some things.

Certainly we can continue to investigate it.

But I want to say one thing too about the necessity of really promoting and enlarging the department.

When I first got on the commission, we hired 29 people, and we were so pleased with ourselves.

And 34 people retired.

That short lives.

We understand the dynamics here in Stanford.

So certainly getting some young people into some opportunities that they would have beyond you know patrolling, but certain other areas within the department does create that enthusiasm and certainly I think can be a springboard to preserve the seniority and the flow that the department is now working on.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's very that's very insightful.

It gives and frankly gives me considerable comfort.

Appreciate that.

Majority leader, Morrison.

Thank you.

Having our own academy here.

How much has that led?

How much has that lent to having more people from Stanford?

I think it's been very fundamental.

And certainly with the space that's been provided by the by the new facility, having our people here as opposed to transport, we're eliminating some of the pitfalls that could happen, you know, with moving up to Meriden and other places where formerly we've had to send many of our people.

And it's given the department an opportunity to, as you, if you've ever come by early in the morning to see them out in front of, you know, it's given our community a chance to see uh what the department is doing uh here, and of course it generates interest, especially I think we heard earlier, possibly for our young people uh to see that they might be interested and they'll ask the questions, go to the websites and and and possibly become uh potential candidates for for being here.

So I think it's a very, very great move to have to have our academy here.

I'm very happy to hear that because when when we first when the academy first started, uh that's one of the outcomes I hoped would become evident in short order.

Sure.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Representative Hill.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Uh Mr.

Bass, you have uh personally invested your time, energy as a PAL.

Could you share some things about the PAL program?

Yes, actually, um the the PAL program, um, I volunteered to uh help get it off the ground as the executive director for the first uh six, eight months of of its development.

Um, but it has it is growing.

Um we we've of course got knocked down a little bit with the federal cutbacks because some of the monies that were um set aside for the um support of staff members there uh hindered you know some of the movement forward.

But I think it's an integral part of the community, and many people in that area had become mistrustful uh of the building, had become mistrustful of the use of the building and having familiar faces because uh and I don't know that the chief knew that, but you know, that's my own neighborhoods.

So, you know, having to sit in the desk for a while and dealing with some of the students that were there playing sports and other things just gave me another opportunity.

I'm also a member of uh a fraternity, um, Omega Sat Fi fraternity, and we um basically use the facility as our meeting places, and it is also allowed the brothers within the fraternity to talk about mentoring.

And so, you know, again, these are the types of things that a community center should be, and for PAL to adopt those particular necessities, I think it's been tremendously important.

Um, so that the community now, the library and other people are using it and bringing forth that interest of using the building, keeping the lights on and becoming more and more comfortable with running in and out of there.

Um, so that that has been uh a very important uh first step, and I can only see we have a new executive director now there, and she's doing a great job of moving um more activities within the facility, and uh we're we're excited about that as well.

Oh, Robert, okay, co-chair uh gardening.

Uh Mr.

I'm I I hear you talking about community policing.

Very important.

Um I understand that the police office substation, which is on High Ridge Road, 1137 High Range Road, I believe that may not be the station in the future as the least is closed.

Do you believe in community policing actually having a physical presence in all localized regional areas of Stanford?

Absolutely, I do.

Um, and um, you know, coming up in Stanford when you um had officers that were walking the the neighborhood um and you knew them by name and they knew you um that this benefits you know um the communication.

We talked a little earlier um uh uh about communication and making sure that it's correct communication.

And if devices and other kinds of things makes that a greater opportunity, then of course we can uh um minimize uh era and doing things that that unfortunately happened because of the lack of communication.

So certainly having um officers that are you know assigned to particular area neighborhoods and other places is a tremendous benefit for all of us, and especially if in fact those officers are um from this area, and we have we have done our due diligence to hire people that that have met the requirements and also as a benefit live in this area.

I think it's just a plus for us.

Thank you.

Well uh oh, uh representative.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I just want to say that um Mr.

Bass is one of the most beloved people in Stanford.

Um as an educator, I've always known his name and known what he does.

And um and I said this last time, and I just he has my total endorsement for this.

I couldn't think of anybody better besides the other two in the room, so it's equal.

But I had to fix that one really quick.

Um Mr.

Bass, I want to ask you because of that the background as a school principal, um, and we're talking about community policing, and I just came up with this question is school resource officers were sort of like when I went to high school.

I remember Officer Jeter and Officer Baldwin.

They were all around, and everybody knew them and trusted them.

They had a relationship with everybody.

That seems to have, at least in the middle schools, gone away.

I think there's one resource officer to all the middle schools.

Um do you have any thoughts on that?

Uh or well, certainly um the the thought is to um bolster our opportunities to uh replenish our middle schools, a middle school is a secondary, um, and I certainly will not get on a box, but um it's a critical time to really have um because kids are changing in every imaginable way from sixth grade to to eighth grade, and to have um police officers that aren't necessarily just representing law enforcement but counselors and and talking and another set of ears to hear from and um having those opportunities uh within each secondary school, I think is Paramount as well as elementaries.

Um, you know, we we're having situations now within the schools, um, not me, but other people are having situations where you know behavioral outbursts um are happening um in the elementary schools where kids you know have to be um watch very closely, and you know, sometimes because of bad choices will bring weapons to school and other things that you know, police officers need to get involved in, hence behavioral kinds of preparation um are absolutely necessary.

One of the things that makes tremendous administrators in the school system um is having specialized training um so you know the special ed um uh people that have had special ed training become tremendous administrators because they know the alternatives they know how to deal with it same thing within the police department if in fact you have um people that have behavioral skills you know they're approaching um uh situations with a plethora of opportunities to do different things as opposed to just straight going in um you know as a battering ram and maybe some of the older sets of ways that we used to do things so certainly having resource officers um is is paramount in our schools because it creates good relationships with the department as well as giving students um you know of opportunity to have a person of authority um be a guidance counselor and and additional support as well as having the opportunity to call home and to develop um more relationships with families which is which is critical I love that you said that Mr.

Bass about them being like counselors and somebody to talk to and I like that you brought up elementary schools because it also establishes a from a young age like a relationship where you know with all that's going on in the news media and everything we see on TV I it also shows that not all policemen are are are bad right which is kind of what we're seeing on TV you know not totally articulated to us of that answer.

And I would just ask you um the same question that I asked Ms.

Fidelity Mr.

Leone is that one percent chance where you get a call um you also are very well known and somebody tells you about the one percent chance of of uh incident police misconduct how do you answer that call well I as my colleague said before um uh and if anybody does know me already knows pretty much the answer that I would give um you know in terms of redirecting them back to the proper channels um you know I I have had the opportunity um as a member of the community to have a number of people uh call me and ask a question and I've always told them um if there is a question that you have that you don't feel comfortable calling the department um certainly I will serve as an opportunity to ask that question and get back to you as to what the answer might be but certainly um uh directing people to the uh appropriate protocols um is the first thing that any of us would do rather than stand out and misrepresent ourselves as some type of authority outside of our job um on the commission thank you for everything um your service to Stanford throughout all the years and uh your continued uh service on police commission thank you chair I yield uh thank you uh representative Pavia uh any other questions uh from the board well um you know we're we're uh we're we're we're blessed uh to have such an exemplary group of uh candidates uh for the and and members of the uh police commission and uh all with amazing resumes uh and and no aspersions to uh to the resumes that I've read but uh reading yours is as as a writer uh read like a novel it was a really beautiful and and um I just just just wrong into it and uh uh so so thank you uh for that uh uh that was really beautiful um I I think we're we're we're we're we're we're uh on to the next agenda item uh 832 uh uh zero one oh zero ten uh for the police commission uh Michael Fidelity uh this is a reappointment to a term that expires uh December 1st 2029 uh submitted by mayor simmons um is uh oh snuck that was very good part of the drone program well thank you so thank you for joining us my pleasure thank you for having us and and among those uh those great cvs i i was looking at yours and I was I was struck by um uh your your European travels uh for for business and and and and um uh having done a bit of that myself uh I I was curious uh from from the perspective of a member of the police commission uh if in the course of your travels you observe

Oh well, thank you.

So thank you for joining us.

My pleasure.

Thank you for having us.

And and among those uh those great CVs, I I was looking at yours and I was I was struck by um uh your your European travels uh for business and and and uh and um uh having done a bit of that myself, uh I I was curious uh from the perspective of a member of the police commission, uh if in the course of your travels you observed anything of uh of interest, uh uh methods of police work that uh maybe you just happened to witness on the street, or maybe you actually fove uh a little deeper into it.

Um if you had any observations you'd care to share.

Yeah, our our current drone program, the the the new one, I guess that we have the uh drones up there is actually something that started out in Europe, and I'm glad to see we have it here in Stanford.

Uh and a lot of the privacy issues that you know people may be concerned with, we've taken that's already been addressed.

And that was one of the concerns actually the commission had when she and uh director of public safety came to us.

You know, well, you know, they seem to driving at 400 feet, they're going by people's apartments.

Um they can actually go from one end of Stanford to the other in 90 seconds.

Um so which is great for a response perspective, uh and uh you know, eyes on the incident before patrol car can even get there.

Um, but that that's that's something that that Europe has been far ahead of us.

And and where you haven't seen it, and uh uh Commissioner Leone mentioned it in one of the towns here in Fairford Caleb where they shot it down, it's really been uh a municipality where the police department and the government, there's some mistrust there with that question early on, and there's a concern there that I think that's more because I don't think anyone um would disagree being able to get eyes on something so you know what you're getting into before someone gets there is not the right thing to do.

So that that that you're the Europeans are far ahead of us in that in that program.

In fact, even some cities in uh it's kind of actually cities in the US that have implemented this.

I believe the department went to a uh municipality in California, the name escapes me, where um by the time the patrol car got to the incident, the incident was cleared because what was originally was reported, the dispatcher or the drone pilot could see what was actually going on and could say it was well, it was really this, it wasn't that.

And it was a quick call, which then puts that car back in service much quicker than if they got there, had to figure out what was going on and then going back into service.

Yeah, well, I would imagine it would also uh uh maybe not eliminate but certainly mitigate you know these action movie car chases uh because you just got in the air.

We we uh just had an incident a couple of weeks ago with uh some individuals that uh uh during broad daylight, again, an LPR license plate reader in uh White Plains picked up well, the stolen vehicle was picked up uh on uh interstate 95, it dumped out on exit seven here.

They bailed uh over by the Sikorsky where the square feet bridge used to be.

And the way they found both uh individuals was through the heat sensor.

So they can see body heat because they were buried in the leaves that there was no snow at the time, somebody was gonna be buried in the snow, but he was in the leaves.

Whereas, you know, the patrol they saw one of the individuals actually take the gun and throw it into the river.

Uh this is before anybody even got there.

Right.

Right.

So I mean, it's just just you know, kudos, kudos, kudos.

But those programs, the the drone program, the behavioral health unit, all the people that that man those units get drawn from patrol, right?

So when we take from patrol, we have to backfill.

And I think one of the things that uh uh you know to Mary's point about the Board of Finance that they don't understand, I think the Board of Reps does is uh being a police officer, even a fireman or an EMS, it's not like you apply for the job and then you hire three people and they go to work the next day, right?

You know, our experience being on the department, you've got at least a year between um the uh academy, six months, then 90 days of field training, so that's nine, you know, nine months, uh, before you have a productive individual where they can go on and be by themselves.

And so if we were ever in need of five more, ten more, it's not like you can just say, well, here they are, you know, they'll be on the job next month.

Um, there's that purse.

You have to plan for that.

And there's also the the planning for the retirements.

Um, you know, we we've hired during the four years I've been on this commission, uh a large number of patrol officers, a lot because of the way we now do testing, um, like we used to do it back in the day.

So we're getting more people, we have our own academy, which makes it much more uh quicker for us to get people out on the street and become Stanford specific with the academy, but it takes time.

So, you know, when we go and they we go before the Board of Finance for 13 officers, it's not because we're being pig-ish, it's because we're looking at retirements.

We're looking at these specialty units that are coming on and where those that those people are to be needed to run them and to promote them and to support them and train them.

Um so it's it's still a balancing act, but hopefully we'll get a lot better at it.

And at the risk of sounding naive, um is is a drone off as a drone operator of a police officer who's all that training.

So the two can be deployed on the street or we have two sets of drones.

We have drones that are actually on the in the cars with police officers, and then we have two drones right now, uh, third one's on order.

Um it's going the third one's gonna go at the Central Fire Station Training Academy down in Japan.

We have one on uh this building, and we have one up at the Turn River Fire Department.

Okay.

Um dispatch when they get a call and they need to utilize the drone, launches the drone.

Umce the drone's in the air, it can then be handed off to either fire or police to control from that perspective.

Um so there's kind of a dual role.

So the the first dispatching of the drone is the the drone pilot here at the 911 center that sends it up in the air and and makes the initial uh determination.

Uh and um, and then based on that, there's a response, and they can then hand that off if need be to um police fire or EMS, or once they are on site, they can with it can call the drone back to base.

So the the drones are are are are based in these three different locales.

Right now, there's two.

The third one will be the central uh the fire training tower in uh Japan.

But they're they're initially operated from from uh dispatch E911 correct.

Right.

Yeah, and you and that you know, as a board, you probably should get a tour of it.

Roberto and I uh saw it in operation uh about a month ago.

We we spent half an hour up there and they popped it up, and you can really um it's amazing how from 400 feet and higher they can read a license plate, um, uh the information you can get the heat sensing, uh, where they can pick up body heat and uh things of that nature and how quickly they can go from one place to another and back.

Uh so it's it I recommend it as a board you should really take a tour, set it up and see that uh see that because it's incredible.

And that is really uh one of the questions that was asked earlier is about technology and stuff.

That's where it's gone.

I mean, we're we're gonna utilize technology uh safely um and for the all intents of privacy.

That's going to make policing fighting fires, providing EMS services much better than it's ever been because we'll be able to respond quicker with the tools that are needed to get there.

Thank you for that.

Uh Representative Hill.

Yes, sir.

Good evening.

Good evening, sir.

How are you?

Um if a citizen were to ask you, why don't we have a citizen for you board for the department?

How would you answer that?

We have one.

It's the police commission.

Okay.

Um if you look at item number as as the as the as the uh chairman for these last four years of commission, I've I run the agenda with this extreme dedicated great group of people.

I mean, I've I've served 14 years and I'm sorry, 18 years in elected positions in local and state government.

And I've served on a number of committees, and I've served a lot of great people.

But we have a you have a great team here.

These everyone here is Stanford invested, as you've heard.

Um item number four on our agenda every meeting is comments from the public.

And um early on uh when we got on, and I'm sure the other commissioners have been on with me for the last four years, would tell you that we did have uh folks who uh appeared and and we listened to them and and and and again the chief and the command staff is there and we fielded questions.

Um and we also get emails.

I we got an email uh as the commissioners over last yesterday afternoon, specifically to the police commission on a uh situation from a citizen who uh reported an incident uh that was being handled by internal affairs.

Um it was new to us as a commission.

Um I sent it to the chief and internal affairs.

I didn't know who this person was.

I just blanketly sent for the police commission.

And chief responded back, you were aware of it.

We've been working on this for six months, hold up to each at the next meeting, which is Monday night.

So we get that all the time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Representative.

Yeah, thank you.

Um I do have a technology question, sure.

Okay.

Uh is police is it is SPD utilizing um AI tools uh to help to uh uh assist in investigations, and if so, how are they using it?

Yeah, not beyond the traditional stuff that you and I would probably use, you know, relative to content uh remote content, things of that nature.

We we have not um started, you know, nor do I think it's at the journey that could be used in investigations.

Um there was a question about facial recognition.

We we don't currently do much any of that.

Um however, where facial recognition is used.

I'm gonna invert that question.

It's really used where the input to the facial recognitions are people you want to recognize.

What I mean by that, and the easiest one is there's a big ruha about facial recognition today about shop writing, possibly okay.

The input there is they're not capturing the data.

What they're doing is they're looking at the data that's stored of people who have shoplift and commit crimes in prior situations, and that's the comparative.

Right.

So I think there's a there's a misnomer that you know we're just sitting there collecting everybody's face and data.

Uh whenever you go to JFK Airport or LaGuardia Airport, smile.

Um you're on facial recognition from homeland security.

Um there they don't tell you that that that's happening.

Uh and if you've also traveled, you'll know all your biometrics are there.

If you want to board a plane with Delta, you now look at a screen and and you go on.

So I but I do believe the dangers of all that from a technology perspective are pretty bad.

But as I said, I think we've never been pioneers.

Um we have been in one area of the behavior health.

Um we're you're we know we are a uh uh forefront of that for our police department in the state of Connecticut, uh, which is great.

Uh and we need to continue to expand that, but that's gonna take people to do that.

Um, but most other things like the drone program, we weren't the first on the street, and and you know, addressing the privacy issues and things like that.

Other departments kind of were the pioneers.

I like to be right behind the cavalry.

You know, the pioneers are usually the ones with the arrows in their back.

Right.

So the cavalry is where you want to be.

Um, but I think if we continue that, you know, who knows what you know what could occur with AI and where it's going.

Thank you.

Thank you, Representative Bidenberg.

Uh Coach.

This is um I was speaking to uh representative um Webers earlier today, and we were speaking about um enforcement of various uh topics in Stanford's traffic enforcement, uh speed enforcement.

I think there is perhaps a public perception in Stanford that the levels of enforcement are not as high as they could be.

And I understand they go, you know, the police officers are doing work all the time, they're working.

Uh perhaps they're not doing stuff which is visible to the public and in that regard.

Do you think that's more of a resource issue, or is that a priorities issue in the in the Stanford police force, or is that something which uh is is happening, but just not something that's super necessary.

Yeah, I think the department is very much aware of the quality of life issues that occur when you're not enforcing uh speed, you know, speed, um what would you say traffic, you know, buses, um, when you're not enforcing illegal vape shops and things of that nature.

Again, it's all manpower related, right?

Uh we have a traffic department, Sergeant uh Bishop does a does a great job with it.

Um I think there's four people assigned to it.

But you know, you know the streets we have here.

Again, um speed cameras are going to help in that area, particularly around our school system.

Um if you've been to Greenwich, you've seen um the ones on North Street and around their school, and it's always funny.

Uh, having been someone who tries down to where people used to down the rest speed, now everybody kind of used to.

You used to, right?

And they're not doing it anymore.

Um, so I think speed camera is another great tool.

Uh again, there's gonna be some controversy with with with that aspect of it.

So I think, you know, and going back to to manpower and and things of that nature.

Um when you look at the I think it's 287 uh patrolmen and ladies we have right now today.

Um, that's under where we were 10, 15 years ago.

We were over 300.

And this municipality was much smaller, and this municipality didn't have as many specialty units.

And we've talked about a bunch of them tonight.

So for us to get better, uh, even though we are good and very good, um, we're gonna have to look at that not only from the perspective of the tools, you know, be it technology, uh, be it by implementation of of new services, but also with people that are gonna be driving this because everything still requires someone to be there.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Well, I think uh I think we're good to go.

Okay, I thought I was gonna get some true false questions or something else.

You could be any kind of uh animal.

There you go.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Fortunately, we've collected your biometrics.

Yeah, there you go.

Thank you, Mr.

Thank you.

My pleasure.

So uh we'll be uh we'll be gathering here now to uh to discuss all this, and then uh everything gets put to a vote uh on Monday.

Uh so we we really appreciate you all coming.

Um thank you, waving and and uh participating in the process.

So thank you so much.

Thank you, Vader.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.

You and the rest of you have a good year.

Thank you so much.

Stay warm.

Go for an extra log out there for you.

Thank you.

Bye bye now.

The Whip Finals breaking class right now.

Good night, good night, everyone.

Good night to everyone at home.

Good night, everybody.

Bye, thank you.

Bye.

Bye.

Thanks again.

Thank you.

So Rob.

So I had a couple of things that I wanted to say.

Uh is that uh representative Weathers?

Is that you?

Yes.

Yes, hi there.

Hi.

Um, let me know when it's appropriate for me to speak, please.

Oh, uh I the chair recognizes uh representative weathers.

Oh, yes, thank you so much.

So one thing I wanted to say was I think that we need to go on a tour as a board of the police department.

I went there personally this Friday because I contacted Chief Shaw concerning my son becoming an officer and joining the force.

He said he would love it, and so he assigned him two mentors.

We my son and I, we went to the police station and they spent over two hours with us.

And I think that every board representative should see what we have.

Each unit we went to see.

So we started in the bottom, we got to see the cells.

Have you been to the police department?

Have you seen the jail cells?

They showed us that.

We went to the drone unit.

They showed us the drones.

They do need a few more.

He's he's he's it's true, he is short.

Took us to the canine unit, had the dogs perform for us.

We did everything from A to Z in that police station.

And I think you would feel very proud being a Stanford resident if you could go.

So I don't know if we as a body can maybe like get our little brown bags and plan a little field trip.

You know, I'm a school teacher at heart, so yes, I'm gonna say brown bags and get all the little brown bags with our sandwich and our um cookie and go to the police station and let Sean show us exactly what these guys have.

I mean, we went to the bomb unit.

You name it every unit they put on a performance for us, and I think it would be beneficial because this will always be in the back of your mind in the future when you're voting on things or proposing things.

Uh majority leader uh Morrison.

Thank you.

Um three to represent weathers, I completely agree with you.

Uh, one of the things that used to be done in the past at the beginning of each term, um, public safety committee was invited to do uh get a tour of the department and do a ride-along.

So one of the things that I'm gonna be that is on my list already is to talk with uh Chief Shaw uh and Chief Red and arrange that perhaps not just for the public safety committee, but open it up to anybody who wants to do that.

So I'm right with you there, Danny.

Yeah, I'd love to do that, but that's really fabulous.

Uh thank you.

It'll be beneficial.

It'll help you with your decision making, I think.

Thank you.

Or to propose things during your you know your four year term of what modifications of what improvements, enhancements we need to do.

Um my other concern, as you all know.

I did a drive through my district, and I saw a lot of things that just are not welcoming, that makes Stanford look really bad.

And I don't think that anyone is enforcing the ordinances.

So I'm gonna keep on saying it.

I know Eric puts probably getting tired.

But we mentioned it a little bit with like with um the last gentleman that you were interviewing.

Why aren't the officers, if they're already on patrol, if they're already riding in their district, and they see a cement mixer on someone's front lawn in their grass.

Why doesn't the officer pull over and give them a violation?

This is literally what's in my district.

Huge trucks on the front of people's lawns.

Instead of being somewhere in a lot somewhere where it's supposed to be.

So I mean, what we we need more expansion, uh uh and more personnel or whatever to actually address these things because the neighborhoods are looking horrible, and I know that's illegal, but no one's saying anything to these people.

No, well, well, thank you, Representative Weathers.

Uh, I think I think we're starting to wander a little far afield uh uh of uh the appointments committee, but uh um yes, uh Representative Morrison.

No, I I thank you, uh co-chair.

I I think you're you're right on that point.

But uh Representative Weathers, what I'm gonna suggest is um speak to uh Chair Bouchard, uh public safety committee, bring these concerns to that committee, uh and and uh work with Chair Bashard uh and bringing them bringing these things to the attention of the department and whatever other departments are necessary to um address these concerns because they're they're all valid.

I know you said that I was getting off task, and maybe so, but you guys just finished saying to the last person that you interviewed about issuing citations and that the people that are on patrol, the officers that are on patrol are seeing things but not addressing them, and how can we maybe retrain or expand their level of responsibility to enforce these things that was just said.

Yeah, oh uh 100%.

Okay, so it's not I'm not that far off base.

That's kind of actually what triggered me to say it.

Because we're talking about the the officers on patrol needing to maybe do a little bit more and add some more duties and responsibilities to them.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Representative Weathers.

Uh uh, Representative Pavia.

Okay, I'm putting on my camera, but I didn't want to see be seen with this hat on.

Oh man, what are you doing with that thing, man?

Hey, come on, man.

We're gonna win.

You know, it's it's about my hair.

Quiet, Rami.

I mean, Madam President.

Um I uh I I first of all I love uh the idea that um what Representative uh Weathers just said about going to the police department.

I mean, not just for this appointments committee, just for us all uh as legislative oversight, you know.

I don't know why we're not doing that.

So thank you, Rep Wood Weathers, for that, you know.

And um, I would just also like to say, in terms of the the um the police commissioned um candidates that we saw tonight that I feel like they should be a superhero team, and if I could really ask them these questions like offline, I would ask them like what would their superhero name be?

I mean, like they're so qualified for for this, and I'll be supporting all of them.

That's all I just wanted to say.

I mean, you have so much um experience there, you know, so much.

I mean, uh a lot of them are are recommits.

Well, I'm just a big fan, and uh they answered my questions uh you know, satisfactory.

So I'm just gonna say that I'm supporting all of them tonight.

Uh I think and Mr.

Chairman, it's Pavia.

Look, I've taken it all night, but it's pavia.

Thanks.

Thanks.

You know, I I figured I was gonna butcher a name on this list, but no, I got I did it on our own committee, so I'm sorry, Bob.

It was me the last apologies.

No, it's all good and and I and I I I couldn't agree with you more about just how exemplary this this group was.

I I when I received the packet and I was going through these uh CVs, you know, we just realized what great hands uh we're in uh there.

And and uh so I I too was blown away, and then to to hear them speak, you know, each very different, each in their own way, uh each with their own unique perspective, just really impressive.

But I I I could say that for uh I could I mean I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but I could say that for every candidate we saw this evening.

I mean uh start starting with Mr.

Repegno and his take on the on the golf uh as a golfer, uh, couldn't agree with all of his perspectives more.

Uh couldn't agree with all of his perspectives more.

So uh really a great job uh on the part of the mayor and uh the various uh uh political committees and commissions that put this group forward to us because um uh uh maybe it's time to put it all to a move to put it all to a vote.

Uh but something tells me this should be a fairly quick process.

It will it mister Chair, I just I saw uh the flip.

Yes, go ahead.

I agree with everything you're saying, and I just want to say I I don't want to discount representative uh weathers for what everything she said right now.

She brings up a lot of good points, and now we're hiring the people that can help us do that, but also um representative um Morrison said, you know, the steps of public health and safety, that might be the way to go to address those problems and um uh Ms.

Weathers, I'd be happy to uh help navigate that if I can yeah, I would I would love to join Representative Weathers on that floor.

I think that would be fantastic.

Yeah.

Ben is super willing to take uh take a second pass through there.

Yeah.

And that's it.

I yield the the uh floor.

Representative Pavia is out.

Thank you.

Thank you, Representative Pavia.

Uh so uh do we do we have a motion to uh to take uh this begin taking these two vote?

Uh so we should take them in individually.

Yes, of course.

Of course, so separate motions.

So okay, so um so uh do we have a motion to uh to go to uh a thirty-two.003 uh Stanford Golf Authority.

Um uh Angelo Rapegno.

Um term expires 12128.

So moved.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Uh should we take it as a voice vote or is a roll call?

Call for any final discussion.

Oh uh, I'm sorry, I call for any final discussion.

Thank you, uh Representative Morris.

Any uh discussion with respect to um uh Mr.

Repegno.

Um so should we uh uh uh call for a voice vote?

Uh yeah, uh all in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Uh any opposed?

Any abstentions?

Uh so uh the numbers, it'd be one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

So you should.

Oh, okay, yes.

Right.

Nine doesn't have a little arms.

A B is a yes.

Withers is a yes, and my very okay.

We're doing two copies, Angie.

Okay, I got eight zero zero.

So thanks so much, Angie.

Uh all right.

Um so moving on.

Uh do we have uh a motion to move to A32.004 zoning board of appeals.

Alan uh Ben Zakin, uh so moved.

Yes, second.

All in favor?

All right.

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you.

Any opposed uh any uh abstentions all righty.

Um how do we do that?

You you wait while I write this all down and how this works.

Okay, um moving on to A32005 zoning boards of appeals uh alternate, and that was uh Mr.

Ernest uh Maharasso uh for a term that expires uh December 1, 2028, submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Uh do have a motion to take that to a vote.

So moved.

Uh second.

Thank you.

Uh all in favor?

Aye.

Uh any opposed?

Uh any abstentions.

All right, uh what it passes.

Oh, uh item number A three two dot oh oh five passes.

One, two, three, four.

Uh we're up to oh three.

Yeah, item three.

Uh oh, gotcha, got it.

Okay.

So so now uh moving on to uh item number four, which is A32006.

Uh the police commission, uh that would be uh Mary Fidely.

Uh term.

Thank you.

Second.

Uh all in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

All right.

Any abstentions.

Okay, uh, bear with me.

I'll do this as quickly as I can.

Uh okay, item number five, uh thirty-two oh seven, uh police commission.

Uh Carlo Leon, uh, this is a reappointment for a term that expires on December 1st, 2029, submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Uh motion to take it to a vote.

I move.

So moved to that.

Second.

Uh all in favor.

Aye.

All opposed.

Okay, so the ayes uh have that.

Uh item number six.

Uh police commission.

Uh Roberto Aviero.

Uh so reappointment uh for a term that expires December first, 2029.

Did I say uh A32.008?

Um now I did.

So uh submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Uh move to take it to a vote.

Second second.

Thank you.

Uh all in favor?

Aye.

Uh all opposed.

Uh any abstention.

Okay.

Uh moving along, uh number seven.

Uh A32.

Uh 009, uh police commissioner, uh, Mr.

Rodney Bass, uh reappointment for a term expires uh December 1st, 2029.

Uh submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Uh motion to take that to a vote.

Second.

Second.

Uh thank you.

Uh all in favor, say uh.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Uh any abstentions.

All righty.

Um and finally, um number eight, uh three two oh one oh uh for the police commission, Michael Fidel.

It's a reappointment to a term that expires December first, twenty twenty-nine, submitted by Mayor Simmons.

Uh motion to take it to a vote.

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Uh all in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Uh any uh abstentions.

Well then uh I believe uh we have uh concluded our business here this evening and uh motion to adjourn.

Sure.

Yes, uh uh uh President uh Shaw.

If you allow me, may I say uh sentence?

Yes, thank you.

I just want to um congratulate both of you co-chairs on a very well-run meeting.

Um agreed.

Did you say impose the sentence?

I'm sorry.

I think that's already been imposed.

Oh Carl.

Moment of moment of personal privilege.

Okay, can I thanks?

Thanks, Martin.

Thanks a lot.