Community Police Review Commission - Regular Meeting

We'd like to welcome you to the community police review commission meeting of April 23. This meeting is called to order at 05:31.

Pursuant to the city council meeting rules adopted by resolution number 24,076, members of all boards and commissions and the public are reminded that they must preserve order and decorum throughout the meeting. In that regard, members of all boards and commissions in the public are advised that any delay or disruption in the proceedings or a refusal to obey the orders of the city council or the presiding officer, constitutes a violation of these rules. The city of Riverside is committed to fostering a workplace that provides dignity, respect, and civility to our employees, customers, and the public they serve.

Would Commissioner Gutierrez please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

Ready to begin? I pledge

Thank you. Now we'll take a moment of silence. Thank you. We now move on to item number one, the election of officers.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Lorena Verdusko, assistant, city clerk. I will be conducting or facilitating the election of officers tonight. Just for the record, record, I'm gonna take roll. Please, state that you're here when your name is called. Commissioner Garcia? Here. Commissioner Dillon? Here. Commissioner Lundy? Here. Commissioner Ward? Here. Commissioner Ferguson? Here. Commissioner Gutierrez? Here. And commissioner Abel?

Here.

For the record, commissioner Teichert is absent tonight. Thank you. We will be taking, the, election of officers individually with the chair first. We did have a nomination at, our last meeting and commissioner Bell was nominated for chair. Commissioner Bell, do you accept the nomination?

Yes.

Okay. Could we have a vote for Commissioner Bell to serve as chair, please? I'm sorry before that vote is released do we have any other nominations? For chair? Sorry I did not give you that opportunity.

If there are none then if you would please vote again for Commissioner Bell as chair. I I'm so sorry. We're gonna have to do that again. So if there are no other nominations for chair, and if you agree with that, if you would, please say yes when I call your name. Commissioner Garcia? Yes. Commissioner Dillon? Yes. Commissioner Lundy?

Yes.

Commissioner Ward?

Yes.

Commissioner Ferguson? Who? Yes. Commissioner Gutierrez? Yes. Commissioner Bell?

Yes.

Okay. With no other nominations, would you please vote for, commissioner, chair, or chair of Bell? The nomination passes unanimously. Thank you. Okay, we move on to, the position of vice chair. Do I have, at the last meeting we had a nomination, member or Commissioner Garcia for vice chair. Do we have any other nominations for vice chair?

Can I nominate more than one, if possible, so we can vote? Nominate, Eileen, Tickert and or Violet Gutierrez. I'm sorry. For the commissioners that are nominated for vice chair, do you accept the nomination? Commissioner Garcia?

Commissioner Gutierrez?

Yes. Commissioner Teichert is not here. But she is eligible to be voted for. So if you would state your vote verbally, please, as to which member you would like to vote for. I'll start with Commissioner Garcia.

Commissioner Dhillon?

Commissioner Gutierrez.

Commissioner

Lundy? Commissioner Gutierrez?

Commissioner, Ward? Who do you vote for, please?

Abstain.

Commissioner Ferguson? I would like to abstain.

Commissioner Gutierrez? For yourself? Commissioner Gutierrez for herself and Commissioner Bell, please.

I'll go with Commissioner Gutierrez. I think they're all great candidates.

So we have five votes in favor, two abstentions and one absence. So Commissioner Gutierrez is Vice Chair. Congratulations. Thank you. So, at this moment, we'll take a five minute break just to reassign the seat, and then we will take roll again.

And now we go to public comment. Now it's time for public comment to comment on matters within the jurisdiction of the Community Police Review Commission. You're invited to participate in person or call at (951) 826-8688. Press 9 to be placed in the queue to speak. Individuals in the queue will be prompted to unmute by pressing 6 when you are ready to speak. To participate via Zoom, select raise hand function to request to speak. Individual audience participation is limited to three minutes. Do we have any comments from the audience? We do have one. Pamela Hall.

And you have three minutes.

Okay. Do I have to

press a button or is it on?

No, it's on.

It's

on. Thanks. Good evening, commissioners. I'm here to talk about a complaint I have regarding an officer that I had an experience with. My complaint number is PC2412063. If anybody hasn't had a chance to review it, and you're new, I know there's some new folks up here, then please review it. I sent in a very detailed complaint with photographs. I was pulled over back in October 2024. My citation still is not in the court system, and I put in my formal complaint in December, so it took four months to get here. Not sure what that's all about, but it seems like it shouldn't be that long.

I wanted to point out that Riverside PD's website states their core values as, We act with humility and grit to reduce fear and crime while treating all with respect, compassion, and fairness. Humility is the quality of having strength without ignorance. Officer Barragan did not represent any of that when she pulled me over. She pulled me over stating that I had an obscure license plate. The photographs I provided in my complaint show very clear photographs, which I took immediately following the incident, so that there was no cleaning or fixing of anything.

I sent dated, stamped, timed pictures that show, all of my registration stickers are clear and legible. Both lights were working. My license plate frame was not covering anything. There was absolutely nothing obscure about my license plate. Every single day, I see years past due registration stickers on cars and tinted plastic covers on license plates and all kinds of ridiculous frames, so I'm not sure why she felt the need to pull me over that night, but it I have none of those issues on my license plate.

I bought I bought the car last year, and when I got it registered at the DMV, I asked specifically for a new August sticker because the one on it was faded. So I knew that was brand new. I knew my lights were working. I was very on the ball when she asked me about it. I said, I know all that's working. So, I don't know what her personal reasonings were, but the entire time she was rude, she treated me like I was a criminal, asked me if I had any warrants out for my arrest for no reason. It was just bizarre. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. I'm like, you know, I'm a 53 year old lady. I don't know.

It just was bizarre. I did not warrant how she treated me at all. When she asked me specifically for my registration oh shoot, I'm running out of time. Anyways, please review my complaint that I sent in. Thank you.

Thank you. There

are no callers online.

Thank you. We will now move to the consent calendar. Does anyone wish to pull an item from the consent calendar for discussion? And all the items under consent calendar will be taken at once. Do we have a motion to approve the consent calendars as is?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Thank you. Go ahead, please vote.

Item passes with, six affirmative votes and one abstention. Thank you.

Now we're moving into the discussion calendar. Frank.

Good evening commissioners. And, we are here, as I'm opening this up again for stage one of the Tracy OID incident that occurred a couple of years ago. We're still in in phase one because last month, I was asked about the, a PRA request for the video, body worn camera videos and surveillance videos at the motel. And the request was made with, Riverside County Sheriffs. I made the request with Riverside County Sheriffs, and also did the same with Hemet PD.

And what I received from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department is just referring the commission to the public information, video that they do with, all officer or deputy involved shootings, that is released to the public within a few weeks of the event, rather than, responding to the actual body worn camera videos that requested, and also the surveillance cameras videos. PEMET Police Department never responded at all. So we're at a point now where it was going to be my recommendation and suggestion that you use your subpoena powers to issue subpoenas for the body worn camera videos and surveillance videos that were a part of this event from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, also from the Hemet Police Department. So in without that, it appears that you're not proceed ready or to proceed with this case any further until you're, having the opportunity to view those videos. So this is going to be up to you.

So we'll open it up to public comment. To comment on the matters within the jurisdiction of this community police review commission, you are invited to participate in person or call at (951) 826-8688. Press 9 to be placed in the queue to speak. Individuals in the queue will be prompted to unmute by pressing 6 when you are ready to speak. To participate via Zoom, select the raise the hand function to request to speak. Individual audience participation is limited to three minutes. Do we have any comments from the audience?

We have no one here in the chambers in person, and we have no callers online for item seven. Thank you.

Thank you. Do we have any comments from the commissioners?

I think my my wondering is if we were to subpoena the body worn camera and juxtapose it against what's currently available on the public website, is there a significant difference? Have we been apprised? Will we be subpoenaing information that will clearly have already been released to the public? Or has it been so redacted and or so, bifurcated that it will not suffice?

None of the videos were released. The only release of anything is what the sheriff's department provided, which is on their website, as they do with all incidents of this nature. It's a general public information video that they do with the event. There's very, little of the actual body worn camera, but it was more of an explanation of the event of what occurred. This incident occurred in the city of Hemet, and the decedent is a Joseph Thomas Tracy the fourth occurring on 01/18/2022.

So the one thing that I have posed to all of you is that in going through this review, it's really up to you whether you feel that you can review the Department of Justice, California State Department of Justice report and all the reports that have been provided regarding this incident, if you were able to make a decision or if you feel you can discuss this case without seeing actual body worn camera videos. And if you feel that it's necessary to watch body worn camera videos, or the surveillance videos that are referred to in those written reports, then it would have to be a subpoena to request those, that you would have the opportunity to review those. Because they're not out there right now, and as I said, the PRA, the Public Records Act request, I submitted. I didn't receive a response at all from Hemet, And, the sheriffs only referred the commission to what is on their website. One thing I will mention is with the reports, there are some reports from the sheriff's department that, indicate that actually specifically, state what occurred in the body worn camera video at what time markers.

But it's in a narrative form. You don't actually have video to compare it to. Yeah. So, this is not information that typically has been provided to this commission in the past because of the way the investigation was conducted by these outside agencies, and not within the city of Riverside.

So, do want to comment that I found the reports to be very detailed and thorough. I did note that the Department of Justice report does call out the timestamps and the like. The aerial visuals are provided as well. There's lots of information. I have a few wonderings about some of the comments that were made in terms of my own lack of knowledge with regards to the specific weapon and things of that nature. I do not personally, speaking for myself as a commissioner, having reviewed the materials, think that I necessarily need the body worn camera at this juncture. I don't know how my fellow commissioners feel about it.

Correct. Now, then that's what, that is up to you. As I mentioned before, even when we went with the PRA, if you felt that you could proceed without viewing them, that's certainly fine. But at that time, the request was made that the PRA be done to, to try to obtain those. But once again, it's it's up to the commission whether or not you feel you can proceed without body worn camera videos based upon all of the reports that have been submitted. In this case, the Department of Justice report, Hemet PD's reports, and also the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Yes, sir.

Thank you. Commissioner Dillon.

Obviously, would be great to see the body worn camera and compare it to the verbiage that goes along with it in the reports, but I don't think it's necessary. It would be nice to have. Do we well, I'll I'll save that for one of the later stages, but I think we can continue without the body worn camera.

Thank you. My question, Frank, is, based off your experience, is there a potential of needing to request more information in stage two or in the later stages that we could potentially move to stage two to see what that information may be.

You could ask for, if you proceed and feel that you get to a point in further stages, that is really in your deliberations is something that you're going to need, you can make that request later. As I mentioned, when we first opened this up, if you feel that you want to proceed and continue deliberating and reviewing this, and at some juncture make that determination that you want this, and you don't feel that you can come up with a a recommendation, then that's really going to be, up to you to ask at that time. So it was really open to whether or not you feel that, you can do that without seeing the body worn camera videos. We, in this particular case, you're only reviewing the actions of one detective with RPD. The other three individuals were not RPD, so you're they're not within your purview of review.

It's only one. And that particular detective did not have a body worn camera at the time that this incident occurred.

Thank you. Do we have any other comments from commissioners?

I just wanted to first

of

all thank you for providing those detailed reports and I did review them and I do agree with my fellow commissioners that they were detailed enough it would be nice to review the body worn cameras but, if it's an option later that would be great.

It certainly can be. As you proceed further, because there's a lot of reading to do if you haven't been able to get through the whole process, but at any other stage as we move along, if you feel that it's necessary, before any final determination is made, you can certainly do that. I only make the suggestion on the subpoena if you felt that at this juncture you couldn't proceed any further without seeing that. But what I'm hearing, and it's really up to all of you, whether you want to continue to move through the stages, without any subpoena at this point in time for those body worn camera videos.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend you and thank you so much for acknowledging the subpoena powers. I know there was some ambiguity in the last meeting and the affirmative coming in and even recommending it is very much appreciated. It's taken into consideration the authority that we can exercise, but I'm happy to hear that some commissioners are concurring they don't need it. Nonetheless, you offering that is is very much appreciated. Thank you, sir.

You're very welcome. And let's also not forget you have the independent homicide investigators reports as well. And, he went through a lot of detail with this as well.

Thank you. Any other comments? Commissioner Dillon? Does it require

a motion to move forward to stage two? Think at this point, I would

like to make that motion. Yes, that's the next step. So, you would like to make that motion, do we have a second?

I second that motion.

Okay. Go ahead and please vote to move to stage two.

Item passes six with one up sanction. Thank you.

Chair Bell, if I may. You, at this juncture, you have new commissioners that, have not had the opportunity to review a lot of detail in these reports from Riverside County Sheriffs and Hemet PD. Of course, the Department of Justice report, has been available to you. So you might want to consider that, to move this to the following month and agendize it for further discussion to move through other stages to give them the opportunity to do this review. Because the one thing, we are in training right now, and with the OIDs in particular, we have, when I say the word fact sheet and a rationale worksheet, I think I'll get a look at what in the heck are you talking about?

What is that? And those are guidelines that I, I use to assist you in your walk, and your journey through this investigation. So, I'd like them to have that opportunity as well. So it's really up to you if you wanna proceed.

Thank you. Do we have a motion as Frank suggested to move stage two to the agendized to next month's meeting?

I'd like to make that motion.

Do we have a second?

Yeah, I'll go ahead and second that.

Please vote.

Again, item passes, seven affirmative votes. Thank you.

Thank you. So, stage two will be moved to next month.

Thank you. And should you have any questions between now and that time, you all know where to reach me. I think I've said it enough times. Email and phone numbers and things like that. So I'm always available to you.

Thank you, Frank. Next item we have is to determine the whether the absence of commissioner Garcia from 03/26/2025 regular meeting should be recorded as an excused or unexcused. At this time, we invite public comments regarding this item. The public is invited to participate in person or by calling (951) 826-8688 to comment on this item. Press 9 to be placed in the queue and 6 to speak. To participate by Zoom, select the raise hand function, and you will have three minutes. Do we have any comments in the audience or online?

No one in the audience and no callers online for item number eight.

Thank you. Do we have any comments from the commissioners?

Do

we have a motion to approve the absence?

A motion to approve. A motion to excuse the absence of Commissioner Garcia.

You Commissioner Dillon. Go ahead and vote.

I think I'm missing a vote. I will clear it and if we can start over please. Please vote. Item passes with five affirmative votes and two abstentions. Thank you.

You. City clerk, please announce the closed sessions.

The Community Police Review Commission, pursuant to government code section five four nine five seven, The commission will adjourn to closed session to discuss issues pertaining to public employee personnel matters related to CPRC Riverside Police Department case number PC24Dash10048 PC 2410050 PC 2411053 PC 2412063, and case, PC 2411O54. Thank you.

Everyone. Next, we'll have communication, city attorney report on closed session actions.

Thank you, chairman. There are no reportable actions.

Thank you. Commissioners, is there any reports or conferences, seminars, the meetings attended? Nobody? Okay. Thank you. Riverside Police Department updates.

Hey. Good evening, everybody. I want to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is captain Eric Detmer. I'm the support services captain at Riverside Police Department. Thank you for the new commissioners. Thank you for volunteering your time to be a part of this process. It's very important for transparency and also for the trust of the community and the police department. Just so you know, every meeting I try to at least stand up here and even if we don't have a lot to just give you an update of what's going on in the police department. Just so you understand what's going on in the city.

RPD, we currently this month finished our new three year strategic plan that should be getting released soon. And it should be publicized I would say within the next thirty days. One of the projects from the city manager's office we're working on right now is a twenty five year projection as far as where we see the police department as far as growth and our needs in the next twenty five years. Could be hard to estimate, but it is good to look forward and not backward and and, you know, try to be able to be prepared for what changes are coming in the near future. We promoted a new lieutenant last week, Tony Ortiz. He is was our a metro sergeant. He is now a lieutenant watch commander. I think he's currently on graveyard. Great guy. We promoted a new sergeant from our training division, David Donaldson.

He's gonna be assigned to patrol. We currently have a 117 officers in patrol. It's one of the highest numbers we've probably had in the last five to seven years after the COVID pandemic and some other issues and hiring people. So our patrol numbers are starting to get back up. That should be able to increase services to the community. We have 11 currently in the SBSO Academy. We're expecting 11 more to start in June between RSO and SBSO. We're hoping to hit our projected goal of four thirty two police officers by the December. So we're right on target to be able to do that. It'll be the first time we're full staffing in probably fifteen years.

One thing of notice is tomorrow we have a retirement of our police admin specialist, Robert Phillips. He was one of the people originally hired on when the CPRC was formed. He's the one that puts all the videos in the case holders and prepares all the documents for the CPRC. One of the people behind the behind the scenes. But he was here pretty close to the start of the CPRC and he's gonna be a missed member of our team at RPD. We went and had his retirement luncheon today. He turned 70 last week and so he's gonna be missed. That's all I have. Does anybody have any questions for me?

When is this gentleman's last day? Was today his last day?

It's tomorrow. It's actually physically tomorrow. Yes.

And tell me his name again?

Robert Phillips. Yes. Oh, he's great. Any other questions for me?

Go ahead.

Tara West is gonna be Yep. Yeah, we haven't been able to hire somebody just yet until that's worked out. But we will be hiring someone to fill this position.

On behalf of the commission, will you send him our well wishes and our good thoughts and let him know that we appreciate all of his hard work? And that we're happy to hear such great things about him. We commend him for all he's done to support us.

Absolutely, Commissioner Gutierrez. Thank you. Anybody else?

Robert Phillips is a tremendous human being. And the transparency that this man, and and the speed in which he would be responsive to this commission, was just amazing to me. And he has been an exceptional mentor for Tara West, who I gotta tell you, she's on fire. That woman is doing just an exceptional job and moving things forward. When you talk about expediting things, she's just as quick as Robert to get things accomplished.

When it comes to the CPRC, they are very responsive. So, I have to commend that whole unit, really. Thank But Robert will be definitely missed.

Absolutely. For bringing that up Frank. I appreciate it. Anything else? Thank you, and it's nice to meet all the new commissioners. Thanks for being here.

Thank you. City manager's office update.

I just want to say that we're having the boards and commissions dinner Tuesday April 29 at the Mayor's Ceremonial Room if you have not our recipe.

Thank you. Alrighty. Before we move to item 18, I do want to apologize for not doing this earlier, but please welcome our new commissioners, Commissioner Lundy, Commissioner Ward, and Commissioner Ferguson. Is there anything you guys would like to say?

I just wanna say I look forward to serving with you guys. Thank you for welcoming me. I live and work in Riverside. So, I look forward to and I just finished two terms on CHB. So, I look forward to helping on this commission. Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for the welcome and look forward to serving. I

want to take this opportunity to thank everybody for their being so nice to us. Guys have really been over backwards especially with my surgery and everything. Trying to get me with the computer and everything has been a pain. But thank you very much. I look forward to serving the community. I've lived in Riverside since I was in about second grade. And I worked here for shucks for over forty years. So, I'm well wrapped with this community and I look forward to it. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any items for future Community Police Review Commission consideration? Only items that fall within the powers of the duties of the CPRC are as set forth in the city charter and or the Riverside municipal code would be agendized for future discussion. Alrighty. The next regular community police review commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28. And we can go ahead and, adjourn this meeting at 06:48PM. Thank you, everyone.