Help Us Consolidate the Intake of Complaints at the Citizens’ Police Review Board

On March 24, the Public Safety Committee will consider re-instating their decision to consolidate the intake of complaints against the Oakland Police Department at the Citizens’ Police Review Board and close Internal Affairs as a receiver of public complaints. (Agenda Item #5). The full City Council will vote on this proposal on March 31st. Please express your support by contacting your City Council member and/or speaking at either or both meetings. (both meetings begin at 6:00 PM at City Hall).

Background:

• In 2010, the City Council passed a resolution consolidating all complaints against police from the public at the CPRB, in principle, subject to identifying the funding needed to staff up the CPRB intake personnel.
• In the 2011-2013 budget, the City Council allocated $1.4 million to the CPRB to provide the resources to staff and train additional intake personnel to accommodate the intake of all complaints filed against the police.
• The City Council directed Deanna Santana to implement this decision, asking her to provide monthly reports on the process toward implementation.
• As a result of ongoing ‘meet and confer’ discussions with the OPOA, the direction to implement this policy were not achieved by the deadline given (Nov. 2013) and Tom Frazier, Compliance Director, over-ruled the Council, directing that IAD continue to accept complaints.
• The City Council then divided the $1.4 million between IAD and the CPRB. IAD hired four civilian intake technicians, and the remainder of the funds were allocated to hiring a CPRB Director and additional training, staffing and technology to the CPRB.

We are requesting that the original direction of the City Council be re-instated. The present Compliance Director has expressed, in writing, that he will not oppose this decision. The four civilian intake technicians hired with funds from the $1.4 million allocation should be transferred to the CPRB.

Benefits:
1. IAD will be able re-assign some senior OPD sworn officers to ‘crime fighting’ duties.
2. Residents will have more confidence in the objectivity of the investigations into their complaints and will be more likely to file complaints if they feel they have been mistreated.
3. This will provide the City with a better understanding of the concerns residents have about the conduct of Oakland police officers and provide a better way to manage risk and lower law suits.