AnonymousBy Lizzie Rodriguez
Following a string of high-profile police involved killings, communities across the nation gathered in protest calling for greater scrutiny on the use of force and a need to hold police officers and agencies accountable through civilian oversight.
In 2022, the Santa Barbara City Council expanded the duties of the Fire & Police Commission to include more robust oversight functions. Santa Barbara’s Fire & Police Commission was developed in 1927 at a time when Chief’s were not employed, to ensure the smooth and professional functioning of the Fire and Police departments. Today, the Commission serves as an advisor to the City Council and City Administrator in all matters relating to efficient and adequate fire and police protection for the city. The adoption of police oversight gives the community a role in police accountability ensuring the priorities and practices of SBPD keep in alignment with community values and builds confidence in police-community relations. In 2015, the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, under the Obama administration, recommended the adoption of oversight programs noting that “some form of civilian oversight is important in order to strengthen trust with the community.”
The National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), a non-profit organization that works with individuals and police agencies to establish and improve civilian oversight, records over 160 civilian oversight entities in the US, comprising over 18,000 police agencies. Civilian oversight programs vary in size and scope, however, they all share a common goal of providing the community with a means to influence police practices and ensure that policing is conducted in a manner that is constitutional, effective, and responsive to the needs of those served. Some jurisdictions developed oversight programs in response to concerns about police accountability or as a result of a high-profile police involved incident. Advocates believe law enforcement can more effectively be held accountable by an agency outside the organization. Communities may also proactively develop an oversight program to enhance police-community relations through transparency and accountability. For cities such as Santa Barbara, the community and the SBPD can benefit from embracing police oversight by providing an independent avenue to file complaints, creating processes for data and information to be easily accessed, and providing a means for the community to offer feedback on policies and practices.
NACOLE identifies 3 primary oversight models used by communities across the country. The investigation-focused model involves routine, independent investigations of complaints against officers, which may replace or duplicate police internal affairs processes. The review-focused model examines and comments on the quality of completed police internal investigations. The auditor/monitor model focuses on examining broad patterns in complaint investigations including patterns in the quality of investigations, findings, and discipline rendered. This model often seeks to promote broad organizational change by conducting systemic reviews of police policies, practices, or training, and making recommendations for improvement.
The city of Santa Barbara adopted a hybrid of the review and auditor/monitor models, reviewing investigations after they have been completed and examining data and patterns of police practices. Commissioners for 2023 include; Lizzie Rodriguez as Chair, Linda Esparza Dozer as Vice Chair, and Ana Alicia Zepeda all appointed for 4-year terms. Gary Jon Hill and Daniel Herlinger were appointed for 2-year terms. Meetings are held in person at 4 PM on the third Thursday of every month in City Council chambers and can be viewed in person, live online, or through recordings posted on the city website. More information can be found on the City’s website santabarbaraca.gov/fire-police-commission.
Lizzie Rodriguez is a restorative practitioner, hospitality business operator, and Chair of the Santa Barbara Fire and Police Commission.
Op-Ed’s are written by community members, not representatives of edhat. The views and opinions expressed in Op-Ed articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of edhat.
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Appreciate the update, the clarity of information, and the transparency. I think our police department is head and shoulders above most, but not perfect; none are. It’s great to have a forum and process for citizens to bring to public attention incidents, concerns, or disparities whenever they arise.
Actually, the meetings are on the 4th Thursday, says their city webpage — and also edhat’s weekly calendar. “Meetings are held in person at 4 PM on the third Thursday of every month in City Council chambers”
Oversight is necessary, and we need to demilitarize America’s police. They don’t need to be walking around geared up to their eyeballs in tactical gear and weaponry, nor do they have to have the Us and Them authoritative attitude when they talk to people.
Doulie–way to oversimplify the issues.
CHILLIN – If I remember correctly, the military equipment was (given) to police agencies after the wars in the mid-east. I don’t recall learning of any police agency receiving large caliber explosives/equipment. IMO police don’t have need for this type of material. Why not give police top of the line assault rifles and handguns, the crooks have them. People in “oversite bodies” considering the maintenance cost of an armored vehicle are not the people that have the possibility of being exposed to suspects with high caliber automatic weapons. A vehicle of this type is worth the cost of maintenance as it could save officers and civilians when needed. I believe maximum sentencing for crimes does work. Look at what is happening now with “no bail” releases and minimum sentencing. Criminals know there won’t be serious consequences for whatever crime they commit and re-offend.
I didn’t mean to take away from the seriousness of the issue by saying it’s almost laughable. But when you see dozens of Gravy SEALs in tactical gear standing around doing nothing in Uvalde, laughing is preferable to crying.
Doulie– I did a little more homework to inform our civil discussion of this. The DoD transfers military surplus to departments through the 1033 program. You’re right, they don’t auction the vast majority of gear, it is done through applications. Majority is also gear like uniforms, sandbags, first aid kits, pistols and rifles. Which is like sure, go nuts. The oversight of 1033 consists of the police dept. saying what they’re going to use the equipment for and keeping inventories of it for possible audits (How much you wanna bet those never happen?). There are more than enough valid uses for 1033 equipment, but what myself and others take issue with is having a horde of overweight sheriffs roll through a place like Ferguson like they’re in Baghdad in 2003. And several other similar situations that in terms of appearance and practicality were almost laughable. You brought up another thing also, police deal with mental health issues and deescalation far more frequently than shootouts. The whole “warrior mentality” movement led by Dave Grossman in law enforcement is at the root of the trust issues the whole field is experiencing. Police are more social workers and problem solvers than “warriors” on a daily basis. Needing a bigger gun to fight the bad guys, constantly being vigilant, using overwhelming force to protect yourself; it gets counterproductive very quickly when taken too far. If you look at the law and police testimony in cases, a great deal hinges on whether police feel threatened in a situation, which can dictate whetyer their response is justified. This has been abused in many police shootings. In 2003 Baghdad sure, hypervigilance is great, Semper Fi. But using much of the same equipment, training and mentality as modern warfare is just asking for problems.
Thank you for Gravy SEAL. Hadn’t heard the term before, but it’s a useful one for the present.
BIGUGLY – People wanted to defund the police and found out that wasn’t a real good idea. Now you want to “demilitarize” police relative to the gear they wear. People want police to do their job “the right way;” you are probably included here. What gear do you want eliminated? The less than lethal taser for one? People will then complain when less than lethal force was used. What else? I don’t know what cops carry but I will guess during this time of surprise actions against police they carry what they believe is needed. If they look “militarized,” so be it. You can blame all the criminals involved in their criminal activities that require cops to wear gear that protects them. Don’t blame the cops for any of this. Also, you can’t blame all cops for the “authoritative attitude” of some. If I encountered what you call an officer with an “attitude” you didn’t like I’d call the PD & ask for the supervisor in charge. I’ll guess they don’t want problems with citizens any more than you do with the police.
Doulie: When Iraq and Afghanistan were winding down, the military unloaded a huge quantity of military equipment on police departments. Grenade launchers , assault rifles, tactical gear, and armored personnel carriers being the most prevalent. Although the procurements were public knowledge, this wasn’t done in an organized way, but in the form of auctions. So there were instances of rural departments buying armored vehicles without any real need for them, and departments skewed their training even more heavily towards use of deadly force. There is no serious push to “defund the police,” but merely to have oversight bodies question whether the funds used to buy and maintain an armored personnel carrier would be better spent on drug and mental health diversion, deescalation training, and other law enforcement means proven to be more effective at reducing crime. To date, this pivot is the only effective and fact-based approach to improving law enforcement. The conservative response appears to be smacking the bad guys around a bit, giving them maximum sentences and being “tough.” We’ve tried that as a society and it doesn’t work.
CHILLIN – With what is probably a limited amount of military equipment received from the government I’ll guess this PD should easily keep records for an audit. You’re branching out into two different areas now, officer fitness and what you refer to as “warrior mentality.” I can’t disagree there are some officers that appear to be physically unfit as they appear (and probably are) overweight. I’m concerned about their safety and that of their fellow officers if they are not fit to deal with ally types of incidents they encounter. Similar to the equipment that needs to be maintained and ready for use, I will guess these officers are required to maintain a standard of fitness. If deputies/officers are seen on the street appearing overweight then I have to suggest the Sheriff/Chief is not doing their job by enforcing a (likely) job requirement, that each officer maintain a standard of fitness. As to Grossman, I’m not involved in law enforcement and never heard of him until you referred to him. After reading a little about him I don’t believe he should be (and hopefully is no longer) involved in law enforcement training. This boy is way too radical with, in part, his reportedly “will to kill – shoot to kill” training. A couple of Grossmans seminars related to law enforcement have been cancelled due to his views. I know hardly anything about law enforcement procedure but I think he’s trying to mix his military experience into law enforcement procedures. Officers have to or should always be vigilant and I would always agree they have a “bigger gun” than the crooks. I don’t think “overwhelming” force will ever be “counterproductive.” I often read or see a news photo showing several PD cars are at an incident only to learn all the officers were not required. I’d like to think the presence of extra officers helped minimize the severity of a situation. Once an issue is being resolved the remaining officers go back to their business on the street. Police are definitely not social workers but they are problem solvers trained to resolve, at times, very tense and dangerous situations. Hopefully, with the training they receive they never consider themselves “warriors” as it relates to Grossmans method of training. Some officer’s may screw up and overreact, but consider the number of major incidents that occur daily where an officer is involved versus the number of screw ups.