Item B: Police Commission Annual Report

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Police Commission was begun this fiscal year, with plans to have it completed and available in FY10. This brochure will be used as promotional material at community events and will offer opportunities for the public to become more involved in the overall commission process. The POC intends to continue their work on outreach efforts through FY10. The Use of Force Committee originally began in FY08 to assist the police department with a draft policy on the use of Tasers. In FY09 the committee reconvened briefly to respond to a request from the Civilian Review Board on the use of flashlights as a weapon. The committee concluded there was not an urgent need to review the corresponding policy, but deferred to later in the fiscal year when the other force-related policies were scheduled for review. In April the committee began the process of reviewing the eight force policies. From April - June the committee completed two policy reviews: Use of Force (general policy), and Control Devices & Techniques. -month Taser Pilot Project, the police department asked the Police Commission to revisit the Taser policy and make recommendations on areas for improvement. The Use of Force Committee began preliminary discussions on the Taser policy in June. One entire meeting was dedicated to a public forum which allowed members of the community to express their thoughts about the policy and comment on its effectiveness. The committee intends to spend considerable time on the Taser policy in the coming months and will offer additional opportunities for the public to provide input at each discussion. C. Work Sessions and Information Items In addition to work on the committees and the long-term staffing plan and the committees, the Police Commission held several informational items and work sessions in its busy meeting schedule. In August 2008, the police department provided a six-month update on the Taser Pilot Project to the commission, and a full 15-month evaluation in May 2009. The commission has been part of the discussions on the development of the Taser policy for several years and has provided beneficial input on the uses/restrictions of the tool. In October the police department hosted a Prevention Convention in which the commission participated. This was a successful outreach event to educate the community on crime prevention and offer program opportunities. In April the commission welcomed the Human Rights Commission to its meeting for a discussion on current projects and potential joint opportunities. Likewise, in June the commission held a joint meeting with the Civilian Review Board to share updates on relevant work. This meeting also involved an annual report presentation by Interim Police Auditor, Dawn Reynolds, who discussed trends in received complaints that were relevant to current policy work of the commission. Some informational items the Police Commission held during its monthly meetings included: a discussion with newly-hired City Manager Jon Ruiz; an update on property crimes and metal he success of the In-Car Video system; FY09 Police Commission Annual Report Page 4 of 7