Police commissioners sign up for training
Burbank police commissioners, pushing to strengthen their roles as overseers of the department, are attending a conference sponsored by a nonprofit that trains civilian groups on just that topic.
Three members of the commission will be attending the National Assc. for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement in San Diego in October. The cost for the four-day conference is $1,850 per person, including a $300 membership fee, city document show.
Earlier this year, the city contracted with attorney Robert Corbin to train commissioners on the questions they should ask to ensure police were meeting their goals of transparency and professionalism.
Corbin, who helped the Los Angeles Police Dept. in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating and the Rampart scandal, was hired in April for a total of 26 hours at a fee of $10,000.
The topic for this year’s annual conference is “Building Community Trust,” which Councilman David Gordon said could not be a better topic for Burbank.
Gordon and Mayor Dave Golonski are the council liaisons to the commission.
Golonski called the conference an investment that will help commissioners to better learn their jobs.
“If they’re going to do the job we are expecting of them … for us not to give them the tools and knowledge would be short-sighted,” Golonski said.
Interim Police Chief Scott LaChasse said at the meeting the police budget could support the attendance of two commissioners, and the council agreed to have three commissioners attend, although four expressed interest.
LaChasse noted that the Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review and the LAPD Office of Inspector General are among those scheduled to attend the conference.
Membership gives all commissioners access to conference documents on the NACOLE website.
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