Pasadena : Police Board Plan OKd
The City Council has given tentative approval to an ordinance allowing Police Chief Jerry Oliver to place civilians on three police review boards.
The boards will advise Oliver on use of force, disciplinary matters and safety issues. Each board will consist of five Pasadena police officers and three civilians who live or work in the city. For the disciplinary board, one member would be chosen by the employee under review.
Civilians on the boards would be nominated by elected officials and city staff members from a list of graduates of the city’s Citizens Police Academy. The academy is an intense course designed to educate the public about police procedures and regulations.
The ordinance has come under criticism from the Pasadena Police Assn. and some police-abuse activists. The association contends that the disciplinary board should not be allowed to review cases until they are resolved by the Police Department. Activists say that there will not be enough civilians on the boards.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
