Hearings Planned on Whether to Establish Police Commission

A council subcommittee decided Friday to hold public hearings next month to help determine if Huntington Beach should become the only city in Orange County with a police commission.

“It was the public that came forward and suggested that this might be a good idea,” said Councilwoman Shirley S. Dettloff, one of three council members serving on a subcommittee studying the issue. “We have to establish if there is a need for it, and we just felt like we should have the public’s input.”

The hearings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at City Hall.

Councilman Dave Sullivan first suggested the idea last month during a hard-fought election campaign in which he and Councilman Tom Harman were targeted for defeat by the city Police Officers’ Assn.

The police union accused Sullivan and Harman of endangering public safety by approving reductions in police personnel, even though the budget increased police department spending by nearly $1 million.

Sullivan and Harman were both reelected.

Council members say they are responding to a range of citizen complaints in considering a citizen-appointed police oversight commission.

Some residents have complained about the aggressive tactics used by police to quell rowdy Fourth of July beach crowds. During the council election, one resident complained of being intimidated by an off-duty officer who flashed his badge while campaigning against Sullivan and Harman. A police investigation confirmed that the officer improperly displayed his badge.

A number of Orange County cities, including Huntington Beach, have personnel review boards that handle disputes within police departments. Irvine created a short-lived police oversight commission in the late 1980s, but no Orange County city currently has a police commission.

Sullivan, who chairs the subcommittee, said a second public hearing will be scheduled if necessary.

“We really have no idea what kind of response there’s going to be,” he said. “We’re expecting people to relate their experiences, both pro and con, to help us with our decision.”