A retired Pasadena police chief told the San Fernando City Council on Nov. 10 that the city's police department needs a clearer training structure, improved accountability and better technology to rebuild community trust.

"This assessment is focused on organizational culture," John Perez said during a presentation of a months-long review that examined policy, personnel interviews, community engagement and field observations. Perez recommended an administrative training sergeant to centralize professional development, an early-warning system for personnel issues, a quarterly internal review board for investigations and investment in case‑management and body‑worn camera systems.

Perez praised Chief Valdez for welcoming the review and for steps the department already has taken, saying the chief "put things into place" during the audit. But Perez told council members sustained improvement will require measured rollout and clearer performance measures the council can monitor.

Council members pressed Perez on staffing and costs and asked how reforms would affect patrol levels. Perez said a training sergeant would be a "force multiplier" over time by improving retention and reducing lawsuits and complaints, and that the city would see long‑term savings from better training.

Council member comments ranged from support for a multi‑year action plan to requests for clearer timetables and budget estimates. City staff and Perez said they will return to the council in January with a two‑ to three‑year action plan and cost estimates for positions and technology investments.

The presentation did not include a formal council vote; staff said the next steps will include drafting an implementation plan and bringing it back for direction and potential budget action.

The consultant’s recommendations focused on six areas: training and development, community trust and transparency, internal accountability, technology and data integration, leadership and culture, and organizational practices such as overtime controls. Perez recommended publishing bilingual progress updates and community‑friendly reports to measure reform progress.