San Rafael PAC adopts six priority topics for 2026, approves meeting schedule with February date pending

The San Rafael Police Advisory and Accountability Committee on Jan. 10 adopted a set of priority topics for its 2026 work plan and approved a staff-recommended meeting calendar, after a daylong discussion that brought multiple public commenters into the room and a lengthy presentation on outreach and oversight.

Committee members voted to prioritize six topics for the coming year, with staff announcing the ranked list as: (1) human trafficking; (2) police culture; (3) traffic and traffic safety; (4) ICE-related activity; (5) school-resource officers and youth/policing issues; and (6) homelessness. The committee debated whether to narrow to five priorities or expand the set; a motion to adopt the six-topic list passed by roll call vote and the chair announced the motion carried.

The priorities grew out of a presentation by Francine Carriage, an oversight practitioner introduced by Chief Spiller, who urged the PAC to ground its work in the bylaws and to pair fewer full meetings with deeper community outreach between sessions. "If you don't know your bylaws almost by heart, that's where you should be starting," Carriage told the committee, and she recommended pulse surveys, ride-alongs and neighborhood listening events to shape recommendations.

Public commenters pressed the PAC for stronger independence and transparency. Heidi Merchant told the committee it "isn't operating independently" and alleged that a "secret work group" had advanced drone policy to the City Council; the presenter and staff responded that the city logs drone flights in a public transparency tab and that the drone program is still being built out. "All of the flights are logged," staff said when asked about drone transparency.

Members also debated how often to meet. Staff presented a proposed 2026 calendar that mirrors recent years — omitting July and December for a total of 10 formal meetings — and said the city can absorb staffing costs for some community events. After discussion, the PAC voted to approve the staff schedule with the Feb. 18 date held "pending" confirmation of an alternative meeting location; staff confirmed the staff proposal remains 10 meetings per year but committee members retain the option to call special meetings for emergent incidents.

Committee and public speakers raised numerous other items the PAC will fold into the work plan or standing reports, including review of the RIPA (police data) metrics, complaint and discipline data, the drone-as-first-responder program, the new canine program, and updates from the SAFE team. Several members asked for training and briefings on post-training (POST) requirements, promotion and discipline processes and department-level culture assessments.

Chair Davide closed the special meeting by urging members to treat the months between full meetings as "homework": to go into neighborhoods, carry pulse surveys and return with community feedback. The committee adjourned after the schedule vote.

What happens next: staff will circulate the full tally of proposed topics and incorporate the adopted priorities into a draft work plan for PAC consideration at upcoming meetings; staff also will confirm the Feb. 18 meeting date and provide details on locations and translation services.

Quotes (selected)

"When would it be okay for a police officer to brutally beat or shoot them?" Heidi Merchant asked during public comment, urging members to center use-of-force cases in their oversight work.

"If you don't know your bylaws almost by heart, that's where you should be starting," Francine Carriage said, urging members to ground recommendations in the PAC's charter and to focus on measurable outreach and follow-up.

"All of the [drone] flights are logged," staff said in response to public concerns about the drone program's transparency.

Ending

Staff confirmed the committee's top six priorities and recorded a motion adopting the staff calendar with the February date pending; the PAC will receive staff-prepared updates and coordinate with members to shape presentations that align with the adopted priorities.