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Police chief proposes community advisory committee; some residents call for independent oversight
Summary
The police chief proposed a five‑member Police Chief Advisory Committee to improve community engagement; some speakers urged independent oversight of audit recommendations, and council clarified the group would be advisory (not an audit oversight body) and asked the chief to return with applicant and selection details.
Police Chief presented a proposal on Feb. 4 to create a Police Chief Advisory Committee made up of community volunteers to advise on policies, community engagement and departmental programs.
The chief described a proposed framework of five members (residents, business owners and nonprofit representatives), two‑year terms, quarterly meetings and an open application process with appointments made by the chief. The committee’s stated mission would be to advise the chief on community policing initiatives, identify service gaps and recommend partnerships; the proposal emphasized community dialogue rather than internal disciplinary oversight.
Sitlali Salgado, a longtime community organizer, praised the audit but urged visible, independent accountability: "Accountability must be visible, independent, and rooted in community confidence," she said, warning that an entirely internal process risks prioritizing damage control over meaningful change. The chief and City Manager clarified that the proposed advisory committee would not be responsible for monitoring or implementing the audit’s recommendations and that the city manager remains the official responsible for department oversight.
Council members raised procedural questions about application and selection (the chief said he would appoint members after an open application and interview process), the potential to include a youth voice, and whether membership size should be increased to provide flexibility. Several members asked the chief to report back with a summary of the applicant pool, selection rationale and planned reporting cadence; the chief agreed to return with that information.
The council provided feedback to staff on the proposal; no formal appointment was made at the meeting.
Next steps: Police Department will prepare application materials, accept applications, and report back to council with applicant‑pool information and recommended appointments.
