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Council votes to trigger meet‑and‑confer on Commission on Police Practices operating procedures
Summary
The City Council voted unanimously to direct the city management team to begin the required collective bargaining (meet‑and‑confer) process over the Commission on Police Practices’ operating procedures, a step staff said is required before the commission may exercise some independent investigatory authorities granted by voters.
The San Diego City Council on Monday authorized the city’s management team to begin the collective bargaining process over the Commission on Police Practices’ (CPP) draft standard operating procedures, a procedural step city staff and commission leaders said is required before the commission may exercise new investigatory authorities contained in Charter §41.2.
Doug Case, chair of the CPP, and Bart Miesfeld, the commission’s interim executive director, told council members the commission developed ten chapters of operating procedures covering complaint administration, investigations, subpoena processes and other investigatory and audit functions. Case said the commission voted to approve the SOPs in April and that collective bargaining is required to resolve issues that could touch the working conditions of multiple bargaining units.
The motion approved by council triggers the meet‑and‑confer process; it does not adopt the SOPs themselves. Councilmember (speaker 9) moved to start meet‑and‑confer so the city attorney, HR, recognized employee organizations and the commission can work through outstanding items. Deputy City Attorney Joan Dawson said HR will notify recognized employee organizations and that councilmembers will be kept informed as issues arise.
Public commenters who had worked with the commission praised its outreach and urged trust‑building between the CPP and the police department. The council discussion included questions about response times, alignment between the commission’s job description and the SOPs, and the mechanics for final approval once bargaining concludes.
Council approved the direction to begin bargaining unanimously, 7–0, with Councilmembers Campbell and Foster absent. Once bargaining and attorney review conclude, staff said the SOPs will return to full council for final approval and the CPP can assume full implementation of the authorities granted by the voters in the 2020 ballot measure.
