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SPD highlights internal inspections and arrest-audit program; commissioners press on sampling and training
Summary
Captain Buchanan briefed the commission on the Sacramento Police Department's Inspections and Standards team (created 2020) and described quarterly equipment inspections, constitutionality-of-arrest audits (5% sampling), and public posting of quarterly results; commissioners asked whether OPSA reviews the audits and how sampling detects trends.
Captain Buchanan told the commission the Inspections and Standards team was created in 2020 "to make sure we are meeting the highest standards for our internal audits and inspections" and outlined the team's duties: quarterly inspections of patrol, investigations and specialty units; equipment accountability checks; and constitutionality-of-arrest audits.
Buchanan said constitutionality audits use a computer randomizer to select roughly 5 percent of arrests for review. "In the third quarter of 2025, SPD made approximately 2,500 arrests. The team reviewed 126 of them. Of those, 125 were found to be fully compliant and one was referred to the watch commander for additional review," he said. He added that audit results are published on SPD's transparency page and that the team prepares the annual Military Equipment Use report.
Commissioners asked whether the Office of Police Accountability (OPSA) reviews the same cases and how the 5 percent sample is used to detect trends. Buchanan said the inspections work is internal oversight separate from OPSA's functions and that sampling is intended to surface patterns that would prompt expanded review. He also said auditors are trained, use checklists and review body-worn-camera footage and paperwork to ensure consistency. "If we found a large number" of issues in a given area, "we'd go back and we'd study that to see what it was and do more review," he said.
Vice Chair Johnson and Commissioner Lewis asked about auditor training and whether the sample is representative enough to show trends; Buchanan said auditors receive specialized training and that identified trends would trigger a broader review.
Commissioners thanked Buchanan for the report and said continued, periodic briefings would help inform the commission's oversight role.
