Police commission votes to require written awards recommendations, approves multiple honors

The Police Commission voted to change how the awards-subcommittee forwards nominations and approved several awards on the same agenda.

The mayor opened debate after the awards-subcommittee minutes were introduced; Commissioner Rory Guillen moved the awards-item recommendations. Commissioners raised procedural concerns about timely distribution of nomination materials and whether subcommittee sign-offs effectively pre-approved awards presented the same meeting. Chief Marla and other commissioners said timely recognition matters but agreed the commission should clarify the process to ensure members have adequate time to review nominations.

After discussion the commission adopted a new procedure: the awards subcommittee will submit written recommendations in advance and the full commission will review and approve or reject those recommendations at the following monthly meeting, with awards presented the subsequent month. The motion passed on the record as 4–2–1 (four in favor, two opposed, one abstention), as announced by the mayor.

Commissioner Guillen then presented recommendation 26-8 to present the distinguished citizen award to Ulysses Robinson; the commission voted to approve the recommendation. Guillen also presented recommendation 26-10 naming multiple department members for a Silver Star and Officer of the Month honors, and recommendation 26-11 for letters of accommodation; the commission approved those items. One commissioner stated publicly that they would oppose recommendation 26-10 because they had raised concerns during the awards-subcommittee meeting and had not signed the nomination form; the speaker said the objection was about process rather than the officers themselves.

The meeting record shows the commission will now require that awards-subcommittee recommendations be circulated earlier to give commissioners an opportunity to review materials before a vote. In one instance (item 26-9) Chief Marla noted the submission did not meet the criteria for a felony-result award and the item was returned to the committee for reconsideration under a different award category.

The vote to change the awards process is procedural and affects how nominations are presented to the commission going forward. The awards approved at the meeting will be conferred consistent with the newly adopted timeline.