Commissioner recommends administrative-closure policy; board flags limits on oversight of prior SLMPD complaints

At its June 15 meeting, the Civilian Oversight Board heard the commissioner recommend an administrative-closure policy to the detention facilities oversight board that would remove cases from the active docket if a full investigation is no longer feasible or necessary.

The commissioner said the office would send a 10-day notice to complainants asking them to contact the office if they wish to proceed. "The administrative closure policy is a procedural action. It is ... used if approved to remove cases from the active docket for a full investigation when we have determined that there's no longer an investigation [that] is feasible or necessary," the commissioner said. Staff noted that sending letters by certified mail costs about $10 per letter, so the office currently sends an initial letter, follows up by phone or email when contact details exist, and sends a second letter before using certified mail or an in-person business-card drop.

Board members and staff warned the office’s ability to act is constrained by the status of earlier reviews. The commissioner said roughly 300 complaints were reviewed by Internal Affairs before a March 2025 state takeover, creating uncertainty about whether the board may re-open or make findings on those matters. "Because of the uncertainty related to police oversight, there's nothing that I can say or our office can do related to those complaints," the commissioner said. Investigator Luis clarified the timeline: "We received these complaints prior to the state takeover," and described a planned documentation review that would not re-open active evidentiary investigations, citing state law as a limit on the office's authority.

The office reported it has received over 30 new complaints beginning in April and continues to document intake and to refer complainants to Internal Affairs or local police when appropriate. The commissioner said she has sent letters to Mayor Spencer and to the chair and members of the city's public-safety committee urging accreditation of the City Justice Center and providing a list of potential grants to support that work. The commissioner said investigators have increased access to the City Justice Center and are scheduled to meet detainees and attend regular housing-floor meetings.

The Board approved the meeting agenda and the April 20 minutes earlier in the session. Later, the board voted to enter a closed session under section 610.021(1) to discuss legal matters and privileged communications with counsel.

Why it matters: The administrative-closure policy would formalize how the oversight office closes matters where full investigation is not practicable. At the same time, the backlog of complaints previously handled by Internal Affairs and unresolved jurisdictional questions limit what the board can now investigate or recommend, a condition that could affect accountability for detention-related incidents.