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Police Accountability Board urges caution on staffing increases, wants benchmarking and retained transparency
Summary
The Police Accountability Board (PAB) submitted a formal response to the CityGate report asking the city to adopt competitor benchmarks, set response-time standards, evaluate SCU impacts and address organizational-culture issues before adding sworn positions; the PAB also opposed lowering level-1 use-of-force reporting.
The Police Accountability Board's vice chair submitted a formal analysis urging caution before expanding sworn staffing and recommending procedural steps the council should require before approving new positions. Hansael Aguilar read remarks prepared by PAB vice chair Leah Wilson that highlighted four proposals: select competitor agencies for consistent benchmarking, adopt formal response-time standards, complete three preconditions before adding sworn posts (redistribute work to CSOs, set response-time expectations, evaluate SCU effects), and address culture and retention inside the department.
The PAB also flagged concerns about a CityGate recommendation to reduce level-1 use-of-force reporting, saying it "contradicts Berkeley's 2020 community-driven commitment to greater transparency." The board urged that as CSOs take on more responsibilities, oversight arrangements be adjusted so accountability mechanisms remain robust.
