City Committee To Discuss Amendments To Police Department’s 2023 Operating Budget This Wednesday

Pasadena Police Department seeks to amend the operating budget for fiscal year 2023 to recognize revenue and appropriations amounting to $350,000. 

This money represents funds from the California Board of State and Community Corrections that will be used for Use of Force and De-escalation Training of police officers in Pasadena.

This new business will be discussed on Wednesday, Nov. 16, during the Pasadena City Council’s Public Safety Committee.

The funds will be used only for training approved by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), which sets the minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement officers.

California POST recently mandated the addition of four hours of Use of Force training among the state’s police officers, in addition to existing required Perishable Skills Program (PSP) training and Continuing Professional Training (CPT). 

Use of Force training is mandated to be completed by Dec. 31 and shall remain as a requirement for all subsequent POST cycles, according to the City report. 

For the Pasadena Police Department, training will be conducted through a web-based, self-paced digital platform designed specifically for law enforcement to provide Use of Force and De-escalation Training. 

An Agenda Report from the Police Department said the digital training aid that the Department is using is “the only POST certified training program that operates on a mobile platform and uses body camera footage.”

The $350,000 funding from the state’s Board of State and Community Corrections will be used for this training, the Police Department said.

“These training modules allow all users to accumulate POST credits both under the mandated PSP category and the CPT category,” the agenda report said. “This will help ensure that all sworn members of the Pasadena Police Department are highly trained and will result in better police officers, achieving better outcomes for the community.”

The report added the Pasadena Police Department, as a pilot participant in the Use of Force and De-escalation Training, will report on the use of the appropriated funds by Dec. 1, 2025, or after three years. 

The report will include the number of participants who have received and completed training, use of force incidents over the three previous calendar years before 2025, and satisfaction ratings about the chosen training program, among others.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program

Aside from the Use of Force and De-escalation Training Funds, the Police Department is seeking an amendment to its 2023 Operating Budget to recognize and appropriate $40,233 in grant funds from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.

“On August 9, 2021, The Pasadena Police Department submitted an application requesting grant funding for $40,233 to purchase equipment for the Criminal Investigations Division and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT). The intent is to use the funding to purchase audio recording equipment and to replace the current communication system crisis negotiators utilize in the field. The grant will allow the police department to further our mission of protecting the public by providing personnel with upgraded technologies that increase our efficiency and success,” according to the report from the police department. 

“The equipment used by CNT is a vital component that allows the team to remain safe during crisis negotiations. The current equipment is no longer suitable, and it is crucial that we replace it to ensure the safety of the team and the public.”

“On September 22, 2022, the Police Department received notification that the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) approved the application submitted for an award under the funding opportunity entitled 2022 BJA FY 22 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program — Local Solicitation in the amount of $40,233.

The grant period runs from October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2025. Matching funds are required of $6,267,” the report said. 

Meanwhile, the Pasadena Public Health Department is seeking authority to enter into an agreement with the California State and Community Corrections to appropriate $60,717 in Proposition 47 grant funds to the Department’s 2023 operating budget; this will be used for the Pasadena Outreach Response Team Expansion (PORT-E) program. 

The recommendation will also be part of the Public Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 16. 

These three recommendations go up for City Council approval by next Monday, Nov. 21.

Members of the public can access the Public Safety Committee discussion through http://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=9 and www.pasadenamedia.org.

Public comment is allowed during the meeting. Anyone who wants to provide live comment is advised to submit a speaker card that may be accomplished through www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/public-comment.

The meeting begins at 4 p.m.