Public Safety Committee Chair Outlines Four Possible ‘Starting Points’ for Police Reform

In a likely preview of Wednesday’s meeting of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee – at which the possibility of civilian oversight and other reforms of the Pasadena Police Department are expected be main topics – Council Member John J. Kennedy on Monday outlined four possible “starting points” for new discussion of what has long been a controversial topic in the city.

Kennedy, who is chairman of the Public Safety Committee, acknowledged that his thoughts were “not exhaustive suggestions.’’ But he said he hoped they would help “to move us forward and meet the moment’’ in the wake of protests and national debate regarding police reform following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other recent racially charged news events.

Addressing the full City Council during its regular meeting, Kennedy, in prepared remarks, said his starting points were: “One, civilian oversight. Two, budget and resource review. Three, interaction. Four … we must impose self-discipline by establishing an ongoing review process to completely address what the heat of the moment may miss.’’

Those points are likely to be raised on Wednesday, when the Public Safety Committee – consisting of Kennedy, Mayor Terry Tornek, Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton and Council Member Steve Madison – gathers via teleconference. The meeting was originally scheduled for last Thursday, but was postponed due to a protest at the PPD.

Nothing quick-moving or concrete can be expected to emerge from Wednesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting. Rather, it would be just the first step in a lengthy process that would require changes to the City Charter – a process that has sputtered in past attempts at enacting civilian oversight of the PPD.

Currently, the police answer to City Manager Steve Mermell, with the Public Safety Committee playing a role. Kennedy, in an interview last week with Pasadena Now, called that set-up inadequate – saying, “(City) staff will claim that there’s already civilian oversight of the police department (but) that simply is not true.’’

Kennedy has previously advocated for civilian oversight, and Hampton supports the move as well. Tornek, speaking to Pasadena Now said last week, in theory, it sounds like an appropriate action to take. Madison has previously argued that the Public Safety Committee already acts as a kind of civilian oversight board, making an additional oversight structure unnecessary.

In previous years, the topic has arisen several times – most recently in 2016. But it never progressed.

Still, in interviews with Pasadena Now last week, most City Council members said they supported at least having the discussion again – an apparent change fueled by the recent protests and by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Kennedy, in his comments to the council on Monday, put the Pasadena discussion in a national context, saying, “Pasadena is not immune or insulated from national movements or trends. We echo and mirror them. For many Pasadenans, the recent events in Minneapolis, Louisville, Georgia and New York City trigger painful personal memories of their own experiences.’’

“Now is an extraordinary moment,’’ he added, “a moment where (the) barbaric killing, casual killing of George Floyd on a public street closely followed the killing of Breonna Taylor in her own home (in Louisville) during a botched execution of a no-knock warrant, the vigilante killing of jogger Ahmaud Arbery (in Georgia) and the attempted weaponizing of the police by an entitled, rule-violating dog walker in New York City’s Central Park have belatedly created a national consensus that black lives indeed matter.’’

Kennedy also called these days, “a moment when history will judge whether our core morality rose to confront long-simmering racial injustice issues as the world impatiently waits and watches, a moment that erases any disingenuous or conveniently oblivious claims of ‘I don’t know,’ or ‘I am not aware.’

“The question is, can we meet this most extraordinary of moments?’’ he said.

Kennedy also praised local protesters – as well as the way the PPD handled the recent protests in the city.

“I applaud the local protesters who have been peacefully exercising their most cherished of American rights,’’ Kennedy said – pointing in particular to a peaceful march last Tuesday that was organized by the Pasadena NAACP and other groups. One of numerous recent protests in the city, it began at First African Methodist Episcopal Church and then caravanned to a rally at City Hall.

“I also applaud the fine men and women of the Pasadena Police Department, who have displayed calm, professionalism and an understanding of this moment during the last two weeks, and particularly during the last week’s protests,’’ Kennedy said.

He singled out Police Chief John Perez, “who set a welcome tone as he personally directed traffic for an extended period of time outside First AME Church at the start of the caravan last Tuesday.’’

In addition, Kennedy said he sees the possibility of civilian oversight and other reforms of the PPD as “a win-win opportunity.”

“Problems create opportunities — opportunities to be better, opportunities to genuinely ask where do we go from here? Can we meet this moment?’’ he said.

“In a glass-half-full sprit, I view this as a win-win opportunity. When everyone in our community is protected and served by the police, everyone – including the police – is safer. When the police are held to standards of justice similar to those imposed on residents, police are less likely to be vilified and endangered by those feeling aggrieved and vengeful.

“… We have an opportunity to be on the right side of history,’’ he added. “Let’s meet this moment and ensure that our actions match our words.’’

Kennedy’s complete comments can be read here.