District 5 Police Oversight Commission Applicant Interviews to be Posted Online

Interviews with applicants for a seat on the recently formed Community Police Oversight Commission will soon be posted on the community access channel KPAS, according to District 5 Councilmember Jessica Rivas. 

Rivas was scheduled to interview 13 applicants via ZOOM this weekend, but three people dropped out before the event began.

Michael Warner, Javier Mercado, Adetunji Oke, Robert M. Nelson, Gabriel Ceja, Laura H. Hackney, Valerie A. Marz, Gloria G. Medel, Cheryl L. Taplin and Raul Ibanez were interviewed during the virtual event. 

“Yesterday I interviewed 10 applicants for the District 5 Community Police Oversight Commission via a Zoom meeting open to the public,” Rivas told Pasadena Now on Sunday. “The event was well attended and gave everyone an opportunity to learn about the applicants in their own words.”

Rivas said she would wait before choosing her commissioner and asked people to email her with their input. 

“I will hold off on making my decision for at least a week to give folks who weren’t able to attend enough time to watch and share their thoughts,” Rivas said. “After watching, people can email me at jerivas@cityofpasadena.net.”

Councilmember Tyron Hampton, who represents District 1, is scheduled to interview candidates via zoom on Tuesday.

According to the city ordinance passed by the council to form the commission, the City Council and the mayor will each get one pick. Three community organizations will get one pick each.

Some local residents have been pushing for civilian police oversight since the Rodney King beating by four LAPD officers in 1991. However, most elected officials did not support the idea until after George Floyd was killed by police last summer in Minneapolis. Floyd’s death at the hands of police sparked demonstrations and some rioting across the country.

“I would like to thank each applicant for stepping up to serve our community in this vital new role,” Rivas told Pasadena Now. “I am pleased that the community will have a formal role in oversight of our Police Department to help ensure transparency and accountability.