For Second Time in Two Weeks, Controversial Report on Pasadena Police Goes Unheard, Undiscussed

For the second time in two weeks, a controversial report on the community’s perceptions of the Pasadena Police Department has failed to be discussed at a City of Pasadena public meeting as scheduled.

The 2015 report, “Community Perceptions of Policing in Pasadena,” by Dr. Lisa Graziano of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics at Cal State LA, was due to be presented for discussion at Pasadena’s Human Relations Commission Tuesday evening, but was tabled until its next scheduled meeting.

This time, Graziano reportedly could not attend the meeting. The item was agendized days earlier.

Graziano’s report had also been scheduled to be heard at a Special Meeting called by Public Safety Committee Chair John Kennedy on June 27 but that meeting failed to draw a quorum and was cancelled. Kennedy, in an e-mail to Pasadena Now sent Tuesday, confirmed that the presentation by Graziano “has not been taken off the agenda” for that Committee either.

The report drew sharp criticism from Councilmember when it was discussed during an April 18 Council meeting. Madison decried the manner in which the statistics had been gathered and suggested the report’s conclusions were not based on valid opinion collection methods.

The Graziano report itself was commissioned by the city last year prior to the hiring of police oversight specialists Kathryn Olson and Barbara Attard, and their organization, Change Integration Consulting.

Change Integration was hired last December to study the possible creation of a police oversight organization in Pasadena. They eventually recommended a two-part solution to oversight — the establishment of an Independent Police Auditor, who would provide professional oversight, and a Police Accountability Commission made up of local citizens, which would “positively influence police matters and enhance communication with the public.”

“Community Perceptions of Policing,” reported that “a strong majority (78%) of residents demonstrated belief in the Pasadena Police Department, expressing confidence in the department’s ability to do its job well, make decisions in their best interests, and protect people’s rights.” This confidence rating is higher than the national figure, which was cited at 60%.

In addition, almost half of Pasadena residents surveyed felt that Pasadena police were more likely to treat whites and the wealthy better than minorities and the poor. Again, this figure was less than the 60% who hold this position nationally.

The report also stated that a majority of residents rated the police in Pasadena as being effective in all areas of service and interaction with the community, but particularly for treating residents with courtesy, preventing crime, responding to emergency calls, and dealing with neighborhood problems.

A third of all residents felt police misconduct was “at least a minor problem in Pasadena,” said the report. The report also stated that “Latinos residents had more negative assessments than Asian and White residents, while African American residents exhibited far more negative assessments than Latinos.”

The Graziano report was both criticized for its survey methodology and results by Councilmember Steve Madison, and praised by Councilmember Victor Gordo, who noted its conclusion that a strong majority of people in Pasadena approved of its performance.

Efforts to contact Graziano were unsuccessful by press time.

Meanwhile, the Human Relations Commission approved its 2015-2016 Work Plan, having accomplished the majority of its objectives over the last year, including advising City Council on human relations issues, recognizing individuals in Pasadena who have improved human relations in Pasadena, as well as presenting public forums on human relations issues, with two forums on racism and education, respectively, last year.

The Commission also formed new ad hoc committees for the coming year, which include Policy, Forums, Education, Events, Outreach, Grants and Funding and Accountability.

Following the meeting’s adjournment, none of the commission’s members, including Chair Justin Jones, would take any questions from the media.