Independent Police Auditor Lists Priorities for Fiscal Year 2024

During the meeting of the Community Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) on Thursday, Independent Police Auditor (IPA) Richard Rosenthal identified his potential projects for Fiscal Year 2024, which include tracking and public reporting of how the Pasadena Police Department’s has implemented the previous and recent policy recommendations by a number of independent bodies. 

Recent IPA report on the Categorical Use of Force Investigations by Pasadena Police Dept. recommends 10 changes to current Pasadena Police Dept. policy while the recent Office of the Independent Review (OIR) Group report on the Anthony McClain killing raises 27 recommendations to the Pasadena Police Dept.. 

The McClain incident is the third officer-involved shooting investigated by the OIR Group. It has reviewed the killing of Leroy Barnes in 2009 and Kendrec McDade in 2012. 

According to Rosenthal, the OIR report on Barnes recommended 14 policy recommendations, 10 of which were already implemented. 

The OIR report on the McDade killing raised 26 recommendations, 13 of which were already implemented by Pasadena Police Dept.. 

Additionally, the National Police Foundation (NPF) made eight recommendations in its report on the police killing of Reginald Thomas, Jr. on Sept. 30, 2016. Of those, seven were implemented. 

According to Rosenthal, the NPF’s Use of Force Policy review in 2020 made 35 recommendations, of which 24 were implemented by Pasadena Police Dept..

Rosenthal said he will ensure that “there are no outstanding recommendations.”

“All of these reports are going to be put into a spreadsheet –  all the recommendations, status and then I will be focusing on making sure everything is up to date, accurate and I will be working with the [police] department on implementation,” Rosenthal added. 

Among the “key recommendations” of the independent bodies that need follow up, he said, is the recommendation on Body Worn Camera.

“The department should update its Body Worn Camera policies and training to ensure consistency as to when BWC’s are activated and deactivated,” said Rosenthal. 

Rosenthal said the implementation of the recommendations related to Pretext Stop should also be given priority. 

He reminded the CPOC that the OIR has recommended that the body  should convene community conversations to formally discuss and consider the pros and cons of Pasadena Police Dept.’s use of pretext stops, especially with regard to minor equipment violations.

For this fiscal year, Rosenthal will also focus on ensuring that the CPOC recommendation on firearm pointing and the IPA recommendation on the taser policy are being implemented. 

Last April, the CPOC recommended that the Pasadena Police Dept. update their Use of Force policy to require the reporting and tracking of any intentional pointing of a firearm at an individual. 

In 2022, the IPA also recommended that Pasadena Police Dept. delete in its Use of Force policy the language that makes it appear that an officer is permitted to use a Taser on a person solely because that person is physically resisting or solely where there is potential risk of harm.

For this FY, Rosenthal said he will also develop a methodology to assess the current Pretext Search policy and practices and a proposal for a Community-Police mediation program. 

Rosenthal said he will present to the City Council in a meeting this June what he has accomplished so far and his goals for FY 2024.