Police Oversight Commission Appointments Back On City Council Agenda

Round four of the efforts to pick three Pasadena Community Police Oversight Commission members will take place at Monday’s City Council meeting. 

The council will hear from five applicants before deliberating.

Former Pasadena Board of Education member Mikala Rahn of Learning Works, Patrice Marshall McKenzie of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alexis Abernathy of the Altadena Pasadena Chapter of the Links, Florence Annang of the Pasadena NAACP, and Juliana Serrano of All Saints Church will make their case for a spot on the commission.

Monday’s discussion on the appointments will mark the first time the matter has come before the City Council since a jury in Minnesota convicted former police offficer Derek Chauvin on three counts of murder in the death of Minneapolis motorsist George Floyd. 

Floyd’s death on May 25 — Memorial Day — sparked nationwide protests and inspired the City Council to pass an ordinance establishing an 11-member oversight commission, which is to include three members from local nonprofit organizations, seven chosen by each City Councilmember, and one picked by Mayor Victor Gordo. 

The council was scheduled to vote on Annang and Serrano last Monday and then see two-minute presentations from the remaining three candidates, but the proceedings were continued after four council members — Andy Wilson, Tyron Hampton, Felicia Williams and Gene Masuda — said they wanted to hear from all five candidates. 

That marked the third time a meeting was held regarding the three community-based organizations without three applicants being chosen.

The City Council’s Public Safety Committee (PSC) met twice to choose three candidates to recommend to the City Council. At the first meeting, PSC members agreed to have seven of 13 candidates come back and make presentations and answer questions from committee members. 

One week later, after the field of candidates was narrowed to five, committee members unanimously chose Serrano and Annang following Zoom interviews, but members could not agree on a third member and decided to recommend two and send the other three to the full City Council.

“I did watch the video medley of the five finalists,” Wilson, who also serves as vice mayor, told Pasadena Now. “Given the importance of the selection, I think it good to have the five lined up again in real time for the entire council. Frankly, it would be better if we could do it in person as something is lost over Zoom, but obviously we aren’t quite there yet.” 

Last Monday, Hampton raised questions about the association of Serrano and Annang with Pasadenans Organizing for Progress! (POP). Serrano and Annang are on the POP! executive board. POP! and the NAACP have called for support of both candidates.

When contacted by Pasadena Now after the meeting, Hampton praised the community work of both candidates, but added, “I don’t just want a diverse commission,” Hampton said. “I want diverse voices and diverse thought.”

In a quote to  Pasadena Now, POP! also praised the two candidates, but was circumspect in its response and did not directly address Hampton’s concern. 

“Juliana Serrano and Florence Annang were nominated by All Saints Church and the NAACP, respectively,” the group said in a statement to Pasadena Now. “The NAACP and All Saints Church are two of Pasadena’s most respected and long-standing champions of equity, fairness and justice. The sterling qualifications of both nominees speak for themselves, which is why they were the unanimous choice of the Council’s Public Safety Committee at their meeting on April 14, 2021. POP! supports their confirmation by the Council.” 

The group has called for oversight of the police department, but did not submit an application for the commission.

When asked why they did not directly submit a candidate to the group, POP! did not respond.