May 2024 PAB Meeting

• Professional development is ongoing in anticipation of a change in leadership to a new Executive Director.
• PAB gave a presentation to a City Council working group highlighting the accomplishments achieved and challenges encountered over the past year.  Not having access to information held by the Police Department continues to be a barrier to investigations.

• The protest policy proposal for change is nearing completion.
• The second oversight investigation, which involves collective bargaining agreements, is close to being done. 
• Barriers have been created due to the failure of RPD and Corporate Counsel to provide data necessary for thorough and timely analyses and investigations.  Examples were discussed.  The Charter states that PAB can seek information from any department in the city, including the law department.

• In partnership with the Public Defender’s Office, A Know Your Rights training and workshop is in the developmental stage.  These will be shared with the community upon completion.
• Eight positions on the Communications staff are available and are posted on the website, ROCpab.org, and have been shared via social media.
• The Spring newsletter will be going out at the end of June.  You can sign up to receive the newsletter on the website.
• Tamika Jones was promoted to the position of Community Engagement Manager.

• Sixteen reports were received as of April 30^th; three have been closed.  For the fiscal year 2023-24, a total of 157 have been received to date.  A caseload of 230 cases is being handled by the three managers currently on staff. 
• Interviews are nearing completion to hire a fourth case manager.
• A bilingual case manager started with the division on April 1^st.
• Training concerning the intake and interview processes has been completed. 

• Nine investigations concerning misconduct were closed out during three meetings in April and those reports were sent to the Chief of Police.  A total of 15 reports were sent in April.
• There are challenges to pending investigations.  PAB received notice from the Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office that information for a misconduct investigation related to a criminal prosecution cannot be released until the police investigation has been completed.   This will cause delays in PAB work. 
• An email was received from Corporation Counsel and The Locust Club Counsel in response to eight subpoenas issued to police officers, stating that they would not be interviewed.
• The number of mental health calls that may turn into arrests is an area of policy analysis for PAB.  The Police Department has said that it will not turn over any information related to these calls.

• Previously discussed barriers are impacting the ability of PAB to provide full accountability to the public, access to data, and a quick turnaround on cases.  Outside counsel agrees that these barriers are not what the Charter states or the public expects.  PAB continues to work together with other agencies but the patience of those in the community as well as the Board is tested.
• The search for a new Executive Director is on-going.
• Multiple review panels have been created on the Board which allow for faster review of cases.  However, a lack of information can have an impact on recommendations.
• Staff has been going through training to keep abreast of new policies and practices in the accountability community.