Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Sacramento City Council Approves Changes To Police Department Oversight

  •  Bob Moffitt 
Tuesday, November 29, 2016 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.

UPDATE 4:45 a.m.: The Sacramento City Council has approved a proposal to change how the city oversees its police department.

The city will have an 11-person, citizens-only police commission that could not directly investigate police activity.

Councilman Larry Carr says the City's Office of Public Safety Accountability will be moved from under the direction of the city manager to the direction of the city council. It will be staffed to perform independent investigations.

"We're looking at an admin person because we intend to put all of the complaints on the internet -sanitized versions, what the status of it is, how it's resolved, if it's ever resolved, we have a commission officer to support the commission and an investigator to actually go out and investigate when necessary," he says. 

The proposal also requires video of an officer-involved shooting be released within 30 days and includes purchases of "less-lethal" weapons for officers.

Timothy Davis is president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association and opposes much of the proposal, including the requirement that the department list the appropriate use of force depending on the threat level posed.

"Since these have been litigated for decades, there's just case law after case law about what is and what is not appropriate and when we go through the police department academy, we're given use-of-force training," he says.

Davis says many of the changes must be negotiated in collective bargaining. 



Original Post: In response to public outcry over two officer-involved shootings by the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento City Council will discuss tonight some changes to the way the city oversees the police department.

The proposal includes some changes, but will not give a citizen's commission any powers to investigate the department.

The council will consider whether to form a new citizen's police commission. Unlike the one that already exists, it would include no members of law enforcement. But, it would be like its predecessor in that it could not investigate citizen complaints.

Councilman Larry Carr says the City's Office of Public Safety Accountability already has that authority. The proposal would give the city council authority over the OPSA and would increase its staff to allow it to perform independent investigations.

"The commission actually will not be able to investigate," says Carr. "We've had to thread a pretty small needle here between the penal code, the city charter, the contracts we have with our police already, the Police Officers' Bill of Rights. So the OPSA will actually be doing the investigations."

Currently, the OPSA is under the city manager's office and usually supervises investigations performed by the police department's Internal Affairs Division.

The OPSA would receive an increase in staff at a cost of $600,000.

The proposal also includes a requirement that police video of officer-involved shootings be released within 30 days.

It also would increase purchases of "less-lethal" weapons for officers. The proposal would include enticements for officers to live within the city.

Timothy Davis is president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association and opposes much of the proposal, including the requirement that the department list the appropriate use of force depending on the threat level posed.

"Since these have been litigated for decades, there's just case law after case law about what is and what is not appropriate and when we go through the police department academy, we're given use-of-force training," says Davis.

Davis also says many of the changes must be negotiated in collective bargaining.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

 sacramento city councilsacramentoSacramento Police DepartmentPolice shootings

Bob Moffitt

Former Sacramento Region Reporter

Bob reported on all things northern California and Nevada. His coverage of police technology, local athletes, and the environment has won a regional Associated Press and several Edward R. Murrow awards.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

AP Photo/Haven Daley

California’s change to concealed carry permits would reduce wide variations among counties

June 30, 2022

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

Deal pulls California plastic trash measure from ballot

June 30, 2022

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Composting starts soon in Sacramento County. Here’s what you need to know.

June 29, 2022

Most Viewed

One dead, 4 injured in Downtown Sacramento shooting

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 cases are increasing globally

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

Downtown Sacramento shooting: What we know and latest updates

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

One dead, 4 injured in Downtown Sacramento shooting

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 cases are increasing globally

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

Downtown Sacramento shooting: What we know and latest updates

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.