The national sentiment and views towards police officers have been in the spotlight and debated significantly throughout 2020. As your Police Chief, I have a duty and obligation to protect the community we serve as well as the employees of this department. It is the position of the Police Department to serve and protect our diverse community with dignity and respect. We take pride in that mission and work every day to meet your expectations.
The list below details programs and mandates that I have implemented in order to balance the safety of community members and our police officers:
• In 2016, with the approval of the City Council, I ordered the use of a body worn camera program which requires each officer wear one while working on patrol. The body worn cameras were in addition to the use of in car video and audio systems which added an additional layer of protection to the community and our officers. Both programs are still in use in today.
• On June 8, 2020, I issued a mandate banning the use of the Carotid Control Hold (Chokehold) by any member of the Police Department. On August 30, 2020, the California State Legislature passed a bill banning chokeholds throughout California.
• In July 2020, I signed an MOU (memorandum of Understanding) with the Association of Riverside County Chiefs of Police and Sheriff (ARCCOPS) requiring an agency who experiences a deadly force situation resulting in death or great bodily injury to have an outside agency conduct the full criminal investigation into the incident and present their findings to the District Attorney’s Office.
• All CCPD Officers are required to attend “Racial and Cultural Diversity Training: Racial Profiling” every five years as mandated by the State of California. All CCPD Officers are mandated by the State of California to attend Arrest and Control, Force Options Simulator and Interpersonal Communication training every two years.
The Police Department is currently creating a new 5-year strategic plan that will focus on the role of police officers in society. An emphasis will be placed on identifying areas that will not require a police officer’s presence at the onset of certain situations. (Examples could be handling mental illness, homelessness and quality of life issues in our community)
Our personnel are representative of the community and I strive to achieve a diverse workforce representative of the city and community we serve. We will continue to engage the community and all stakeholders to guarantee this department continues to serve and protect in a manner that respects all who live, work or visit our city.
