Police Oversight Commission Finally Becomes Reality In Pasadena

PASADENA, CA — City leaders unanimously voted to fill the eight remaining positions on Pasadena's new community police oversight commission Monday, fulfilling a promise the City Council made nearly 10 months ago.

The eight new commissioners join three other people who were appointed in April to the 11-seat body that will provide accountability to the Pasadena Police Department, which has come under increased scrutiny after an officer shot and killed Anthony McClain, 32, during a traffic stop in August.

The commission will be made up of four men and seven women, including a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant, a retired Superior Court judge and a domestic violence counselor.

The commissioners that were appointed Monday are:

• Espirit Loren Jones — a domestic violence advocate and counselor.
• Noemi Emeric-Ford — a brownfields coordinator for the coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• Donald Matthews — A retired lieutenant from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.
• Barbara Stacy — a human resources coordinator.
• Raul Ibanez — an educational adviser at Pasadena City College.
• Patricia Kinaga — a former Los Angeles deputy city attorney.
• Lawrence Lurvery — a physician at Kaiser Permanente.
• Phillip Argento — a former L.A. County Superior Court judge.

The members that were named back in April are:

• Alexis Abernethy — a psychology professor at Fuller Theological Seminary.
• Florence Annang —an executive member of the Pasadena NAACP.
• Juliana Serrano — a senior associate for peace and justice at All Saints Church.

It’s unknown when the commission will hold its first meeting but City Attorney Michele Bagneris said it should happen sometime this summer.

In addition to the commissioners, the City Council also voted 7 to 1 to hire Brian Maxey on a $75,000, one-year contract to serve as an independent police auditor to work in conjunction with the commission. Councilwoman Jess Rivas was the dissenting vote.

Maxey will work with the commission to advise them on best-practices and to provide them with recommendations on police department policies, according to the city’s municipal code.

The commission and independent auditor will have the power to issue subpoenas for police records. The body will also be able to published police use of force statistics and personnel complaints.

There are some limits to the commission’s powers. The body can’t take a direct or indirect role in police personnel matters, according to the city’s code.