HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 14931 (2)
City of Palo Alto (ID # 14931)
City Council Staff Report
Meeting Date: 11/14/2022 Report Type: Study Session
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Title: Bi-Annual Discussion with the Independent Police Auditor
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
This Study Session is a bi-annual opportunity for Council discussion with the Independent Police
Auditor. There is no recommended action.
Discussion
Since 2006, Palo Alto has utilized an independent police auditor (IPA) to conduct secondary
review of defined investigations of uniformed Police Department personnel and provide related
services. Since the inception of the independent police auditing program, the City has
contracted with the Office of Independent Review (OIR Group), to provide these services.
In 2021, the City Council amended the IPA contract scope to include meeting with the City
Council in open session twice a year. The most recent discussions with the IPA were a Study
Session on September 13, 20211 and both a study session and possible approval of additional
services on March 14, 2022.2 At the March 2022 meeting, the Council unanimously approved 1)
ask OIR to perform a one-time performance review on Police Department recruitment and
hiring and 2) require the Police Department to provide a written response to future IPA
recommendations. As a result of the second part of that motion, staff has included written
responses to the IPA recommendations as an attachment to the most recent IPA report and
also shared an informational memo on June 20, 20223 with responses to the IPA’s February
report.
The one-time review of Police Department Hiring includes recruitment and hiring processes to
1 September 13, 2021 City Council Item #1, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-
reports/agendas-minutes/city-council-agendas-minutes/2021/09-september/20210913/20210913smccsct-
final.pdf.
2 March 14, 2022 City Council Item #11, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-
reports/agendas-minutes/city-council-agendas-minutes/2022/20220314/20220314pccsm-amended-final-revised-
ppt.pdf
3 June 20, 2022 City Council Informational Item #33, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-
minutes-reports/agendas-minutes/city-council-agendas-minutes/2022/20220620/20220620pccsm-amended-final-
final.pdf
City of Palo Alto Page 2
assess the extent to which the PAPD recruiting and hiring strategy and standards reflect
contemporary thinking about candidate eligibility, suitability, and potential. OIR will provide an
update on their progress at the November 14 Study Session and staff anticipates the Hiring and
Recruiting report to be released by the end of the year. The IPA plans to discuss a high-level
review of their recent report recommendations with the City Council during this study session.
Resource Impact
The City’s contract with OIR provides for $97,500 for core services, including secondary reviews
of the Police Department administrative investigations and other matters as described in the
contract; preparation of two reports per year; and two discussions with the City Council.
Performance reviews are funded as optional additional services, up to $10,000. This additional
$10,000 is being used this year for the recruitment and hiring review.