Santa Barbara City Council now accepting applications for Fire and Police Commission
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance recommended by staff that will assign additional police oversight duties to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.
The same vote also opens the city to applications for the special recruitment of five members to the Fire and Police Commission, which will serve as a civilian review board.
The application deadline agreed upon is Thursday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m.
Before the vote, a couple of contentious issues were discussed during public comment.
They included whether former fire and law enforcement from near and far should be allowed to apply.
Council members overwhelmingly agreed that applicants with life experience should be welcome to apply.
Firefighter Mark Kramer, who is president of the Santa Barbara Firefighters Association, made a convincing public comment about what a former first responder could bring to the table.
Cal Poly Professor Louisa Wood, Ph.D. served on the Community Formation Commission that made recommendations.
Wood said the commission recommended police officers from within the county be able to apply, but overall she was gratified that the commission's work led to this moment.
She is pondering whether to apply for a seat on the new commission.
The council also debated whether ride-alongs with police should be required. They chose to change the wording to make it voluntary.
Mayor Pro Tempore Meagan Harmon couldn't take a ride-along while she was nursing a newborn, but is looking forward to the life-changing experience that Council Members Eric Friedman and Oscar Gutierrez reflected on during the discussion.
Harmon wants people to take in the significance of the unanimous vote.
"This is really a victory for the community today, it was such a momentous occasion and as I said this is the biggest step the city has ever taken toward civilian oversight of police and really the purpose is to grow in trust and transparency and that is what we said as a council today, " said Harmon.
The move to create the commission was sparked by the national uproar after the murder of George Floyd, 46, at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Officer named Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020.
Harmon said it took years to get here.
Commission duties will include reviewing performance, complaints, budgets, permits, and fees.
Application information should soon be available on the city's website.
Harmon said the council hopes to choose five people by the end of the year so the commission can get to work.
