05.13.21 POP Meeting NotesBoulder Police Oversight Panel
Meeting Notes
May 13, 2021
I. Discuss meeting dates with Chief Herold
The panel tentatively selected Wednesday, May 25 to meet with Chief Herold. The
monitor will confirm the meeting date and send a meeting invite to the panel
members.
II. Use of force training: Saturday, May 22, 8am - noon
Panel members will be attending their third training of the year. This training will
cover BPD’s use of force training, defensive tactics, ICAT method, and officer safety.
The training will be in person at the police department.
III. Report by subcommittee on panel by-laws and operating procedures
Subcommittee members Ms. Gordon, Ms. Villalobos, Ms. Wilson, and Mr. Leonard
presented the work of the subcommittee thus far. The subcommittee has reviewed
the sample by-laws and procedures of other jurisdictions provided by the monitor.
The subcommittee briefed the rest of the panel on its efforts to identify the various
sections and elements that should be incorporated into the panel’s by-laws and
procedures. The subcommittee will continue drafting the by-laws and procedures
and then distribute the draft to the panel prior to next month’s meeting. The panel
would like to vote to finalize the by-laws and procedures at the June 2021 public
meeting.
IV. Panel members select two- or three-year term
Consistent with Ordinance 8430, four panel members elected to serve initial 3-year
terms and three panel members elected to serve initial 2-year terms. The two
student terms are one year. After each initial term, all terms are for three years,
except the student terms. All panel members may serve up to two terms.
The four panel members who elected to serve initial 3-year terms were:
Martha Wilson, Victor King, David Leonard, and Hadasa Villalobos.
The three panel members who elected to serve initial 2-year terms were:
Taishya Adams, Sarah Holt, and Suzy Gordon
The student seats with one-year terms are currently filled by:
Ariel Amaru and Sasha Strong
V. Monitor’s report
The monitor provided updates to the panel members on the following items:
a. The use of the panel’s SharePoint site for a list-serv
b. File review procedures – panel members will have secure, digital access to case
files that they choose to review. Panel members will receive official city email
addresses to access a secure SharePoint site to review files.
c. Online complaint form – the monitor discussed working with BPD to build a
shared on-line complaint intake system that provides separate portals for the
BPD website and the website of the monitor’s office.
d. Racial equity tool – as a part of the city’s overall racial equity plan, the panel and
the monitor will be a part of the first round of city agencies to implement the
racial equity tool to measure how successful the agency is in ensuring equity
throughout its processes.
e. Summer intern – the monitor discussed the application and interview process for
hiring a summer intern. The job posting is currently available on the city’s job
site.
f. NAACP liaison – the monitor briefed the panel members on ongoing discussions
regarding engaging the Boulder County NAACP as a permanent liaison to the
monitor and panel. The panel members discussed the idea and possible
variations and alternatives. The panel ultimately decided by consensus to not
have an organizational liaison at this time.
g. Monthly case statistics
The monitor provided the following case statistics:
Two complaints were filed in April (one additional complaint was filed,
but then formally withdrawn)
So far in May, two complaints have been filed
There are currently seven active investigations that are in progress
So far in 2021, 24 complaints have been filed
• This includes 44 separate allegations
• So far in 2021, six allegations have been sustained against officers
• Four complaints filed so far in 2021 were initiated by BPD
command staff
VI. Panel selection of cases to review
The panel selected the following cases to review:
MI2021-014
MI2021-018
MI2021-021
MI2021-022
VII. Public Comment
Ms. Lynn Sigel voiced concern over the city’s approach to handling encampments.
Next agenda items
At the close of the meeting, panel members suggested the following as agenda items for the
next public meeting:
• Assessing individual panel members’ comfort level with meeting in public as the
Covid pre-cautions begin to relax.
• Add a five-minute break near the mid-point of the monthly meeting.