11.18.21 POP Meeting NotesBoulder Police Oversight Panel
Meeting Notes
November 18, 2021
I. Election of new panel co-chairs
The panel elected Ariel Amaru and Daniel Leonard as the panel co-chairs
for 2022.
II. Discussion on panel retreat
The panel discussed possible location and scheduling of a panel retreat.
The discussion included identifying topics and activities and whether a
facilitator should be employed for the retreat. The retreat will likely
occur in early 2022.
III. Discussion on panel duties and protocols for managing email
communications with the public
The panel requested the creation of a general email that the public
could use to reach all panel members. The monitor facilitated the
creation of that email address in coordination with the city’s IT and
Communications staff. The panel discussed how the panel will manage
the receipt of incoming emails and respond in a timely fashion.
IV. Committee assignments
The panel discussed the implementation of four subcommittees:
• Governance
• Education & Orientation
• Community Outreach & Communications
• Legacy Review
Panel members discussed and confirmed their assignment on each
subcommittee and agreed to begin meeting as subcommittees.
V. Discussion of next meeting with Chief of Police
The panel indicated that they would like their next meeting with the
Chief of Public to be held in a public setting in the interest of
transparency.
VI. Update on legal review of panel by-laws
The panel indicated that their process for provisional approval of the by-
laws has been completed and that the draft by-laws have been reviewed
by the City Attorney’s Office. The panel has received edits proposed by
the City Attorney’s Office and plan to meet with the attorneys to review
the proposed edits.
VII. Monitor’s report
a. The monitor discussed his upcoming attendance at the NACOLE
conference in Tucson, Arizona from Dec. 12-16.
b. The monitor provided an update on the MOU for notification to the
monitor of critical incidents. The language of the MOU with BPD has
been agreed to and the monitor is currently working with the DA’s
office on an MOU that would govern incidents controlled by the
county-wide Critical Incident Response Team.
c. Report on outcome of case reviews
i. Panel committees completed two case reviews since the last
meeting
1. Both resulted in the panel recommending that the
allegations be sustained.
a. One case involved an internal complaint about an
officers’ statement over the radio and their
interaction with dispatch staff. The panel
recommended supervisory counseling and a 1-
year letter of reprimand in the officer’s file.
b. The second case was one which a review
committee had previously returned to the
department recommending additional
investigation. The department conducted the
additional investigation and provided a new
investigative report to the committee. The
committee reviewed the report and ultimately
sustained three allegations: Rule 6 Use of Force,
and two counts of Rule 8 Conduct. The committee
recommended re-training, a one-year letter of
reprimand for the Rule 6 allegation and re-training
regarding the two counts of conduct allegations.
c. The chief’s final disposition on both cases should
soon be provided to the panel and the disposition
will be reported out at next month’s meeting.
d. Monthly case statistics
i. Two complaints were filed in October
ii. So far in November, two complaints have been filed
iii. There are currently 10 active investigations that are in progress
(up from 9 last month)
iv. So far in 2021, 49 complaints have been filed and nine
allegations have been sustained against officers
VIII. Panel selection of cases to review
The panel reviewed the summaries of the complaints filed in October.
The panel voted on whether to conduct a full review of each case. The
panel elected to conduct a full case file review of cases #MI2021-047,
#MI2021-048 and #MI2021-049.
IX. Public Comment
Two representatives of the Boulder County NAACP spoke to express
their displeasure with the Police Oversight Panel’s public statement in
response to the NAACP’s request that the panel review a previously
closed complaint investigation.