ninth-report.pdf

Independent Monitoring Team Ninth Status Report of the Independent Monitor Delphine Allen, et al., v. City of Oakland, et al. May 13, 2006, to November 30, 2006 Page 58 During the upcoming reporting periods, the IMT will determine whether OPD’s actual practices comply with this Settlement Agreement provision. We will also continue to assess the timeliness and quality of the Department’s officer-involved shooting investigations. 9. Use of Camcorders (Task 32; S.A. V.I.) a. Settlement Agreement Requirements • By July 20, 2004, OPD must explore the use and cost- effectiveness of camcorders in Patrol vehicles. b. Status of Compliance and Assessment The compliance deadline for this task occurred in July 2004. OPD achieved compliance with this task ahead of schedule by producing research reports regarding the use and cost-effectiveness of camcorders in patrol vehicles. Following a successful demonstration project that placed in-car cameras in several OPD patrol vehicles for 90 days, the City of Oakland is pursuing efforts to equip OPD patrol vehicles with cameras to allow officers to capture video of traffic stops and criminal activity in progress. On July 25, 2005, it issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for an In-Car Video (ICV) Management System. The RFP process concluded in February 2006, and the Department identified a vendor to install cameras into approximately 80 police vehicles. During this reporting period, the City authorized OPD to enter into contract negotiations with the selected vendor and the negotiations are underway. We continue to commend OPD and the City for their efforts in this area. C. Reporting Procedures (Tasks 33–39; S.A. VI.) Section VI of the Settlement Agreement, Tasks 33–39, requires OPD to change or enhance reporting procedures in a variety of areas in order to bolster officer accountability. The Settlement Agreement imposes new requirements for how misconduct, uses of force, and detainee transports are reported. The Settlement Agreement makes it clear that retaliation for reporting misconduct cannot be tolerated, making dismissal the presumptive disciplinary penalty for even subtle retaliation. In addition, the Settlement Agreement spells out when an officer must report being arrested, sued, or otherwise involved in litigation. This section of the Settlement Agreement also requires OPD to begin recording data about every individual and vehicle stopped by OPD officers, permitting tracking of trends in stops, discriminatory or otherwise. Each of the seven tasks in this section was due during the first reporting period. During the first reporting period, OPD developed compliant policies for two of the tasks: Task 34, Vehicle Stops, Field Investigation, and Detentions, and Task 38, Citizens Signing Police Forms.