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A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the Police Review and Advisory Board quarterly reports. REFERRED TO PUBLIC SAFETY IN COUNCIL 2.6.2023

CMA 2023 #27·Council meeting Feb 6, 2023·23 pages·📄 Original PDF (city portal)
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB MEMO To: Yi-An Huang, City Manager From: Brian Corr, Executive Director, Police Review & Advisory Board Date: February 2, 2023 Re: Police Review & Advisory Board Quarterly Report for January 2023 Pursuant to Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.74.040(E), the Police Review & Advisory Board “shall make quarterly reports to the City Manager, the Mayor, the City Council and to the public, of the Department’s activities during the previous year, including the handling of complaints, and of future plans.” In fulfillment of that requirement, I am submitting this memo as well as the complete set of minutes from the calendar year 2022 and the public docket of complaints. When a complainant files a complaint with the Board, the Board notifies the complainant that the Board received the complaint and explains the process of investigation and the Board’s determination. Once a complaint is filed, the Executive Director sends the complaint to the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) of the Cambridge Police Department for investigation on behalf of the Board. An investigation includes interviewing the complainant, involved police officer(s), and any other relevant individuals and reviewing police reports, witness statements, and other pertinent information. The Executive Director submits the investigative report from PSU to the Board, which reviews the report and may accept the report or order additional investigation into the complaint. After the investigation process is complete, the Board deliberates and makes a determination whether or not there was a violation of policy or procedures, or whether it is inconclusive. That finding is provided to the complainant and the PSU. Depending on the finding, any party to the complaint may request that the Board order a hearing. The Board decides whether to order a hearing based on the evidence it receives. If the Board holds a hearing, it will render a final decision. In addition, even if the Board finds no violation of policy or procedures, it may make recommendations to the City Manager and the Police Commissioner about changes the City can make to avoid similar situations in the future. In the calendar year 2022, the Board held eight public meetings, including five executive sessions under Section 21(a)(1) of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law to consider complaints pending before the Board. During the executive sessions, the Board reviewed both the complaints and the investigations of those complaints conducted on its behalf by the PSU, and then made findings on the complaints. The Board also reviewed in executive session the one complaint received by CPD and the subsequent investigation of the complaint by PSU. In 2022, three complaints were filed with the Board. They are summarized as follows:
Complaint # Date Filed Type of Complaint Status Date Closed Outcome PR-2022-002 07/07/2022 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 10/26/2022 Cleared PR-2022-001-II 07/18/2022 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting; Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Discrimination/Bias-based Policing Closed 12/06/2022 Not Founded PR-2022-001 06/14/2022 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting; Discrimination/Bias-based policing Closed 10/26/2022 Cleared A significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Board has been the difficulty of providing training for the Board and the inability of Board members to conduct outreach to the community through community meetings and public events. The Board received training from CPD on the PSU policy and procedure for conducting complaint investigations, and Board members attended training webinars provided by the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE). For 2023, Board Chair Alexandra Fallon has proposed the following goals, which were reviewed with the full Board at its December 2022 meeting: • Board members and staff to participate in two CPD trainings - including “Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics” (ICAT), a training on responding to situations where individuals that the police encounter are behaving erratically and perhaps dangerously but do not have a firearm. • CPD Commissioner Elow to attend two Board meetings to discuss key topics with the Board. • Improve access to filing complaints by launching an online complaint form. • Revise the Board’s Rules and Regulations to extend the deadline for complaints to be filed more than 60 days after the incident. • The Board will conduct a review of a minimum of two CPD policies. • Board members will participate in a minimum of three community outreach efforts. • The Board will have a quorum for all scheduled meetings. I look forward to providing these reports on a quarterly basis, and by the end of March 2023, I plan to prepare an annual public report on the work of the Board in 2022.
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of January 26, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alexandra Fallon, Gina LaRoche, Franziskus Lepionka, Lucy Murray-Brown, Beverly Sealey City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, Administrative Coordinator Ayan Barre; CPD Director of Professional Standards and Training and Certification Unit James Mulcahy, Sergeant Michael LeVecque Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes On a motion from Board Member LaRoche, seconded by Board Member Fallon, the Board approved the minutes of December 1, 2021, with Board Members Fallon, LaRoche, Murray- Brown, and Sealey voting in favor and Board Member Lepionka abstaining. Executive Director’s Report • Exec. Dir. Corr reported on a meeting he attended in December of the “City Manager’s Task Force to Examine the Future of Public Safety in Cambridge.” The City will establish a new Cambridge Department of Community Safety (CDCS), which will be separate from the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) and staffed by trained civilians who will provide community services and programs focused on some of the most vulnerable individuals and groups in Cambridge. CDCS will implement a trauma-informed “Cambridge Alternative Public Safety Response Program” to respond to non-violent calls involving behavioral health, substance use, and homelessness with a harm-reduction approach. The program will include a crisis response specialist and a peer support specialist who will be the primary responders to those types of calls received by 911. The foundation of the program will be that all people deserve respect, autonomy, dignity, and opportunity. The City Manager plans to propose a budget of approximately $3,000,000 to support the CDCS. • Exec. Dir. Corr discussed his participation in the interview process for CPD hiring its first Informatics Analyst for their Procedural Justice Unit. This position is part of implementing a “Procedural Justice Dashboard” and a strategic research plan that advances the work of procedural justice and legitimacy-based policing. • The longest-serving member of the Board — Lucy Murray-Brown — will finish her second five-year term on April 30, 2022, and she is not eligible for reappointment, and her last meeting as a board member will be on April 27, 2022. • The 2022 NACOLE Annual Conference will take place in Fort Worth, TX from September 11 to 15, 2022. The location was chosen in part because it is home to one of the newer civilian oversight offices, the Fort Worth Office of the Police Oversight Monitor.
Professional Standards Unit Report Director Mulcahy shared updates from the Cambridge Police Department. • Director Mulcahy announced that 18 cadets entered the CPD cadet program, which aims to give young people in Cambridge the opportunity to work with the Police Department as a possible career path. Director Mulcahy announced that a new Police Commissioner was appointed by the City Manager. Commissioner Christine Elow has worked with the Cambridge Police Department for 27 years and believes in connecting with the most vulnerable people and diverting them away from the criminal justice system whenever possible. • Director Mulcahy suggested the Board would benefit from CPD’s Integrated Communications and Tactics (ICAT) training, developed by the Police Executive Research Forum based on research and on the principles of 21st Century policing. Chair Fallon discussed the possibility of setting up a date for the Board to receive training in ICAT, and all Board members agreed it was a good idea. Consideration of Complaint Pending before the Board and Adjournment Board Member Murray-Brown moved that the Board enter executive session pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Mass. Open Meeting Law to discuss complaint PR-2021-003 pending before the Board. The motion was seconded by Board Member La Roche and approved by a unanimous roll call vote. The Board entered executive session at 6:45 p.m. and adjourned the meeting from executive session at 7:46 p.m. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of December 1, 2021
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of February 23, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alexandra Fallon, Gina LaRoche, Franziskus Lepionka, Lucy Murray-Brown, Beverly Sealey City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, Administrative Coordinator Ayan Barre Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes On a motion from Chair Fallon, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown, the Board approved the minutes of January 26, 2022, with Board Members Fallon, LaRoche, Murray-Brown, and Sealey voting in favor and Board Member Lepionka abstaining. Executive Director’s Report • Executive Director Corr discussed setting up a training for the Board prior to the March Board meeting and stated that he would follow up with the Professional Standards Unit at CPD to discuss conducting training desired by the Board. • E.D. Corr informed the Board that he had just finished serving on the Law Enforcement Data Dashboard Advisory Committee for the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), a progressive policing think tank and the organization that developed the ICAT training that the CPD is using to promote and support de-escalation. • E.D. Corr reported that he has had continuing opportunities to support other communities as they develop civilian oversight, including meeting with the Office of the Mayor of Birmingham, Ala. Birmingham has started a new civilian review board and has been very interested in what Cambridge does regarding civilian oversight, looking to this agency as a model. Over the last seventy years, it has become a majority-Black city with serious issues of poverty and accompanying concerns around public safety, and the administration is working to rebuild trust between the Birmingham Police Department and the city’s residents. Notably, its population is 73% Black, its police department is 90% Black, and Birmingham is well-known for its history of segregation and civil rights activism. Chair’s Report Chair Fallon reported that she and E.D. Corr will be meeting with Police Commissioner Elow in March. Board Member Report Board Member LaRoche reported that on behalf of the Police Review & Advisory Board, she participated in a focus group for City boards and commissions, facilitated by Randi Frank Consulting as part of the City Council’s search process for hiring the next City Manager. She raised
several issues including: naming a permanent Police Commissioner; the future of public safety and the planned Cambridge Dept. of Community Safety; and the need for the City Manager to have an inclusive leadership perspective. She also noted that there is an online survey that is available for everyone to fill out. Consideration of Complaints Pending before the Board Board Member LaRoche moved that the Board enter executive session pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Mass. Open Meeting Law to discuss complaints LF -2022-001, LF-2022-002 and LF-2022-003 pending before the Board. The motion was seconded by Board Member Lepionka and approved unanimously by roll call vote. The Board entered executive session at 6:19 p.m. Adjournment At the end of the executive session, the Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the executive session and the meeting at 7:22 p.m., on a motion from Chair Fallon, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of January 26, 2022
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of March 30, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alexandra Fallon, Gina LaRoche, Franziskus Lepionka, Beverly Sealey City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, Administrative Coordinator Ayan Barre, CPD Director of Professional Standards and Training and Certification Unit James Mulcahy Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the minutes of February 23, 2022 on a motion from Chair Fallon, seconded by Board Member Sealey. Executive Director’s Report • Executive Director Corr reported that on March 17 he met with Delaware State Sen. Elizabeth Lockman, who is working to amend that state’s Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) to allow for the creation of civilian review boards. • On Friday, March 25, E.D. Corr participated in a retreat for the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT) – Boston’s new civilian oversight agency – and at the request of their director E.D. Corr conducted a special training session for members of their new Civilian Review Board. Professional Standards Unit Report Director Mulcahy shared updates from the Cambridge Police Department (CPD): • Director Mulcahy reported the Cambridge Police Department promoted four individuals on their leadership team: Director Mulcahy reported that with the retirement of Superintendent DiPietro, Deputy Superintendent Cabral was promoted to Superintendent and will command the Support Services Division, while Superintendent Lowe will command the Operations Division and three lieutenants – Macone, Magalhaes, and Vellucci -- were promoted to the rank of deputy superintendent. • Director Mulcahy announced that the Cambridge/Northeastern Police Academy is halfway through its current session, with 41 student officers in the academy, of which 15 are recruits for the Cambridge Police. • Director Mulcahy provided an update on the process of accreditation. CPD is rewriting all their rules and regulations as a first step for accreditation, and to ensure that all their policies are in a consistent format, in one voice, and in alignment with CPD’s mission and values. They have been working on it for 11 months and hope to soon have them drafted. This is part of the process that the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) has established, and CPD expects to put in a formal application for the advanced CALEA accreditation that usually takes two to three years and involves
meeting every standard and showing proof of compliance. CALEA calls for public input on the process, and that will be part of finalizing all relevant policies. Chair’s Report Chair Fallon reported that she and E.D. Corr had meeting last Thursday with Commissioner Elow. Fallon shared that Commissioner Elow is dedicated and excited to serve the Cambridge community. Commissioner Elow is a strong proponent for community-driven policing, juvenile justice issues, procedural justice, police training and innovative hiring practice. Chair Fallon reported that she and E.D. Corr plan to have monthly meetings with Commissioner Elow to the extent possible. Adjournment The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 6:28 p.m., on a motion from Chair Fallon, seconded by Board Member Beverly Sealey. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of February 23, 2022
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of April 27, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alexandra Fallon, Gina LaRoche, Franziskus Lepionka City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, Administrative Coordinator Ayan Barre, CPD Professional Standards Sergeant Michael LeVecque Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the minutes of March 30, 2022, on a motion from Board Member LaRoche seconded by Board Member Lepionka. Executive Director’s Report • Executive Director Corr reported that he is working on the Board’s request to examine its Rules and Regulations regarding the current 60-day filing deadline for complaints and the related language about the Board’s ability waiving that requirement for good cause, as well as the possible implementation of an online complaint submission form. E.D. Corr reported the next step will be to meet with the Police Department to help the Law Department to help understand what issues may come up. He also noted that he has been serving on a hiring committee for the Law Department to fill three attorney positions. • On April 21, E.D. Corr presented at Mass. General Hospital’s Social Service Grand Rounds about civilian oversight, police reform, and what is happening in Cambridge regarding training police on trauma-informed law enforcement and on an alternative public safety response through the Department of Community Safety. • On April 26, E.D. Corr presented on civilian oversight, police reform, and trauma to Public Safety SLO – a multidisciplinary collaborative of community activists’ social services workers and law enforcement to discuss equity, inclusion, and safety improvements that could be made in San Luis Obispo County, California. Professional Standards Unit Report • Sgt. LeVecque provided an update on the CPD’s work with the new Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, noting that PSU has already certified new recruits and retired officers who serve in special capacities, and in line with the directives of POST as it is doing the initial statewide certification process, PSU is working through the process for officers with last names starting with A through H. • Sgt. LeVecque reminded the Board that PSU is working on the CALEA accreditation process and reported that CPD is working with consultant Howard Leibowitz on updating all CPD policies as part of that process. • Sgt. LeVecque reported that CPD promoted four new lieutenants and four new sergeants, as
part of filling positions that were vacated with the promotion of four lieutenants to deputy superintendent in March. Adjournment The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 p.m., on a motion from Chair Fallon, seconded by Board Member Gina LaRoche. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of March 30, 2022
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of May 25, 2022 Board Members present: Acting Chair Gina LaRoche, Franziskus Lepionka, Lucy Murray-Brown City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, CPD Professional Standards Sergeant Michael LeVecque, CPD Director of Professional Standards, Training and Certification James Mulcahy Acting Chair LaRoche called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the minutes of April 27, 2022, on a motion from Board Member Murray-Brown seconded by Board Member Lepionka. Executive Director’s Report • ED Corr reported that he has been asked to serve as peer reviewer for the New Orleans Office of the Independent Police Monitor (IPM). The peer review program is an initiative of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) and is a city charter requirement for the IPM. This proof-of-concept peer review is the first undertaken by NACOLE. CPD Professional Standards, Training and Certification Report • Director Mulcahy provided an update on the CPD’s work with the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission to ensure that CPD provides the necessary materials and completes individual interviews of all officers with last names beginning from A though H to meet POST’s June 15 deadline. • The Unit is working to complete all in-service training for the year, as well as the Practical CPR training for all Cambridge first responders. • The current recruit class at the joint Cambridge/Northeastern University Police Academy includes 15 from Cambridge and they are set to graduate on June 25. Reports from Board Members • Board Member Lepionka announced that he has accepted a position with the City of Cambridge Law Department, beginning in mid-June. He explained that this would be his last meeting as a member of the Board because the restrictions in the ordinance establishing the Police Review & Advisory Board mean that he must resign upon becoming a City of Cambridge employee. • In response to a question from the Board regarding filling vacancies on the Board under the revised provisions of the city charter, ED Corr explained that based on the ongoing work of the City Council’s Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee to develop new guidelines for appointments to boards and commissions, the City Manager’s Office is not
currently posting vacancies for positions on boards and commissions which are subject to the City Council’s approval. He noted that he had attended a meeting of the Committee, along with the City Manager and the Executive Director of the Human Rights Commission and the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship, to present about current practices for widely advertising vacancies and promoting broadly diverse pools of applicants. He also explained that when appointments made by the City Manager are not acted on within 60 days, they automatically go into effect. Consideration of Complaint Pending before the Board Board Member Murray-Brown moved that the Board enter executive session pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Mass. Open Meeting Law to discuss complaint CC-2022-001 pending before the Board. The motion was seconded by Board Member Lepionka and approved unanimously by roll call vote. The Board entered executive session at 6:23 p.m. Adjournment At the end of the executive session, the Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the executive session and the meeting at 6:59 p.m., on a motion from Board Member Lepionka, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of April 27, 2022
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of June 29, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alex Fallon, Gina LaRoche, Lucy Murray-Brown, Beverly Sealey City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr; CPD Director of Professional Standards, Training and Certification James Mulcahy Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the minutes of May 25, 2022, on a motion from Board Member LaRoche, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown. Executive Director’s Report • ED Corr reported that he had an initial meeting with the Law Department to discuss the Board’s interest in revising the Rules & Regulations of the Board to extend the amount of time that complaints could be filed and considered timely. He explained that one important consideration is that there are differences between the role of the CPD’s Professional Standards Unit (PSU) versus the role of the Board in the personnel and disciplinary process and the because of the quasi-adjudicatory nature of the Board. He will continue working with the Law Department on this topic. • Because not all members were present at the May meeting, ED Corr reminded that Board Member Lepionka has resigned from the Board upon being hired by the City of Cambridge Law Department, as City employees are not allowed to serve on the Board, according to the City ordinance that established the Board. • ED Corr reported that Ayan Barre has left her position as administrative coordinator for the Police Review & Advisory Board to take a new position, and that he will work to secure administrative support, while noting that will be difficult to accomplish over the summer. • ED Corr updated the Board on the status of filling vacancies for Board and Commissions, explaining that the City Manager’s Office is working to address the desire of the City Council that the selection process aligns with their new authority to approve appointments to Board and Commissions under the newly revised City Charter. CPD Professional Standards, Training and Certification Report • Director Mulcahy shared that 39 new police officers graduated over the weekend from the joint Cambridge/Northeastern University Police Academy at a well-attended ceremony with many family and friends. Of those, 15 are from Cambridge and just began additional training with the CPD Training and Certification Unit. The next academy class will begin in January 2023. • Director Mulcahy reported that there have been personnel changes in PSU, with Lt.
McDavitt transferring from PSU to the Traffic Unit; Lt. Tom Glynn, who used to run the Training Academy, joining PSU as its new lieutenant; and the addition of Sgt. James Diggins , who has transferred into PSU. • Director Mulcahy noted that the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission will notify CPD in July on the status of all current officers and whether each officer is: recertified; conditionally certified; requires more investigation; or will not be recertified. CPD PSU anticipates that they will be no officers who are not recertified. • The Unit is working to complete all in-service training for the year, as well as the Practical CPR training for all Cambridge first responders. Reports from Board Members • Chair Fallon reported that she and ED Corr had a brief meeting with CPD Commissioner Christine Elow, noting that she remains very supportive of the Board, and it was very helpful to hear her perspective on the possibility of increasing the time limit for accepting complaints to something like six months, and that she wants us all to be seeing accepting of complaints and didn't see a huge difference in the. Board members indicated interest in providing input into what would get discussed between the Chair, the Executive Director and the Commissioner, and would also like to have the Commission attend additional Board meetings as possible. Chair Fallon noted that the Commissioner would also like to meet with the Board. Adjournment The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 p.m., on a motion from Chair Fallon, seconded by Board Member Sealey. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of May 25, 2022
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of October 26, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alex Fallon, Gina LaRoche, Lucy Murray-Brown, Beverly Sealey City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, CPD Director of Professional Standards, Training and Certification James Mulcahy, CPD Lieutenant Thomas Glynn, CPD Sergeant Michael LeVecque Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Public Comment There were no comments from members of the public. Review and Approval of Minutes The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the minutes of June 29, 2022, on a motion from Board Member LaRoche, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown with board members LaRoche and Murray-Brown, and Chair Fallon voting in favor. Election of a Chair Exec. Dir. Corr explained the process regarding the annual election of a chair of the Board and opened the floor for nominations. Board Member Fallon indicated her willingness to be considered. Board Member LaRoche nominated Board Member Fallon for election as chair, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown. Nominations were closed unanimously on a motion from Board Member LaRoche, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown with board members Fallon, LaRoche, and Murray-Brown voting in favor. Board Member Fallon was elected as Chair for the upcoming year with board members Fallon, LaRoche, and Murray-Brown voting in favor and Board member Sealey abstaining. Executive Director’s Report • Exec. Dir. Corr reported that he attended several conferences as a planner and presenter since the last meeting of the Board: o He attended the annual conference of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) in Orlando, FL from July 24 to 27, and helped organize and present a workshop on civilian oversight along with Madison, WI Police Chief Shon Barnes, Fort Worth, TX Deputy Police Monitor Denise Rodriguez, NOBLE past president Joseph McMillan, and police accountability expert Marcia Thompson. o He attended the Rhode Island Guardians annual conference on August 10 and 11 and presented a session on civilian oversight with Ferenc Karoly, executive director of the Providence, RI civilian oversight agency. o He attended the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) annual conference from September 11 to 15 and presented on trauma and resilience in civilian oversight with Ron MacDonald, past president of the Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (CACOLE).
o Over the summer he worked closely with U.S. Dept of State staff in Mexico to plan the 5th National Conference of Mexican Internal Affairs Officials, identifying a number of panels and panelists and organizing sessions on sexual and gender-based violence, peer intervention for police officers, and trauma and resilience in policing. He then attended the conference in Mexico City, which brought together 250 police leaders from every part of Mexico to support assessment, training, and standards for their internal affairs units from September 29 to October 1 and he presented at two of those sessions he organized. • Ex. Dir. Corr reported on an update that City Manager Huang made regarding on Boards and Commissions presented to the City Council on October 24. CPD Professional Standards, Training and Certification Report • Dir. Mulcahy reported that on October 4, CPD hosted a delegation of Mexican police officials organized by the U.S. State Department who were visiting Boston, Cambridge, and New York City to learn about best practices in internal affairs and investigations, and who had just attended the same conference that Ex. Dir Corr was at in Mexico City. The delegation met with Dir. Mulcahy and CPD Superintendent Rob Lowe, had excellent discussions, and they found the delegation to be very robust. • Dir. Mulcahy reported that there have been personnel changes in PSU, with Lt. McDavitt transferring from PSU to lead the Traffic Unit; Lt. Tom Glynn, who was leading the Training Academy, joining PSU as its new lieutenant; and the addition of Sgt. James Diggins who has transferred into PSU. • Regarding the Training Academy, Dir. Mulcahy reported that Sgt. Beth Halloran will be the director of the academy beginning with the incoming class. He noted that the CPD Cadet Program is planning to send two current police cadets into the academy, and they have two other individuals who are applying to the cadet program, and they will join the current cadets who are still in that program. • In response to a question about a news story about Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification, Dir. Mulcahy explained that some unions have challenged some of the certification questions that the POST Commission decided to use in that process. • In response to a question about the CALEA accreditation process for CPD and the revision of department policies, Dir. Mulcahy reported Sgt. LeVecque has been focused on that effort and has rewritten nearly 80 policies, and that the Board can be provided the index from the new policy manual to allow it to identify policies that it is particularly interested in reviewing. • In response to a question about visiting the CPD Training Academy, Dir. Mulcahy responded positively and noted that it would be valuable for Board members to have the opportunity to experience the immersive simulator that CPD uses for scenario-based training, which Board members responded to with interest. Consideration of Complaints before the Board Board Member Murray-Brown moved that the Board enter executive session pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Mass. Open Meeting Law to discuss complaints PR-2022-001 and PR-2022-002, pending before the Board. The motion was seconded by Board Member Sealey and approved by a unanimous roll call vote. The Board entered executive session at 6:38 p.m. Adjournment At the end of the executive session, the Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 p.m., on a motion from Board Member LaRoche, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown with board members Fallon, LaRoche, and Murray-Brown voting in favor. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of June 29, 2022
POLICE REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD A Department of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts 51 Inman St. • Cambridge, Mass. 02139 • [phone removed] • www.cambridgema.gov/PRAB Minutes from the Meeting of December 7, 2022 Board Members present: Chair Alexandra Fallon, Lucy Murray-Brown, Beverly Sealey City Staff present: Executive Director Brian Corr, CPD Director of Professional Standards, Training and Certification James Mulcahy Chair Fallon called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Public Comment Claire Davies, a Cambridge resident, stated that she knows Board Member Sealey and is attending the meeting as a social worker and concerned citizen. She noted that she is very interested in what is happening in New York City where the mayor announced that the city will be using police to hospitalize people experiencing mental illness who are not able to care for themselves. She wonders whether there is any official response from the Cambridge Police and the Cambridge Public Health Department in particular and the City in general to New York City’s decision, and explained that as a social worker who has worked at Boston Medical Center and at “Mass and Cass” she is very concerned about how this may play out in other communities in the wake of New York City’s decision. Jennifer Hogue, a Cambridge resident, stated that she was happy to join the meeting and is attending to listen. Review and Approval of Minutes The Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the minutes of October 26, 2022, on a motion from Board Member Murray-Brown, seconded by Chair Fallon. Executive Director’s Report • Exec. Dir. Corr reported that he has extended the Board’s invitation to CPD Commissioner Elow to attend an upcoming meeting and he anticipates she will do so no later than March. • Exec. Dir. Corr provided an update on the process for filling vacancies of the Board: o The closing date for applications was set for Monday, December 12 and that there had been at least 15 applicants, and that more applicants were anticipated before the closing date. o Ex. Dir. Corr and Chair Fallon have blocked off time during the subsequent ten days for interviews using Zoom He reminded the Board that it would be highly desirable to have an additional board member who can join the interview panel, and it would be ideal if that person could join for all interviews. • Exec. Dir. Corr reported that he attended the three full days of the virtual portion of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) annual conference which consisted of 12 sessions on October 26, November 2, and November 9. • Ex. Dir. Corr reported that over the last few months it seems that when many people in Massachusetts search the Internet for how to file a complaint about the police, they find the phone number for the Board and call, and that he does his best to help them file with the
appropriate agency. He noted that in the last month, he had fielded calls from people wishing to make complaints against the police departments in Boston, Lynn, Saugus, Melrose, Ashland, Pittsfield, Oxford, Sturbridge, and Weymouth, Mass. CPD Professional Standards, Training and Certification Unit Report • Dir. Mulcahy noted that the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) also receives calls and emails from individuals from across the state wishing to file complaints against other police departments and they also do their best to assist those individuals. • Dir. Mulcahy reported that PSU is working through the hiring process for two police cadets and two provisional officers, and anticipate that they will soon join the department. • Regarding the joint Cambridge/Northeastern University Training Academy, Dir. Mulcahy explained that as other departments are choosing to send their cadets to the academy, the incoming class will consist of 40 to 50 cadets from approximately ten police departments, and they anticipate that Cambridge will have about 10 student officer recruits among them. The academy will run from January to June, and he hopes that with COVID rates declining over time, Board members will be able to observe either the classroom or physical training, and that he can provide the Board a tentative training schedule to help Board member identify what they would be interested in observing. • Dir. Mulcahy updated the Board on the CALEA accreditation process, noting that the CPD Command Staff has been meeting weekly to review the revised policy manual section by section, which will be followed by a review by the Cambridge Police unions. He also noted that he has provided a draft of the table of contents for the revised policy manual. • In response to a question about the best way for the Board members to review draft policies of interest, Dir, Mulcahy explained that because noted that they are not public documents as they have not been promulgated by the Police Commissioner. • In response to a question about the CALEA accreditation process for CPD and the revision of department policies, Dir. Mulcahy reported Sgt. LeVecque has been focused on that effort and has rewritten nearly 80 policies, and that the Board can be provided the index from the new policy manual to allow it to identify policies that it is particularly interested in reviewing. Board Chair’s Report Chair Fallon shared a presentation providing an overview and summary of the Board’s work for 2022, which included statistics on the Board’s meetings, trainings; an overview of complaints and their disposition, and a set of proposed goals for 2023: • Board members and staff to participate in two CPD trainings - including “Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics” (ICAT), a training on responding to situations where individuals that the police encounter are behaving erratically and perhaps dangerously, but do not have a firearm. • CPD Commissioner Elow to attend two Board meetings to discuss key topics with the Board. • Improve access to filing complaints by launching an online complaint form. • Revise the Board’s Rules and Regulations to extend the deadline for complaints to be filed to be more than 60 days after the incident. • The Board will review a minimum of two CPD policies. • Board members will participate in minimum three community outreach efforts. • The Board will have a quorum for all scheduled meetings. Consideration of the NACOLE Code of Ethics • Ex. Dir. Corr provided an overview of the NACOLE Code of Ethics for Civilian Oversight Practitioners and the unique role of oversight practitioners (which includes staff and board members) have as public servants conducting oversight of law enforcement agencies. He
quoted NACOLE’s introduction to the Code: “The community, government, and law enforcement have entrusted them to conduct their work in a professional, fair and impartial manner. They earn this trust through a firm commitment to the public good, the mission of their agency, and the ethical and professional standards.” He noted that the Code’s key concepts include: o Personal Integrity o Fair, Independent & Thorough Review o Transparency and Confidentiality o Respectful and Unbiased Treatment o Outreach & Relationships with All Stakeholders o Agency Self-examination and Commitment to Policy Review o Professional Excellence Consideration of Complaints before the Board Board Member Murray-Brown moved that the Board enter executive session pursuant to Section 21(a)(1) of the Mass. Open Meeting Law to discuss complaints PR-2022-001 and PR-2022-002, pending before the Board. The motion was seconded by Chair Fallon and approved by a unanimous roll call vote. The Board entered executive session at 6:38 p.m. Adjournment At the end of the executive session, the Board voted unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 p.m., on a motion from Board Member Sealey, seconded by Board Member Murray-Brown with board members Fallon, Sealey, and Murray-Brown voting in favor. Documents Used During the Meeting • Police Review & Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of October 26, 2022 • “Cambridge Police Review & Advisory Board - 2022 Year in Review” Presentation by Chair Fallon • NACOLE Code of Ethics
Cambridge Police Review & Advisory Board Public Docket: As of January 31, 2023 Complaint # Date Filed Type of Complaint Status Date Closed Outcome PR-2023-001 01/27/2023 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Open PR-2022-002 07/07/2022 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 10/26/2022 Cleared PR-2022-001-II 7/18/2022 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting; Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Discrimination/Bias-based Policing Closed 12/06/2022 Not Founded PR-2022-001 06/14/2022 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting; Discrimination/Bias-based policing Closed 10/26/2022 Cleared PR-2021-003 09/07/2021 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 01/26/2022 Cleared PR-2021-002 03/29/2021 Harassment; Excessive use of force Closed 09/22/2021 Cleared PR-2021-001 02/03/2021 Harassment; Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 09/22/2021 Cleared PR-2020-009 11/25/2020 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 09/22/2021 Cleared PR-2020-008 08/19/2020 Harassment; Improper Stop/Citation/Arrest; Improper Search/Seizure Closed 3/31/2021 Cleared PR-2020-007 08/17/2020 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 11/09/2020 Cleared PR-2020-006 07/09/2020 Excessive use of force; Rude or discourteous behavior; Improper stop; Discrimination/Bias-based policing; Harassment; Improper policy/procedure Closed 06/22/2021 Partially cleared, 2 allegations substantiated PR-2020-005 07/1/2020 Harassment Closed 12/09/2020 Administrative closure (subject of the complaint is not CPD officer) PR-2020-004 06/18/2020 Improper stop/citation Closed 10/05/2020 Partially cleared, 1 allegation inconclusive PR-2020-003 03/04/2020 Harassment Closed 11/09/2020 Cleared PR-2020-002 01/28/2020 Improper search; Harassment Closed 10/05/2020 Cleared
Police Review & Advisory Board Public Docket: as of January 31, 2023 – Page 2 of 4 PR-2020-001 01/20/2020 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 07/29/2020 Partially cleared, 2 allegations substantiated PR-2019-010 12/04/2019 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 07/29/2020 Cleared PR-2019-009 10/28/2019 Harassment Closed 1/28/2020 Administrative closure (insufficient information provided to identify the subject of the complaint) PR-2019-008 10/30/2019 Harassment; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 7/29/2020 Cleared PR-2019-007 09/19/2019 Harassment; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 2/04/2020 Inconclusive PR-2019-006 09/19/2019 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 7/29/2020 Inconclusive PR-2019-005 08/01/2019 Harassment; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 12/04/2019 Cleared PR-2019-004 06/12/2019 Harassment; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 10/03/2019 Substantiated PR-2019-003 03/05/2019 Harassment Closed 12/31/2022 Administrative closure (Late filing accepted 4/29/2019, withdrawn for refiling but never refiled) PR-2019-002 01/14/2019 Harassment Closed 9/25/2019 Cleared PR-2019-001 01/04/2019 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 9/25/2019 Partially cleared, 1 allegation substantiated PR-2018-010 11/19/2018 Miscellaneous No Jurisdiction 1/31/2019 Administrative closure (complaint was not regarding CPD activity) PR-2018-009 7/23/2018 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 9/27/2018 Administrative closure (subject of complaint was not a CPD officer) PR-2018-008 7/13/2018 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 2/27/2019 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution PR-2018-007 7/13/2018 Harassment Closed 3/27/2019 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution PR-2018-006 7/9/2018 Harassment; Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 2/27/2019 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution PR-2018-005 5/18/2018 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 9/26/2018 Cleared PR-2018-004 5/16/2018 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 2/27/2019 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution
Police Review & Advisory Board Public Docket: as of January 31, 2023 – Page 3 of 4 PR-2018-003 5/3/2018 Improper Procedure/Policy Closed 12/6/2018 Administrative closure: (Submitted more than 60 days after the incident. No request for late filing from the complainant; administratively closed after 180 days) PR-2018-002 3/28/2018 Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting, Harassment Closed 12/5/2018 Cleared PR-2018-001 2/5/2018 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 6/27/2018 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution PR-2017-003 6/9/2017 Improper Search/Seizure; Harassment; Excessive Use of Force Closed 9/27/2017 Cleared PR-2017-002 2/10/2017 (Late filing accepted 2/22/2015) Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 12/6/2017 Partially cleared, 1 allegation substantiated PR-2017-001 1/4/2017 Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting; Harassment Closed 4/10/2017 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution, Cleared PR-2016-005 7/14/16 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 4/10/2017 Cleared PR-2016-004 5/19/2016 Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 1/5/2016 Cleared PR-2016-003 3/3/2016 Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 6/29/2016 Cleared PR-2016-002 2/11/2016 Improper Search/Seizure Closed 10/26/2016 Cleared PR-2016-001 1/5/2015 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 9/21/2016 Partially cleared, 1 allegation substantiated PR-2015-002 9/30/2015 Improper Search/Seizure Closed 2/24/2016 Administrative closure: Alternative Resolution PR-2015-001 2/13/2015 Rude or Discourteous Behavior; Improper Citation Withdrawn 3/19/2015 Withdrawn PR-2014-008 12/10/2014 (Late filing accepted 2/11/2015) Excessive Use of Force Closed 2/2/2016 Cleared PR-2014-007 12/12/2014 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 2/2/2016 Cleared
Police Review & Advisory Board Public Docket: as of January 31, 2023 – Page 4 of 4 PR-2014-006 12/2/2014 Excessive Use of Force; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 11/19/2015 Cleared PR-2014-005 10/24/2014 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 3/25/2015 Inconclusive PR-2014-004 5/21/2014 Improper or Inadequate Investigation/Reporting Closed 10/31/2014 Cleared PR-2014-003 5/15/2014 Excessive Use of Force; Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 12/3/2014 Cleared PR-2014-002 7/3/2014 Improper Procedure/Policy Not Filed 2/11/2015 Late filing not accepted PR-2014-001 4/17/2014 Rude or Discourteous Behavior Closed 2/25/2015 Inconclusive