The purpose of the Commission is to provide a cooperative and collaborative forum for the community and police leadership to learn and discuss the challenges of modern-day policing and provide a community perspective about public safety challenges. The Commission will work collaboratively with the Police Chief to provide advice, support, and recommendations relating to current or newly considered policies and programs with an overarching goal of building trust and fostering strong police-community relations.
The Commission shall have no authority to direct the conduct of any department, including the police department, to review or advise upon personnel matters related to individual peace officers or to review confidential peace officer personnel files. It is not the purpose of this Commission to review or comment upon items staff will present to the City Council, unless the item is referred to the Commission by the City Council or City Manager.
(Ord. CS-441 § 3, 2022)
The Community-Police Engagement Commission shall consist of five members to be appointed pursuant to Section 2.15.050(A) with staggered terms as provided in Section 2.15.060. In addition to those qualifications provided by Section 2.15.030, the City Council may consider the following additional criteria in appointing members to the Commission:
1. 
A demonstrated ability to be open minded, impartial, objective, and unbiased;
2. 
An absence of any real or perceived bias, prejudice, or conflict of interest;
3. 
A record of community involvement;
4. 
An ability to build constructive working relationships and communicate effectively with diverse groups;
5. 
A demonstrated commitment to the purpose of the Commission with an eye toward fostering positive police-community relationships;
6. 
Attendance at the Carlsbad Citizens Police Academy.
Persons with ongoing litigation against the city related to police matters shall be ineligible to serve on the Commission. In addition, current Carlsbad Police Department employees and their parents or children are ineligible to serve on the Commission.
(Ord. CS-441 § 3, 2022)
A. 
Following appointment to the Commission, members shall receive training on the following:
1. 
The authority and responsibilities associated with their role as a Commission member;
2. 
City policies and legal requirements governing Commission meetings; and
3. 
Carlsbad Police Department policies, procedures, and practices.
B. 
In addition, as soon as reasonably practical, ideally within the first six months of their appointment, Commission members shall attend or observe the following:
1. 
Police officer use of force training, including defensive tactics and scenario-based training;
2. 
Police officer implicit bias training;
3. 
Police officer training related to interaction with people in mental health crisis;
4. 
At least two ride-alongs with the Carlsbad Police Department, one of which should be with the homeless outreach team; and
5. 
A presentation from the city's homeless services coordinator.
(Ord. CS-441 § 3, 2022)
The Community-Police Engagement Commission shall establish a regular time and place of meetings and shall hold not less than two meetings per year. The majority of the appointed members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting the business of the Commission.
Each regular meeting agenda shall include an item allowing the Police Chief or designee to provide a police department update, including a report on any notable past or upcoming events the police department is planning for and relevant data, such as crime analysis and police response data.
(Ord. CS-441 § 3, 2022; Ord. CS-508, 2/24/2026)
The Commission's duties are to:
1. 
Promote productive communication and interaction between the City of Carlsbad Police Department and community;
2. 
Provide a forum for police leadership to inform the Commission and public of police initiatives, challenges, and data relating to police activity;
3. 
Educate the community and receive community feedback regarding policing standards and expectations;
4. 
Create additional community access to public safety information;
5. 
Recommend changes or improvements to Carlsbad Police Department policies, procedures or training;
6. 
Review new or proposed Carlsbad Police Department programs to evaluate how those programs might impact the Carlsbad community, including disenfranchised and marginalized communities;
7. 
Provide a forum for presentations by police leadership on matters that receive high media interest or come to the attention of the Commission.
(Ord. CS-441 § 3, 2022)
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as restricting or curtailing any of the powers of the City Council, or as a delegation to the Community-Police Engagement Commission of any of the authority or discretionary powers vested and imposed by law in the City Council. The City Council declares that the public interest, convenience and welfare require the appointment of a Community-Police Engagement Commission to act in a purely advisory capacity to the City Council for the purposes enumerated. Any power herein delegated to the Commission to adopt rules and regulations shall not be construed as a delegation of legislative authority but purely a delegation of administrative authority.
(Ord. CS-441 § 3, 2022)