San Francisco Youth Commission
Youth Justice Committee
Minutes
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
5:00-7:00 PM
City Hall, Room 345
1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

Members: Alexandra Berliner, Chair; Joshua Cardenas, Vice Chair; Jillian Wu; Sophie Edelhart

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

The meeting was called to order at 5:09 pm. Commissioners present: Berliner, Wu, Edelhart, Avalos; Commissioners absent: Cardenas; Staff present: Adele Failes-Carpenter

There was quorum.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

Commissioner Edelhart, seconded by Commissioner Wu moved to approve the agenda. There was no public comment. The motion was approved by acclamation.

3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)

A. October 14, 2014
(Document A)

Commissioner Wu, seconded by Commissioner Edelhart, moved to approve the minutes from October 14, 2014. There was no public comment. The motion was approved by acclamation.

4. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda (Discussion Only)

There was none.

5. Presentations

A. Overview of the work of the Office of Citizen Complaints and background on juvenile policing protocols
Presenter: Samara Marion, OCC Attorney and Policy Analyst

Ms. Marion gave an overview of the work of the Office of Citizen Complaints. The OCC handles and investigates complaints about police conduct; works on policy at the police department; and mediates conflicts with the police department. Ms. Marion explained that anyone can file a complaint, even if it is anonymous, and even if they did not directly experience the incident in question. The OCC does not receive a great deal of complaints from youth under 18, but some of those it has received have been impactful, for instance, a complaint about an arrest at school led to the SFPD DGO about translation and language access. The OCC helped create the Know Your Rights brochure based on DGO 7.01.

The complaint submission form is available online in multiple languages and can be submitted online. The OCC welcomes suggestions about how to reach out to youth.

Commissioner Berliner suggested doing presentations at schools and using school loop for announcements, as well as social media and posting on Youth Line and TAY SF.

Commissioner Avalos commented that many undocumented youth are afraid to make complaints because of a fear of ICE involvement. Ms. Marion responded that the use of the term “citizen” in the office title is a matter of charter language and can send the wrong message. In fact, OCC accepts complaints regardless of immigration status and never contacts ICE. The police dept. also has an order against contacting ICE.

The OCC has recommended training on youth issues, the youth brain, trauma, and de-escalation for officers for a long time. The department may be working on a training, but details are not available at this time. The dept. has different types of officer trainings. Every six months, a new class of recruits begin the training academy. Additionally, there is advanced officer training, as well as roll call trainings which are approx. ten minute trainings (usually videos) for patrol officers. When there was a SRO program, the officers were trained. Now officers may be assigned to schools, but they are not located there and there is not a SRO ‘program’ in the same respect.

Commissioner Berliner suggested following up to get data on on-campus arrests. Ms. Marion responded that some of that data might also be available through JPD.

Commissioner Edelhart asked for an update on the roll call training on DGO 7.04, Children of Arrested Parents. Ms. Marion explained that the roll call training video is being made and can be shared with the YC when complete. It includes youth voices from Project WHAT.

There was no public comment.

6. Business (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. Review committee’s priorities on youth-police relations

The committee discussed the order of follow up on the SFPD CPS referral policy. They suggested requesting a meeting with SFPD about the data-sharing capacities with child welfare; then meeting with child welfare; then requesting a calendaring of the review of DGO 6.09 paragraph G; and also touring the Child Advocacy Center. Commissioners requested that staff send feedback on the draft FCS referral card to SFPD that the CBHS access line number should be included.

The committee discussed requesting a regular roundtable meeting with the police department and youth advocates. Commissioners discussed the roundtable could be a good space to find out more data on on-campus arrests and whether those arrests did need to happen on campuses. Committee members suggested discussing this idea further at their November 25th meeting, sharing the ideas with youth advocates for feedback, and then requesting a meeting with the department to discuss the proposal further.

Ms. Marion suggested that it is valuable for the department to hear directly from youth on specific impacts and for youth advocates to be clear about what they want to work on and why it matters, as well as talk about what is working well in the department. She suggested it would be helpful to have a commander present at the possible meetings with youth advocates.

There was no further public comment.

B. Review other committee priorities

7. Staff Report

Ms. Carpenter updated the committee that the special meeting with Project WHAT on November 4th would be scheduled for 4:15 pm. She invited committee members to a Juvenile Advisory Council orientation on November 18th at 5:30 pm at JPD.

Ms. Carpenter informed committee members that the CJNY and DSC network applications had been approved and that DSC membership calls are scheduled for 4 pm PST on the third Wednesday of each month. Commissioner Berliner agreed to join the first call and the committee would discuss which committee members will join future calls.

Ms. Carpenter asked commissioners if they would like to have a future agenda item on understanding realignment. Committee members were affirmative.

Ms. Carpenter also gave an update on the case involving a juvenile charged with killing another young person in San Francisco in September. The case is being considered for referral to adult court by the juvenile court. The DA declined to try the youth as an adult.

8. Executive Committee Report

Commissioner Edelhart asked committee members to respond to EC members about scheduling one on one check in’s.

9. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:37 pm.