History and Background:

Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby has been actively involved in efforts to increase police accountability and transparency in Sacramento. During her time at City Hall the Council has implemented several major police reforms.

 

Beginning in 2015, Mayor Pto Tem Ashby was instrumental in a reform package that implemented key features of President Obama’s Office Next Door program, which requires best practice trainings, diversity hiring and community engagement. Additional reforms included: body worn cameras, establishing a Community Police Review Commission, making independent the Office of Public Safety Accountability (funding staff and switching reporting from management to Mayor and Council), prioritized Community Oriented Policing.

 

Following the tragic death of Stephon Clark, the city implemented a series of sweeping reforms focused on the Use of Force Policy. Using the policy framework called Project Zero, which includes the ‘8 that Can’t Wait’ policy recommendations, introduced a new foot pursuit policy and doubled down on community outreach, partnerships and neighborhood focused efforts. The Police Department continues to strengthen the body camera policy and video release policies – enhancing public transparency and trust.

 

In June 2020, along with Councilmember Larry Carr, Mayor Pro Tem Ashby championed a series of reforms that included prohibition of carotid holds, chokeholds, and no knock warrants, proposed developing guidelines for specific types of force, required officers to intervene when an officer observes use of force beyond that which is objectively reasonable, enhanced bias and do no harm training and enhanced measures to deescalate encounters with the public. These reforms were part of a larger package with 12 initiatives to enhance trust between the public and the police. On June 30, 2020 the City Council approved revisions to the Use of Force Policy implementing a number of these reforms.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Ashby continues to promote additional transparency measures within the Sacramento Police Department and has also encouraged neighboring agencies to adopt these best practices, specifically urging the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol to implement body worn camera programs and enhanced training protocols.

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