myBurbank Talks
myBurbank Talks
Taking a Deep Plunge: Independent Report on the Burbank Police Department, 2023
Ever wondered how a simple traffic stop could unravel a web of serious criminal activity? Our latest episode promises to uncover the complexities of effective policing and the controversies that sometimes accompany it. We scrutinize the 2023 annual report by the Independent Police Monitor on the Burbank Police Department, highlighting a routine traffic stop that led to the discovery of tools for stealing catalytic converters. This incident not only showcases diligent police work but also raises pressing questions about potential targeting. We also dive into the repercussions of a rare in-custody death, which spurred the department to revamp its policies and equipment.
Join us as we discuss racially charged incidents within the BPD, including a high-ranking officer's insensitive remarks and the use of the N-word during a briefing. These unsettling events compel us to explore the department's efforts towards systemic improvement. Adding depth to our analysis, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with an expert on police practices. This episode is packed with insights into the BPD's reputation for progressiveness and its commitment to ongoing scrutiny and enhancement. For anyone invested in the intricacies of law enforcement oversight and community impact, this episode offers a critical, unflinching look at how the Burbank Police Department is striving to better its practices.
From the media district adjacent. It's time to take another deep plunge into the issues and topics that face Burbank. Let's see what we have on the plate to dissect today.
Speaker 2:Hello Burbank. This is Craig Sherwood, here with you once again. Today we have an audio-only podcast as we take a deep plunge into an overview of the annual report of the Independent Police Monitor, which is a review of the 2023 activities of the Burbank Police Department. We have John and Jenny here again to talk about the findings of the report that will be presented to the Burbank City Council on this Tuesday night's agenda, so take it away, john and Jenny.
Speaker 3:All right, get this. A guy gets pulled over in Burbank, Busted tail eye Routine right? Well, hold on, Because this traffic stop uncovers a stash of tools, stuff used for stealing catalytic converters, good police work or maybe something a little more targeted. It's right at the heart of what we're diving into today the 2023 oversight report on the Burbank Police Department. Now, I know what you're thinking Oversight reports.
Speaker 4:Yeah, not exactly a page turner.
Speaker 3:Exactly. But trust me, this isn't just like dry policy talk. This report gives us a real look. You know, behind the badge, how the BPD investigates its own, the complaints they're getting and how they're handling those big issues. You know like racial bias and policing, and if you live in Burbank, well, this directly impacts you. To help us break it all down, I've got expert speaker here. Hey, everyone who's got I'm not kidding more experience with this stuff, analyzing police practices than anyone I know. So, expert speaker, first impressions when you dug into this report, anything jump out at you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you're right, this isn't your typical. What's the word snooze fest of a report? Right, the Burbank PD. They've got this reputation right for being a little more progressive, more willing to be under the microscope than a lot of departments.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And this report it actually backs that up. It's surprisingly thorough. They name names, even those higher ups, when something's up.
Speaker 3:That's what struck me too. They don't just give lip service. Remember that whole issue the report highlighted about excessive force. Complaints like taking forever to be resolved yeah, they actually address that Right, and that's key.
Speaker 4:It's one thing to say, yeah, we messed up, but it's another thing entirely to show how they're fixing it. Yeah, show that continuous improvement. Yeah, that's not something you see every day.
Speaker 3:Not at all OK. So we've established this report means business Right and the BPD. At least it seems like they're taking it seriously, which is good, yeah. But let's get into the nitty gritty, shall we? Let's do it, because this isn't just some abstract document. We're talking real cases, real people, absolutely. And in custody death, accusations of racist remarks, even a domestic violence case that well, it was botched. We're going there. So let's unpack this in custody death. It's this report. It makes it clear this is this in custody Duff. It's this report. It makes it clear this is very rare for.
Speaker 4:Burbank PD. What happened? Expert speaker. Yeah, so this case involved a 48 year old man arrested for public intoxication. He ends up in the Burbank City jail and, according to the report, he seemed unwell at the time, but he didn't, you know, clearly say anything about needing medical attention and, tragically, hours later they found him unresponsive in his cell.
Speaker 3:Wow, and the report. What I found interesting was it didn't just focus on whether the jail staff messed up, although it does point out some policy violations. It actually took it a step further.
Speaker 4:Right, exactly, they asked that bigger question Should someone that intoxicated even be taken to jail without you know getting medical clearance first? It's about the system as a whole, not just you know individual blame.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, and they actually made changes based on this right.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, absolutely Directly resulting from this case the BPD they changed their policies Like now they require medical clearance for anyone arrested for, you know, being severely intoxicated. They even got new body cameras for the jail staff. Oh wow, so there's better documentation during that whole booking process. It's about as proactive a response as you could hope for, really.
Speaker 3:Right, it's a stark reminder. Even in a quote safe city like Burbank, things can go wrong.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 3:But it is encouraging to see the department taking ownership and actually making changes.
Speaker 4:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3:Okay. So we've got a case where the system unfortunately failed, but the department seems to be learning from it. Let's shift gears to a totally different type of situation, those anonymous complaints against that high-ranking officer for allegedly making racist remarks and this is particularly relevant given you know the national conversation about police language and conduct oh for sure.
Speaker 4:Big topic. Yeah, this is a fascinating one. So the BPD they actually investigated this twice Really First for a comment about an officer's hairstyle that was deemed racially insensitive, and then later, a much more serious allegation that this same officer used the N-word during a briefing.
Speaker 3:Wow, OK, and what were the findings?
Speaker 4:So the hairstyle comment that was sustained they took action against a high-ranking officer for something that you know, while insensitive, wasn't blatantly racist and that's significant in itself, right, it shows you know they're taking these allegations seriously on a matter of the rank.
Speaker 3:I agree that's huge. But yeah, the N-word allegation is where things get really really dicey. Yeah, what happened there?
Speaker 4:We went all in on this investigation, interviewed a ton of officers trying to nail down exactly what was said when and to whom, and the report it really lays it all out there. And yeah, they found that the officer did use the word. However his defense, he claimed he was giving an example of the kind of abuse officers might face during an upcoming protest.
Speaker 3:Okay, hold on. How believable is that? Right, Even if it's meant as an example? I mean, what kind of message does that send?
Speaker 4:Exactly and honestly, it's hard to say for sure. The report itself even points out concerns about why it took so long for this to even be reported in the first place. Right, it makes you think about the culture. Yeah, you know within the department what's really being said behind closed doors.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. It makes you wonder if this is an isolated incident, yeah, or, you know, indicative of a larger problem.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Now, speaking of potential systemic problems, let's talk about that domestic violence case that the report calls out for well, for being mishandled. Yeah, what went wrong here?
Speaker 4:So this one really highlights how, even you know seemingly small errors, they can snowball Right.
Speaker 3:We're talking officers, you know seemingly giving bad advice to the victim, not properly investigating the situation, just take a whole string of missteps victim, not properly investigating the situation, just take a whole string of missteps, and what stood out to me was that the report actually credits a deputy district attorney so you know someone outside the department For pushing back and forcing them to take action.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's a perfect example of why that outside accountability is so crucial.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Sometimes it takes a fresh perspective to see the flaws in a system, totally Even one that's generally considered. You know good.
Speaker 3:Right. It makes you wonder how many other situations like this might have been, you know, swept under the rug if that deputy DA hadn't stepped in. But before we, before we spiral, let's move on to an issue that's been a major focus nationwide Racial bias, especially when it comes to, you know, traffic stops. You mentioned that taillight story at the beginning, which is a perfect example of what we're about to unpack. So we've talked about these specific cases, but this report also gets into some broader issues within the BPD and, as you might guess, the big one is racial bias, particularly in how the department handles traffic stops. This is something I know, you're concerned about Huge topic?
Speaker 4:Absolutely, and for good reason. Yeah, departments everywhere are under scrutiny. You know how they use traffic stops, especially when it comes to drivers of color.
Speaker 3:And this report uses a term that I think a lot of people might not be familiar with pretextual stops. Yeah, can you break that down for us?
Speaker 4:Sure, so think of it this way An officer pulls someone over for a minor violation, it taillights out right Right. But their real reason for this stop is to investigate something else, something totally different. It's totally legal, but critics argue that it's often used as a way to target certain communities, particularly black and brown drivers.
Speaker 3:So what does this report tell us about Burbank? Well, Are they using these kinds of protectual stops? Yeah, and what does the data say about? You know racial disparities in those stops? Because that's the real question, isn't it?
Speaker 4:It is. It's the real question and it's a mixed bag, to be honest. Okay, burbank has fewer chases, actually quicker response times to emergencies than a lot of other comparable cities, but they do seem to rely on these protectual stops, especially for those, you know, minor equipment violations.
Speaker 3:Which brings us back to that story I mentioned at the beginning right, the taillight stop that uncovers those stolen catalytic converter tools. The report uses this as an anecdote and it asks a really, I think, important question Is that good police work or is it an example of this kind of, you know, targeted harassment?
Speaker 4:That's the question, isn't it? It's kind of a gray area Totally, and that's the crux of the problem, right? When does solid police work cross the line into racial profiling? A lot of departments are grappling with this. It's a huge question. Yeah, it's definitely something to watch closely here in Burbank.
Speaker 3:Absolutely Now. This report is from 2023. It's 2024 now, Right. So what's changed? What should we be paying attention to? Moving forward?
Speaker 4:Well, a few things. First, there's a new law in California AB 2773. Okay which specifically addresses how police interact with people during traffic stops. It's designed to cut down on those pretextual stops and hopefully reduce some of the tension and potential for bias.
Speaker 3:Which seems like a step in the right direction.
Speaker 4:Right, but it's too early to say how effective it'll be in practice. Right, it's something we'll have to keep an eye on, of course.
Speaker 3:This report. I mean it's thorough, but it does sort of fizzle out at the end. Yeah, it mentions that the department needs to do more to understand its own data, to really dig into those racial disparities, but it doesn't lay out a concrete plan for how to actually do that. So it feels like we're left hanging a bit.
Speaker 4:I agree it's a good first step, but there's still a lot of work to be done and, frankly, it's up to us, the community, to hold the department accountable, yes, and make sure they follow through on these recommendations. I couldn't agree. Accountable, yes, and make sure they follow through on these recommendations. I couldn't agree more yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, listeners, I hope this deep dive has shown you why it's so important to really scrutinize even a department with a good reputation like Burbank's. For sure this report and others like it. They provide a valuable window into how our local institutions operate. And who knows, maybe it'll even inspire you to get involved in your community and be part of the solution, because, at the end of the day, informed citizens they are the most powerful force for change. Absolutely Expert speaker. Always a pleasure. Thanks for joining me, thanks for having me.
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