On the agenda: CPRC probe, fee hikes, and park upgrades

At its May 20 meeting, the Richmond City Council will consider a call by two councilmembers to launch an independent legal investigation into potential ethical breaches and bias within the Community Police Review Commission. Also on the agenda: updates to the city’s Master Fee Schedule projected to raise $373,000 in revenue, a parks construction contract worth $1.7 million, a recreation budget shortfall of $8.3 million, and a raft of consent items, including a raise for the city clerk, lease renewals, and a transportation planning study funded by Measure J.

Richmond councilmembers call for CPRC probe

Two Richmond city councilmembers are calling for an independent investigation into the city’s Community Police Review Commission (CPRC), citing “serious ethical concerns” raised in the September resignation letter of the commission’s independent investigative officer.

Councilmembers Soheila Bana and Jamelia Brown urged the city to retain a third-party legal expert to investigate the CPRC’s decision-making and potential breaches of ethical standards. The move comes eight months after Jerry Threet, the former Confidential Investigative and Appeals Officer (CIAO) for the CPRC, stepped down, saying the commission could no longer be trusted to fairly adjudicate misconduct allegations against Richmond police officers.

“I no longer believe the commission can be relied upon to reach a valid finding... based on an objective, thorough, and unbiased view of the totality of the investigative evidence,” Threet wrote in his September 10 resignation email, which was distributed to the mayor, city councilmembers, city staff, and CPRC commissioners.

Threet, an attorney with experience in civilian oversight, accused commissioners of ignoring key evidence and treating internal deliberations like “grudge matches.” He said some commissioners entered closed sessions with firm opinions despite reviewing case materials only hours beforehand. In one case, Threet claimed the CPRC reached a misconduct finding against an officer when the evidence should have resulted in “exonerated” or “not sustained.”

Remaining in the position, Threet said, would have forced him to support a body that no longer aligned with the ethical standards of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), and possibly violate California State Bar rules regarding complicity in unlawful conduct.

The resignation letter did not reference a specific case, but it comes just days after a majority of the commission determined that officers used “unreasonable force” in the Kevin McDonald case, according to a public case summary released by the CPRC on September 4, 2024.

The case, Complaint No. 2023-3, involved the fatal shooting of McDonald by Sergeant Alexander Caine and Detective Robert Branch of the Richmond Police Department on June 28, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant. The CPRC investigated this incident, and while the exact details of their internal deliberations are not fully revealed, their findings differed significantly from those of other reviews.

Commissioners Marisol Cantú, Carmen Martinez, Andre Jackson, Rachel Lorber, and Daniel Lawson voted in favor of this finding, while Commissioners Oscar Garcia and Carol Hegstrom voted against. Commissioner Steven Lacy was absent. The CPRC also recommended that the Richmond Police Department require officers to position their body-worn camera lenses to avoid obstruction during such incidents, a recommendation adopted unanimously by the commission.

However, this finding was not shared by the Richmond Chief of Police, Bisa French, who, in a communication dated December 3, 2024, stated, “I do not agree with the findings” and indicated a response had been sent to the City Manager on November 13, 2024.

Ultimately, Richmond City Manager Shasa Curl issued a final determination on February 4, 2025, explicitly “exonerating” Detective Branch and Sergeant Caine. In a letter addressed to Chief French and CPRC Chair Hegstrom, the City Manager concluded that the force utilized was “objectively reasonable and consistent with the City of Richmond Police Department’s Use of Force policy.”

The City Manager further stated that the officers acted to defend their lives from the “imminent threat posed by Mr. McDonald when he raised a loaded assault-style rifle and aimed it at the officers.” Curl also declined to adopt the CPRC’s recommendation regarding body-worn camera policies.

Councilmember Bana’s agenda report calls for halting CPRC decisions on officer-related cases until an external review is completed. The report recommends the commission also suspend any policy proposals or findings brought to the council during the review period.

Master Fee Schedule update

The City of Richmond is updating its Master Fee Schedule, with adjustments proposed to cover the costs of city services. The update, presented to the City Council on May 20, 2025, includes adjustments to user fees based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index, and changes to Developer Impact Fees to comply with AB 602. The proposed fee adjustments are projected to generate an additional $373,461 in annual revenue across various city departments.

Cost-of-Service Analysis and Fee Study for Community Services-Recreation

The Recreation Department projects $1.2 million in revenue and $9.5 million in expenditures for Fiscal Year 2025-26, requiring a General Fund allocation of approximately $8.3 million. This revenue projection assumes no changes to the current Recreation fees. However, if Recreation fees were to increase by the city-wide Master Fee Schedule’s Employment Cost Index (ECI) of 3.6 percent, an estimated $42,120 in additional revenue could be generated.

All items placed under the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and noncontroversial.

Under commendations and proclamations, the council will issue a proclamation declaring May 18–24, 2025, as National Public Works Week. Mayor Eduardo Martinez will present the item, highlighting the city’s appreciation for its public works employees and infrastructure efforts.

A resolution urging state support for public transportation will be adopted, calling for equitable funding, progressive revenue sources, and zero-emission operations. The measure is co-sponsored by Mayor Martinez and Councilmember Sue Wilson.

The council will approve the city’s 2024 Housing Element Annual Progress Report , part of Richmond’s long-term housing plan through 2031.

A lease agreement with U.S. Congressman John Garamendi will allow his district office to remain at City Hall through 2027 at an annual cost of $13,689.

The pension override tax rate for FY 2025-2026 will be introduced at 0.14 percent, a routine fiscal measure to support retirement obligations.

A 5 percent raise for the City Clerk will be approved, consistent with the city’s executive management agreement.

The city will renew its contract with Superion, LLC, for continued support of the TRAKiT land use software system, at a cost of nearly $61,000.

A sole-source contract for $38,000 will be approved for library software support, retaining consultant Daniel McMahon through 2028 to support the Sierra Integrated Library System.

Scarlett Perez will be reappointed to the Richmond Youth Council, continuing her term through October 2025.

The council will receive a written crime report from Police Chief Bisa French, along with a public works abatement report on nuisance cleanups and maintenance.

The council is set to approve a $1.54 million construction agreement with Bauman Landscape & Construction Inc. for upgrades to soccer fields and restrooms at Wendell Park, with a 10 percent contingency budget bringing the project total to $1.7 million.

$315,000 from Measure J funds will be appropriated for a long-range transportation infrastructure planning study.

A lease amendment will be approved for office trailers and storage space at the Hilltop Landscape District Office, totaling $404,718 over five years.

The city will accept $1.8 million in regional transportation funds and authorize a cooperative agreement with the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee to support improvements to the I-80/Central Avenue corridor.

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Richmond councilmembers call for CPRC probe

Master Fee Schedule update

Cost-of-Service Analysis and Fee Study for Community Services-Recreation

On the consent calendar

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. 