Would require background process for commissioners, allow current police officers from other agencies or former APD or other agency officers, family members to serve

By Allen D. Payton

During their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, under agenda Item 1, the Antioch City Council will receive a staff report on the Antioch Police Oversight Commission and consider recommended changes to the ordinance.

According to the City staff report, “On July 7, 2025, staff sought input from the APOC regarding updates to this ordinance. APOC’s suggestions were reviewed and consolidated with the suggestions that staff now presents to the City Council. This collaborative effort aims to ensure that any revisions to the ordinance reflect community values, enhance oversight effectiveness, and support the City’s broader goals of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

“This effort is being carried out in response to City Council direction and aims to identify opportunities to strengthen the Commission’s structure, clarify its authority, and improve its effectiveness. One of the main goals of this review is to ensure consistency with best practices in civilian oversight and to support compliance with the Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Antioch and the U.S. Department of Justice.”

The suggested amendments to the ordinance include the following:

1. Under Section 4-3.103 MEMBERSHIP AND APPOINTMENT, adding “the Chair, Mayor, and City Manager shall interview applicants and make recommendations to the Council”; adding a background process for commission applicants with information from personal interviews and social media reviews, and have them sworn in by the City Clerk or an authorized member of the Clerk’s Office;
2. Revise the language to read: “The Mayor and City Council shall strive to appoint and confirm members to the Commission with the intent of ensuring meaningful representation from individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. While not required to include representation from each category listed below, and recognizing that some individuals may reflect more than one category, the following are important Factors to consider when making appointments:”
3. Delete the following sub-subsections which list the individuals currently ineligible to serve as a Police Commissioner: a) current sworn police officer or his/ her spouse; c) former Department sworn employee or his/ her spouse; or d) current or former employee, official, or representative of an employee association representing sworn police officers or his/ her spouse. The only remaining prohibition would be for a current City employee or his/ her spouse.
4. Under Section 4-3.104 TERMS OF OFFICE AND REMOVAL FROM OFFICE, adding the City Manager, Mayor, or any member of the City Council has the authority to make the recommendation; under subsection D) Regarding the removal of a Commission member add, “the City Manager, Mayor, or any member of the City Council has the authority to make the recommendation.” (4) – sub-subsection d) Regarding “absences from at least three meetings in a one- year span of time” delete word “unexcused;” (5) – sub-subsection e) Change to “violation of the APOC Rules of Decorum and conduct policy.”
5. Under Section 4-3.106 MEETINGS, subsection (A) – change to “at least once each month” and delete “July and December” language and that APOC would have the authority to hold additional meetings by majority vote.
6. Under Section 4-3.108 BUDGET, include a sentence that the funding will be incorporated into the City Manager’s budget, with the specific allocation amount determined during each budget cycle.
7. Under Section 4-3.109 TRAINING, Add a requirement that each Commissioner complete a police ride-along within the first 30 days of appointment and participate in at least two ride-alongs annually. Additionally, Commissioners must complete use-of-force simulator training within 90 days of appointment and annually thereafter. Commissioners are also required to complete all training outlined in the APOC Training Plan. Add a requirement that all training requests requiring city funding must be pre-authorized by the City Manager.
8. Under Section 4-3.110 POWERS AND DUTIES, Add “Personnel Complaints” to list of policies. Edit: subsection (B) “Work with the City Attorney to clarify the process for recommending changes to the specified policies. If APOC and the department agrees on the proposed changes, the Police Chief shall amend the policy accordingly. If APOC and the Department disagree, the proposed changes shall be forwarded to the City Council for final approval or rejection.” Under subsection (D) – Discussion of the requirement for APOC to review the proposed budget and conduct at least one public hearing.”
9. Addition: Temporary pause of APOC. The City Council has the authority to temporarily pause APOC. Such action may only be approved by a majority vote of the City Council and will be based on factors including, but not limited to, the Commission’s effectiveness, compliance with legal obligations, budget constraints, or shifts in city priorities. The temporary suspension cannot exceed three months within a rolling 12-month period. APOC does not have the authority to pause, without City Council Authorization.”

The City Council can also offer additional recommendations.

See Agenda Item 1 City staff report including presentation with recommended ordinance amendments.

Watch the most recent APOC meeting on Sept. 15, 2025.

Meeting Information

The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street, in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. They can also be viewed via livestream on the City’s website and the City’s YouTube Channel, on Comcast Cable Channel 24 or AT&T U-verse Channel 99.

See full meeting agenda packet.

the attachments to this post:

APOC 9-15-25

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 12th, 2025 at 6:00 pm and is filed under City Council, Government, News, Police & Crime. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.