Police Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Monroe Court Bldg., Rm. 300, N. 901 N. Monroe St., Spokane
The Police Advisory Committee (PAC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Spokane Police Department. As you will see in the information below from the February 2007 SPD Newsletter (see page 6) , the Spokane Police Department likes to portray the Committee as representing the public. However, the committee is run by the police and for the police. While the Spokane Police Newsletter leaves out the fact that the Committee is officially staffed by six senior police staff persons and presents it as a representative of the Spokane people, the history of the PAC, its secrecy, it’s dominance by self-appointed representatives of certain community segments, and its lack of representation of the needs of those communities during many years of turmoil and abuse by the SPD suggest that it has put itself at the service of the SPD.
The PAC has met largely unseen and unknown monthly for nearly 25 years. During that period the SPD has suffered many embarrassments, created many scandals, killed many citizens, and been involved in much corruption. Yet, the Committee, with what are termed “representatives” of various Spokane communities, as had virtually nothing to say publicly. When its members have had things to say–such as when long-time PAC president Rick Mendoza stated at the January 30, 2007 ACLU-sponsored forum at Gonzaga University Law School that the SPD is the “best police department” in the United States–they have often failed to reflected an real understanding of community concerns with regard to the Spokane Police Department.
During the last 10 years of hidden PAC meetings with the SPD, another Spokane organization–the Citizens Review Commission “led” by Rev. Lonnie Mitchell — reportedly never met. The seven member Citizen Review Commission shares three members with the Spokane Police Department’s PAC and has two members who represent police associations (the Spokane Police Guild and the Police Lieutenants and Captains Association). The staff of the CRC is a Spokane City attorney and, of course, a Spokane Police officer. Members serve for three 4 year terms. Though the City of Spokane website provides a detailed description of the mission and purpose of the Police Advisory Committee, the same website provides no explanation what-so-ever of the mission and purpose of the Citizen Review Commission. It is understood that the Commission was formed to address complaints from the community regarding police misconduct. For that reason, it is extremely disturbing that during ten years of repeated controversy and police abuse, the Commission never met.
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From the City of Spokane website: (You will notice this differs from the presentation of the membership of the committee from the information presented in the Chief’s newletter where no reference is made to the PAC’s six police “staff” members):
Police Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Monroe Court Bldg., Rm. 300, N. 901 N. Monroe St., Spokane
Police Advisory Committee
Contact: Lt. Rex Olson
1100 W. Mallon Ave
Spokane, WA 99260
(509) 835-4523
Mission Statement or Purpose: To act as an Advisory Board representing various community client groups to the office of the Chief of Police. To function as a sounding board for the Chief of Police regarding community needs and concerns, as well as community response to proposed police programs and procedures. The only term limits are for the Chair and Vice Chair who can each serve only two consecutive annual terms.
| Members | Title |
| Rev C.W. Andrews | Member at Large |
| Joan Butler (Chair) | Member at Large |
| Bob Byrne | Member at Large |
| Bob Dellwo | Member at Large |
| Carmella LeBlanc | Hispanic Community |
| Marilou Buan | Filipino American Association |
| Rick Mendoza | Spokane Hispanic Business/Professional Assn. |
| Rev. Lonnie Mitchell SR. | Alternate for Bishop Mize/Ministers’ Fellowship Union |
| Bishop Walton F. Mize SR. | President, Ministers’ Fellowship Union |
| Roger Moses (Vice Chair) | Native Americans |
| V. Anne Smith | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) |
| Olmer “Butch” Smith | Member at Large |
| Christy Hamilton | Spokane COPS/Block Watch |
| Rev. Eugene Singleton | Ministers’ Fellowship Union |
| Vang Xiong X. Toyed | Spokane Hmong Association |
| Marie Yates | Lincoln Heights/COPS Southeast |
| Ladd Smith | Gay and Lesbian Community |
| Jan Dobbs | Spokane Mental Health |
| Gheorghe Turcin | Eastern European & other continents’ Ethnic Communities/ DOC high-risk release coordination |
| Russell Smith | Lilac Blind Foundation |
| Staff | Title |
| Anne Kirkpatrick | Chief of Police |
| Jim Nicks | Assistant Chief |
| Bruce Roberts | Major |
| LT. Rex Olson | Contact Person |
| Gill Moberly | Major |
| Gayle Tucker | Secretary |
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Following is the information on the PAC from Chief Ann Kirkpatrick’s SPD newsletter (February 2007):
Joan Butler is the new Chair of the committee. She replaces Rick Mendoza whose term expired. The new Vice Chair is Roger Moses.
The Police Advisory Committee was formed about 25-years ago by the Chief of Police to serve as a sounding board on various issues and concerns of the Department and the community. These can be specific incidents or broader matters of Spokane Police policy and procedure.
Committee members represent the interests of more than 20 groups as well as those of the greater Spokane community. The Police Advisory Committee is an important resource for the Chief’s office. Members provide input and feedback on SPD projects and advise the Chief on theneeds of the community as they relate to police programs. The committee assists SPD in educating citizens about Department policies and the role of community based policing. The committee meets quarterly at various community centers.
Please join us on August 8, 2007. Future meeting dates will be published in the SPD Newsletter.
Current members of the Police Advisory Committee are:
Joan Butler, Chair, at large member
Roger Moses, Vice-Chair, Native American Community
Rev. C.W. Andrews, at large member
Marilou Buan, Filipino American Association
Bob Byrne, at large member
Bob Dellwo, at large member
Jan Dobbs, Community Mental Health
Carmella LeBlanc, Hispanic Community
Rick Mendoza, Spokane Hispanic Business/Professional Association
Bishop Walton F. Mize, Sr., Ministers Fellowship Union
Rev. Lonnie Mitchell, alternate for Bishop Mize
Rev. Eugene Singleton, Ministers Fellowship Union
V. Anne Smith, NAACP
Omer L. “Butch” Smith, at large member
Gheorghe Turcin, DOC and East European & other continents’ ethnic communities
Vang Xiong X Toyed, Hmong Community
Marie Yates, COPS SE
Ladd Smith, Gay & Lesbian Community
POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE By: Cpl. Tom Lee
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During ten years of police abuse and scandal in Spokane, the Citizen Review Commission headed by Rev. Lonnie Mitchell never met.
From the City of Spokane website:
Citizen Review Commission
Members of the Citizens’ Review Commission must have been a resident of the City of Spokane for at least four years by the time the appointment becomes affective. A police background check is completed on all applicants and his or her immediate family. The background check must show no significant recent criminal history. The applicant must agree to the necessary time commitment and must agree to represent the general public. All appointees must undergo a training program of up to sixteen hours in police and commission procedures and must do one ride-along with police.
Commissioners shall serve for 4 (three) year terms.
The Citizens’ Review Commission meets as needed.
| Members | Title | Term Expires |
| Rev. Lonnie Mitchell, Sr.-Chair | Citizen-at-Large | 03/31/2008 |
| Vern Burch | Citizen-at-Large | 03/31/2007 |
| William Ogle | Citizen-at-Large | 06/08/2007 |
| Douglas Puckett | Citizen-at-Large | 12/31/2010 |
| Judge Richard Richard, Sr. | Retired judge | 03/31/2008 |
| Robert Byrne | Qualified Member of the Police Guild | 12/31/2010 |
| Marie Yates | Qualified Member of the Police Lieutenants & Captains Association | 03/31/2008 |
| Staff | |
| Mike Piccolo | Legal Council |
| Dave Richards | IA Lieutenant |
Vacancies: 0
(Though this information is the most current on the City of Spokane website as of July 31, 2007, it would appear that there are in fact two openings on the Committee as the terms of Vern Burch and William Ogle have now expired).
