Police Reform and Community Policing

Police Reform

On June 17, 2020 the Mayor of Los Gatos, Marcia Jensen, signed the Obama Foundation’s Mayor Pledge, committing to the following actions:

• Review Police Department Use of Force Policies.
• Engage the community by including a diverse range of input, experiences, and stories in the review.
• Report the findings of the review to the community and seek feedback.
• Reform the community’s Police Department Use of Force Policies.

On September 8, 2020 the Town hosted a Community Workshop regarding Police Practices and potential changes were reviewed and discussed with community input at the September 15, 2020 and November 3, 2020 Town Council meetings. The Town Council approved a number of Police Department reforms.  

On November 3, 2020, the Los Gatos Town Council unanimously authorized the Town Manager to establish an Independent Police Auditor (IPA) function with a preference given for retired attorneys or judges and no more than two former Police command staff. The Police Chief may see the reports but cannot alter them and quarterly updates shall be provided to the Town Council and the community.  On February 19, 2021, a Request for Qualifications for Independent Police Auditor Services was released. On May 18, 2021, the Town Council authorized the Town Manager to execute agreements with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, Richards Watson & Gershon, and the Renne Public Law Group for Independent Police Auditor Investigation Services. The staff report and attachments (including each of the proposals) can be viewed here. All Police Department complaints are now submitted directly to the Clerk Department and facilitated by the Town Attorney.  The rotating panel of independent investigators will be reviewing public and internal complaints regarding Police conduct. For more details and to access the submittal form, visit www.LosGatosCA.gov/PoliceComplaints.

The Town Council also unanimously agreed to ask staff to work with the County of Santa Clara regarding responses to mental health and homeless calls for service, with the understanding that response times will be reviewed annually to monitor how well the County positions are staffed and response times to the Town’s calls for service. 

The Council unanimously voted to acknowledge the timeline for police stop data availability and transparency. The data includes time, date, and location of the stop; reason and resulting action of the stop; perceived race or ethnicity, gender and approximate age of the person stopped (based solely on observation as officers are disallowed from requesting the information); etc. and will be collated for presentation to the Town Council and the public.  In August 2021, the Police Department presented the first report to the Town Council and launched a new Police Transparency and Data Page with easily accessible information regarding:

• Stop data
• Hate crimes and hate incidents
• Mental health
• Crime statistics
• Training
• Use of force
• CA Public Records Act

Additionally, Town Council unanimously agreed to ask staff to consider adding a limited dated Community Service Officer position to the Town’s budget process for the 2021/2022 fiscal year.  

The Town Council considered a quarterly update on all Police Reforms on March 16, 2021 (see "Council Actions" for details). 

On October 19, 2021, the Council unanimously voted to authorize the Town Manager to execute a service agreement with Silicon Valley Ambulance, Inc. as a one-year pilot program for transportation services of juvenile patients placed on an involuntary mental health evaluation hold. The ambulance company will provide dedicated service for the transportation of juveniles placed on involuntary mental health holds (under 5150 of the Welfare and Institutions Code) to psychiatric treatment facilities instead of an Officer transporting the juvenile in crisis in a marked patrol vehicle. 

Also in October 2021, at Council's direction, the Police Department implemented an Assistive Therapy Canine Program to enhance employee wellness, assist in the response and follow up of mental health and trauma related incidents, and serve as another tool in the promotion of positive community outreach and engagement. This collateral duty assignment will work closely with the Department’s Victim’s Services Unit, Peer Support Team, School Resource Officer, Community Outreach Coordinator, and Vulnerable Communities Response Team. 

Also at Council's direction, in the fall of 2021, the Police Department was awarded a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Innovations Grant which was used to purchase a virtual reality (VR) training system. The VR system will be primarily used to train Officers in de-escalation of force techniques. It also has the capability to modify the mental status of the VR characters and scenarios to simulate a mental health crisis. This simulation training tool will be incorporated as both perishable skills and advanced sworn officer annual training in compliance with California POST requirements. The Department is one of a few agencies in the County to receive the POST Innovations Grant and implement this VR Simulation/De-Escalation System.

Community Policing

In May 2022, the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department initiated specific events and programs throughout 2022 to enhance community policing. Community policing has been a long-standing framework for establishing trust, exchange of information and transparency, and a positive engagement between law enforcement and the community. Community policing is used to involve the community in public safety and gain an understanding of specific community concerns and create positive proactive policing methods to meet the needs of the community

The community policing programs and opportunities include Coffee with a Cop, the Therapy Dog Program, a Community Police Academy, Walk with a Cop, and staff support of Special Olympics activities. These engagements are identified on the lower portion of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Community Policing logo to promote these events throughout the year on the Department website, social media, or other communications. These engagements are integral to building respect, community-police partnerships, and developing a better-informed vision of public safety needs and responses.

The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department is committed to enhancing community policing efforts through these specific engagement opportunities. Police presence and trust is fundamental to maintaining peaceful order to the community. It is the realization of public and police sharing a space in congruence, building relationships, with a focus on common goals. These community- police interactions help to bridge the gap and implement the LGMSPD mission to be collaborative problem solvers.

For more information regarding the Police Department Community Policing, visit www.losgatosca.gov/2261/Community-Policing. 

Inclusivity and the Police Department 

The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department’s vision of providing exceptional law enforcement services, building community partnerships, and engaging the community in problem solving demonstrates its commitment to inclusivity.  The ultimate goal of the Police Department is to know each person in our diverse community.  Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Officers and staff are working to foster and strengthen community relationships through partnerships, collaboration, and individual communications.

Because the misconduct of some Police Officers throughout the country has shone a spotlight on the conduct of Police Officers everywhere, it is important that the public know that all Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Officers:

• Wear body cameras, and every police vehicle is equipped with an in-car camera system. Internal Police Department regulations require that all law enforcement interactions be recorded.
• Participate in mandated anti-racism and anti-profiling training.  In addition, each Officer provided an opportunity to complete additional training to address implicit bias and best practices for fair and impartial policing, with emphasis on an understanding and respect for cultural diversity.
• Participate in de-escalation and crisis intervention training.
• Undergo complete background investigations prior to hiring, including an “open source” review of social media posts, and serve an 18-month probation when starting with the Town.
• Are held accountable through a thorough investigation process for any complaints received regarding any alleged misconduct.
• Abide by strict use of force procedures, including a review of every use of force.  

Los Gatos is rightly proud of its Police Department and its “guardian” approach to keep the public safe and ensure the public peace.  The Department continuously reviews its policies and procedures to employ the best practices of community policing.  This is critical to establishing and maintaining the public trust.  

The Neighborhood Watch program is one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and engage the community. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies and improves relations between police and the communities they serve. For more information on how to get involved, visit the Police Neighborhood Watch webpage. 

The Police Department also works directly with the community on emergency preparedness through the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).  This 21-hour course offers training in disaster preparation response and recovery skills and is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  CERT is an all-volunteer, community-based emergency preparedness organization, supported by and operating within the command structure of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department. The primary mission of LGMS CERT is to provide support and assistance to our communities and emergency services personnel during emergencies or disasters. But an equally important mission is to increase the overall level of disaster readiness by training and educating individuals within the communities of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno in emergency preparedness and basic disaster response techniques.  For details on how you can join, please visit the CERT webpage. 

In order to better assist the community and help improve interactions with those who have special needs, in 2020 the Police Department launched the Special Needs Awareness Program (SNAP).  SNAP is a voluntary and confidential program with no cost to enroll. It is designed to provide First Responders with important information when responding to calls that involve individuals who may have a memory disorder, hearing impairment, autism or other behavioral disability. For details, visit the SNAP webpage.

The Los-Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department’s Use of Force Policy and Oversight can be viewed here. Among other provisions, the Department prohibits the use of chokeholds, requires Officers to use all reasonable means to de-escalate a situation before force is used, and mandates a duty to intercede to prevent the use of unreasonable force if it is observed. In all contacts with the public, Department members strive to act with integrity, compassion, and professionalism. 

The Automated License Plate Reader Policy can be viewed here.  

The Police Department Policy Manual can be viewed here.  Due to continuous changes in the law and operational policies, the Policy Manual remains a fluid document. The Department is continuously reviewing and updating its policies and procedures to ensure that it is employing the best practices for hiring, training, eliminating bias, and ensuring the public's safety.