Council Approves Response to Police Oversight Report
San Diego's City Council voted 5-1 to revise its responses to a grand jury report criticizing the rollout of the Commission on Police Practices.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Live Poll
Do you trust San Diego's police oversight commission to hold officers accountable?
The San Diego City Council approved its response to a grand jury report that criticizes the city's rollout of the Commission on Police Practices. The council voted 5-1 to change two proposed responses from 'disagree in part' to 'agree.'
Why it matters
The commission was created after Measure B passed in 2020 with 75% of the vote and was given new powers to investigate officer misconduct complaints. The grand jury's findings put pressure on the city to explain how that mandate has been carried out in practice.
The council voted 5-1 to change two proposed responses to the grand jury's four findings from 'disagree in part' to 'agree,' with Councilmember Jennifer Campbell voting no. The commission's permanent operating procedures remain under negotiation between Mayor Todd Gloria and the San Diego Police Officers Association.
The players
Todd Gloria
Todd Gloria is the Mayor of San Diego, who is negotiating the commission's permanent operating procedures with the San Diego Police Officers Association.
Scott Wahl
Scott Wahl is the Chief of the San Diego Police Department, whose department's Internal Affairs Unit shares investigation documents with the commission.
Jennifer Campbell
Jennifer Campbell is a member of the San Diego City Council who cast the lone vote against the council's revised responses to the grand jury report.
The details
The grand jury report criticizes the city's rollout of the commission, which lacked a quorum for years and went through several leadership changes before its current executive director was hired in January. The Internal Affairs Unit shares documents with the commission through a shared Google Drive but does not grant it independent access to the software where investigation files are stored, and that software cannot filter out information state law deems confidential.
Timeline
2020: Measure B passed, creating the Commission on Police Practices with new investigative powers.
January: The commission's current executive director was hired.
November 10, 2026: City Council approved its response to the grand jury report.
Legal Context
San Diego voters approved Measure B in 2020 with 75% support to give the Commission on Police Practices independent investigative powers over officer misconduct complaints. The grand jury's findings and the council's response show that the city has struggled to put that mandate into practice, as the commission still cannot investigate many complaints independently.
Residents who file misconduct complaints with San Diego police may see whether the Commission on Police Practices can investigate their cases independently, which depends on the still-unfinished operating procedures. The outcome determines whether complaints are reviewed by an outside body or handled only through internal police channels.
The takeaway
Oversight bodies created by voters only work as intended when city governments supply the access and procedures needed to carry out their mandate. Watch for the finalized operating procedures to show whether the commission gains the independence Measure B promised.
Further reading
For more on how local agencies handle misconduct oversight, see Law Enforcement coverage for San Diego.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KPBS.
Live Poll
Do you trust San Diego's police oversight commission to hold officers accountable?
