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A plan to reduce the number of seats on Redwood City’s Police Advisory Committee from 11 to 7 initially failed in a split 3-4 vote Monday night, after a tense debate over representation, equity and the committee’s role in police oversight.
The proposal was initially introduced on the April 28 consent calendar, but Council member Chris Sturken pulled it for discussion. While all other consent items were approved unanimously, the proposed ordinance drew sharp division among councilmembers.
Sturken supported most of the Governance Sub-Committee’s recommendations, such as creating staggered four-year terms and shifting to full council appointments, but opposed cutting the number of seats.
“Reducing the size of the committee would actually reduce the received opinion and representation,” he said, adding that a committee member expressed “concern that reducing the size of the committee would lead to one particular perspective dominating the conversation.”
Vice Mayor Kaia Eakin, who sits on the Governance Sub-Committee, moved to approve the ordinance as written, with a second from Council member Diane Howard. Eakin said staff analysis supported the change, citing chronic recruitment challenges and high turnover.
“What I heard from staff is that diversity of opinion is what will help most,” Eakin said. “There has been a problem with turnover…”
Gee agreed, emphasizing the council’s role in shaping diverse representation through appointments.
“You don’t count if you don’t show up,” he said.
But Council member Marcella Padilla opposed the proposal, calling it inequitable and “short-sighted.” She said the focus should be on improving outreach to communities most affected by policing, not reducing their opportunity to participate.
“A lot of the issues that these groups address directly affect marginalized groups and communities who, guess what, aren’t always in the position to do volunteer work, even if they care,” Padilla said.
The motion failed, with Eakin, Gee and Council member Diane Howard voting yes, and Sturken, Padilla, Isabella Chu, and Elmer Martínez Saballos voting no.
After the vote, Eakin encouraged Sturken to offer an alternative. He moved to approve the staff recommendations with an amendment: to bring back a discussion about the committee’s future role at a future Governance Sub-Committee meeting.
But before that could be voted on, Howard made a separate motion:
“I’m not looking to tell them what their work plan needs to be,” she said. “What I’m offering here is: come back during the normal course of the year’s events with a good work plan based on the current climate and the wants and needs of the department.”
Howard’s motion would have superseded Sturken’s, but her motion did not receive a second. The PAC already provides the council with a work plan every year.
Ultimately, Sturken’s motion passed and the Police Advisory Committee seats fell from 11 to 7.
Formed in 2021 following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and amid calls for racial justice and police accountability, the Police Advisory Committee advises the police chief, not the council, on policies and community concerns. It does not vote on matters or engage in investigations or discipline.
The Police Advisory Committee has two open seats.
It is unclear whether the council will revisit the issue at a future date.
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to show that the vote to reduce the cuts to PAC initially failed, but all recommendations, including the cuts to committee members, were approved. The council made motions three times during the April 28 meeting.
