Several Pasadena residents used the Nov. 19 public-comment period to raise concerns about police oversight, driving by city vehicles and what they described as censorship and orchestrated disruptions at council meetings. The council did not take formal action on those concerns during the meeting.

Why it matters: public commenters alleged operational problems with police and called for council attention to department oversight and meeting management. Those allegations were made on the public record but no formal directive to staff or investigation was recorded in the meeting excerpt.

Key public comments and allegations

- City vehicle safety and idling: Barnett (identified in the record as a member of the public) told the council that city vehicles and police cars had driven at very high speeds and that officers were “just sitting outside in the parking lot with the car running,” and added a separate complaint that “there's no reason for a city vehicle to run 70 to 80 miles an hour down in Red Bluff.” (public comment, Nov. 19)

- Police oversight and chief appointment: Jeff Wagner (public commenter) addressed the council about broad concerns with police oversight and specifically said the council “have still done nothing when it comes to your oversight for the police department.” Wagner named Chief Jerry Wright in his remarks, saying Wright “was an interim police chief [in] 2023, then you made him full time police chief,” and added, “You’ve done nothing with Jerry Wright, who’s the chief you appointed.” Wagner also described seeing officers “sitting in their cars” and criticized the use of taxpayer gas (public comment, Nov. 19).

- Censorship and meeting disruptions: Wagner alleged he had been censored at a prior meeting, referencing a shirt that was removed, and said a different attendee was arrested during a prior session after refusing to follow rules. Another public speaker (identified in the record as a different resident) accused council members of recruiting or encouraging a person who was later arrested; that speaker said councilmember Ibarra had sent messages encouraging antagonism and that Councilmember Guerrero and others had been part of an effort to recruit individuals to create disruptions (public comment, Nov. 19). The transcript records the accusations but does not show follow-up actions by the council during this meeting.

Council response and meeting procedure: The mayor and council responded to procedural points of order during the comments. When interruptions occurred, the mayor clarified speaking times and at one point granted an extra 30 seconds to a speaker whose time had been interrupted. Multiple points of order were raised by council members during the public-comment period, and the mayor urged speakers to “speak to the council.” No formal motion to investigate police oversight or to refer allegations to staff or the city attorney was recorded in the meeting excerpt.

What the record does not show: The transcript records public allegations and questions but does not include any formal referral, staff report, or motion directing staff to investigate the claims about the police department or council conduct.

Ending: Public commenters put police oversight and meeting conduct on the record; the council did not take formal action on those public complaints during the Nov. 19 session.