22 Aug Antioch Police Oversight Commissioner Booted by Members; Council to Make Final Decision

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Antioch Police Oversight Commissioner Treva Hadden has missed more than half of the commission’s meetings held this year. Now her colleagues want her removed.

Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to recommend Hadden’s removal for having more than three unexcused absences in the past 12 months. The decision, made in her absence, must be approved by the City Council to take effect.

“For one of us to not be able to pull her weight, it’s unfair to the rest of us,” said Commissioner Lisa Elekwachi. “Her perspective is amazing … But there’s a lot of work, guys. A lot.” 

The recommendation, which is in line with a current city policy that allows the removal of a board or commission member if there are three consecutive unexcused absences, comes two weeks after Commissioner Alicia Lacey-Oha confirmed to the Pulse that Hadden would be up for removal. 

(Members have suggested a change to the commission’s own attendance policy that would allow removal if a commissioner has more than three excused or unexcused absences.)

Hadden, an ethics analyst for the city of Oakland, is an inaugural member of the commission,  appointed last year by then-Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe. She has missed seven of the 13 meetings held this year, not including canceled meetings. 

Attendance for Hadden had already been a problem even before this year, according to commissioners. 

Chair Porshe Taylor said Hadden already had a number of absences over several months that were “lightly” discussed then. Taylor and Commissioner Joe Mitchell, who serve on temporary subcommittees together, said attempts to reach Hadden had gone unanswered. 

When pressed by Lacey-Oha on why the removal took as long as it did despite the number of absences, Taylor said Hadden tried to resign last year but retracted her resignation letter due to some wording in the letter. Hadden’s letter was forwarded to then-Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and council members were aware of it. 

Taylor did not explain what wording was the problem, but said that it was important to avoid “setting a precedent.” 

At Monday’s meeting, only one member of the public spoke on the removal vote. Resident Melissa Case, a regular at city meetings, said she came prepared to defend Hadden but changed her mind when Hadden didn’t show up.

“She’s not here to fight for herself. That’s just sad, so I think you should go with the recommendation (to remove Hadden),” said Case. 

If Hadden is removed, she would be the fourth commissioner to leave since it kicked off in March 2024. The commission would be down to six members, allowing Mayor Ron Bernal to make a fourth appointment since his taking office.