09 Apr Antioch Police Oversight Leadership Stays on Another Year

Devin Williams, left, and Porshe Taylor will remain as the vice chair and chair, respectively, of the Antioch Police Oversight Commission for another year. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

The Antioch Police Oversight Commission decided to maintain the status quo when choosing its leadership for the next year.

Chair Porshe Taylor and Vice Chair Devin Williams received unanimous support from their colleagues to serve out another term in their positions at the commission’s first meeting of the month Monday.

Taylor and Williams were both appointed by then-Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe as inaugural members of the commission at the beginning of 2024. Taylor is the founder of Prison From-TheInside-Out, and Williams works with Lift Up Contra Costa.

The two have been some of the most consistent members of the body, which has previously dealt with commissioner and meeting troubles, leading to attempts to take away some of its independence.

Taylor, who was reappointed weeks ago, has been acknowledged by commissioners and council members for her leadership and stability in the position. That support has continued after posts Taylor shared with misinformation were made public, including ones questioning the truth of COVID.

Officials have not acknowledged the posts, though similar anti-vax beliefs expressed and posts made by former commissioner Joe Mitchell nearly cost him a seat.

Williams too has faced criticism from at least one of his former colleagues. Mitchell told The Pulse in a recent interview that he spoke with him about his use of profanity at a Brentwood City Council meeting, where Williams identified himself as vice chair of the commission and spoke in support of the release of more information for the family of Yolanda Ramirez, a 72-year-old woman who died after being detained by police.

But Taylor and Williams have otherwise largely steered clear of the problems faced by previous commissioners that sometimes led to resignations — Mitchell’s posts, commissioner Treva Hadden’s poor attendance that led to her resigning and another’s resignation following “contentious interactions” with officials.

Taylor took over as chair when Harry Thurston, the original commission chair, resigned months after meetings began. Williams soon took over Taylor’s then-position as vice chair.

Williams and Taylor have played a part in helping develop changes to the police department’s policies to comply with the U.S. Department of Justice agreement.

Taylor was also part of a majority of the commission who voted for an “Acknowledgement and Recommitment Ceremony” to have APD acknowledge its “history of harm” in the community. Williams voted against that change, which was originally titled “Accountability Ceremony,” because he felt “accountability” needed to be in the name.

Because the two commissioners are in their second consecutive terms as members of the board, they would be ineligible for immediate reappointment once their terms are up.