ANTIOCH – The Antioch Police Oversight Commission on Monday unanimously recommended the removal of a fellow commissioner due to “unexcused absences.”
Having missed more than three meetings within the past 12 months without providing a reason, the commission voted 6-0 to remove Commissioner Treva Hadden. The final decision now rests with the Antioch City Council, said Assistant City Attorney Kevin Kundinger.
Hadden, an ethics investigator with the city of Oakland, was appointed by the Antioch City Council in February 2024 to a three-year term. Hadden did not respond to a request for comment as of press time Tuesday.
The commission plays an important role in ensuring police oversight under a memorandum of understanding between Antioch and the U.S. Department of Justice. The agreement requires at least five of seven members to serve continuously for two years to fulfill mandated reforms.
If the Antioch City Council votes to remove Hadden, then she will be the second commissioner to leave in 2025 before their term is up.
In February, Leslie May stepped down following allegations of “several contentious interactions” with city officials. Her resignation left the commission with four members.
In April and May, the Antioch City Council appointed three more members to the commission.
Should Hadden be removed, the commission will be down to six.
The commission, which meets twice a month, has held 16 meetings from Jan. 6 through Aug. 18. Hadden has been absent for six of those meetings, including Monday’s.
Out of the 16 meetings scheduled this year, two were cancelled due to national holidays and one on March 3 was cancelled at the request of Chairperson Porshe Taylor.
Taylor requested the March 3 meeting to be held a week later. However, that meeting was adjourned due to a lack of quorum as Taylor was not present for the March 10 meeting. Hadden was present during the March 10 meeting.
A total of three meetings, including on March 10, were adjourned due to a lack of quorum. On Jan. 6, all Commissioners were absent in solidarity with Taylor, who had suffered an unexpected loss in her family.
During Monday night’s meeting, several commissioners said they valued Hadden’s input and perspective but were disappointed with the absences. Commissioner Alicia Lacey-Oha said it was frustrating that the issue was not addressed earlier.
Lacey-Oha related her experience working for over three decades with the federal government, adding that excessive absences were taken seriously and addressed immediately.
She said she had brought up the issue during the commission’s previous meeting, but was told it would be addressed later.
“My question is, what difference would it have mattered if it was addressed at the last meeting or tonight?” asked Lacey-Oha.
Taylor clarified that Hadden’s absence was “brought up lightly” in the meetings last year. She also revealed that Hadden had submitted a resignation letter, which was addressed by councilmembers.
Taylor said the letter was forwarded to former Acting City Manager Kwame Reed. However, due to verbiage in Hadden’s letter, her resignation was retracted, and she had an opportunity to return.
Taylor further added that the commission was being “careful about setting precedents” and wanted Hadden to be given a fair and due process.
“We did give a fair and due process to Commissioner Hadden, and that included me sending multiple emails to make sure she was attending, to see if she would respond, and I was met with silence,” said Taylor.
Taylor noted that she and fellow Commissioner Joe Mitchell were in an ad hoc committee together with Hadden and had tried scheduling meetings but had no response from Hadden.
“The point of me taking the gentle time to do that was because we are volunteers, and because I understand that life happens,” said Taylor. “We were being kind with the process, so we don’t make a mistake and recommend someone to be removed because life is happening.”
The oversight commission was introduced by former Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe as one of several proposed reforms in 2021, following FBI investigations involving the Antioch Police Department.
At the time, the City Council voted to appoint itself as an interim independent oversight committee with the possibility of forming a civilian-led commission at a later date. In 2022, a commission made up of residents was created.
In February 2024, the City Council appointed seven residents to serve on the commission.