Berkeley’s experiment in civilian police oversight just took a major hit. Two of the Police Accountability Board’s most seasoned members, Dr. Kitty Calavita and Juliet (Julie) Leftwich, resigned last Friday, saying the board has been pushed to the sidelines and key reforms have been quietly unraveled at City Hall. Their joint exit leaves the nine-member body badly short-handed and escalates an already tense fight over police policy in Berkeley.
Resignation Letter Lays Out Years of Frustration
In a joint resignation letter posted to the board’s reports page, Calavita and Leftwich describe what they call a “consistent pattern of reversals,” long delays in getting records needed for investigations, and drawn-out talks over permanent PAB regulations that never seem to land. They say city offices have overruled misconduct findings and charge that recent changes to the department’s use-of-force policy have “completely eviscerated” the version the board helped write. The letter appears on the reports portal of the City of Berkeley.
Board Shrinks To Four Members
With Calavita and Leftwich gone, the PAB is down to four seated members out of nine. That means five regular seats and one alternate spot are sitting vacant, a staffing gap that has already made it harder for the board to investigate complaints and issue timely policy recommendations. Advocates say this is not a new problem and argue that the thin roster undercuts the independent oversight that Berkeley voters endorsed in 2020. The current membership crunch and Friday’s departures were detailed by Berkeley Scanner.
Mayor, Councilmembers And Chair Weigh In
Mayor Adena Ishii issued a statement thanking Calavita and Leftwich for their service and acknowledging that the PAB now lacks enough members to function properly. Councilmember Igor Tregub said his office is accepting applications to fill Calavita’s seat, while Councilmember Brent Blackaby is responsible for appointing Leftwich’s replacement, according to local reporting. PAB Chair Josh Cayetano said the two “will be missed,” and both the city manager and the police chief declined to comment. Those responses were reported by the East Bay Times.
Resignations Land In Middle Of Policy Tug-Of-War
The timing is not accidental. The City Council and its Public Safety Policy Committee are weighing changes that the PAB has pushed back on, including proposals to loosen reporting rules around pepper-spray use and talk of bringing back certain crowd-control tools. The board and several community groups argue those moves would roll back long-standing reforms. Advocates and local coverage trace the current standoff to the transition from the old Police Review Commission to the newer PAB and to recent meetings where board members say their recommendations were brushed aside. That broader backdrop has been outlined by the Sustainable Berkeley Coalition and Berkeleyside.
What Comes Next For Berkeley’s Watchdog
Appointment power for the PAB is split among the mayor and individual councilmembers, so City Hall will now be taking applications for the open seats and the City Council will consider nominees at upcoming meetings. Until those positions are filled, the board’s ability to dig into investigations or advance policy work will remain limited. Residents interested in serving can find application instructions and meeting schedules on the city’s boards and commissions portal, and more information is available on the Police Accountability Board page maintained by the City of Berkeley.
