Berkeley council honors retiring police accountability director and independent redistricting commission

The Berkeley City Council on July 26 issued proclamations honoring Catherine Lee on her retirement and thanking the Independent Redistricting Commission for completing a citizen-led redistricting process.

Catherine Lee, the city’s interim director of police accountability, received a proclamation recognizing roughly 33 years of service in roles that included deputy city attorney, senior hearing examiner at the Rent Board and, most recently, leadership of the Police Accountability Office. During brief remarks, Lee said she would submit a written report on the office’s first year of operations and that Friday would be her last day; she pledged to remain available to support the new director, the Police Accountability Board and council during the transition. “I wish I would have more time to personally engage with each one of you,” Lee said, adding she was “humbled” by the recognition and grateful to staff and board members she named in her remarks.

The council also presented a proclamation to the Independent Redistricting Commission, thanking the commissioners and staff for dozens of public meetings, subcommittee work and thorough review of community input. Chair Elizabeth Watson told the council the citizen-led process — conducted largely on Zoom — relied heavily on public testimony, extensive staff support from the city clerk and assistance from city attorneys and IT. Watson praised the commission’s preparation and said commissioners followed the “spirit and letter of the rules” in drafting the map.

Both proclamations were framed as ceremonial recognition: council members emphasized appreciation for long service and for a participatory map-making process rather than announcing any new policy changes. The council moved on after the recognitions to other agenda items, noting the city will appoint a new director of police accountability in the coming months.