27 Adoption of an Ordinance Adding a New Chapter 20 to the Phoenix City Code Establishing the Office of Accountability and Transparency (Ordinance G-6770)
The OAT ordinance lacks any independent investigative abilities, the office doesn't have the ability to use it's resources to hold PPD or the city accountable when misconduct occurs. Organizational structure is "bias"! It undermines transparency; this ordinance tactfully uses the term deliberative privilege which legally doesn't apply to civil rights issues but is included anyways. Until there is meaningful community involvement in drafting and not the "bias" city manager office then vote no.
When community backed civilian oversight in February, it was because we were promised oversight that was independent, investigative, transparent, and community driven. Seven months later we’re finding out you wrote a policy without us, and are trying to give us performative investigative authority.
This so-called Office of Accountability and Transparency will be anything but accountable and transparent - this is purely a performative gesture so you Council members and Mayor Gallego can say you "listened" to the community and took action to address police brutality. If your civilian oversight policy doesn’t have actual community participation and independent investigations, then we don't want it. Something is NOT better than nothing when our lives are on the line.
The African American Christian Clergy Coalition and other African American organizations worked long and hard for Phoenix to establish the Office of Accountability and Transparency. It is needed to investigate allegations of inappropriate and/or illegal behavior of Phoenix Police toward those they encounter in the line of duty. We expect the Phoenix City Council and Mayor to respect the wishes of the community and establish this Office with civilian leadership and participation.
This proposal for the OAT does not accurately represent the needs and demands of the community. I disagree support the creation of this Office but oppose this current incomprehensive proposal. The community is asking for increased public participation - not another Office of City staff. The City should recognize the communities demands and alter their proposal to include more community input.
I oppose forming a civilian oversight board. Independent investigations are the best way to institute oversight and accountability WHEN AND ONLY WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. We don't need or want another board that is the same as what we have. We were promised INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT. This is NOT an effective measure. EFFECTIVENESS is what is needed! PLEASE DO NOT PASS THIS AS IS!!
I am against civilian oversight that doesn't include community participation! What is the point of oversight if these investigations cannot be conducted independently from law enforcement??
It is unacceptable that Council removed independent investigations and community participation from OAT/CRB. Black and brown people are still being targeted, harassed, and killed by Phx police. Cutting our voices out of this process shows you never cared about our health and safety- you only cared about your image. We cannot afford to settle for toothless processes that do nothing to change the reality- cops are still investigating cops.
Civilian oversight without investigative abilities is ineffective and does not serve our communities. We need Investigative power to be a part of the Civilian Oversight process if we want to be able to affect real and positive change.
It is absolutely clear to us, the citizens of Phoenix, at this point that you, council members and mayor, do NOT care about the safety, rights, and well being of our communities. You are only protecting your image and the police that keep murdering Black and brown bodies. We demand community input and true independent investigative powers in the OAT. Remember the feeling that passed the vote for OAT in February - that was brought about by We the People. We are still showing up, where are you?
The city needs to have outside agencies and community participation when dealing with the conduct of law enforcement. Involve the community or nothing transformative will occur.
I oppose any civilian oversight that doesn't not include independent investigations and community participation/input. Our lives are on the line, something is not better than nothing.
Oversight boards with no investigative power separate from PPD will yield no results for the people, as statistically proven over time in countless examples. To witness corruption of power while having no avenue of halting it is not enough. Smokescreens are not enough. Independent oversight is a crucial component in restructuring, and transparency should not be as much of a threat as it seems to be to PPD.
I am against civilian oversight that does not include independent investigation and community participation! Something is NOT better than nothing when our lives are on the line. Have you learned nothing from our protests?
Council committed to transparency and accountability. Yet, this policy does neither. This policy needs to move forward ONLY if it includes independent investigations. A transparent police department would not fear independent investigations. Families should be able to go to an independent body and be able to trust that the violence they experienced at the hands of police, will not be investigated by those same police colleagues.
I am against any civilian oversight that doesn’t include independent investigations and community participation. Cops should not get to investigate cops. Something is NOT better than nothing when our lives are on the line.
I am aganst civilian oversight that doesn't include independent investigations and community participation. Something is NOT better than nothing when the lives of community members are on the line.
I strongly support the creation of OAT and Section 20. While it is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction and very much needed. I'm tired of people on both sides opposing this measure because they either think it doesn't go far enough or think the police can do no wrong. These are unreasonable, absurd arguments. We need to look at this as an opportunity to bridge the gap between police and the community's understanding of what happens in certain cases.
We asked for independent oversight and this should not pass without it. The community needs to be able to hold public servants accountable. We will not be placated by this at best symbolic gesture. We need independent oversight now!
Independent oversight is what was promised and asked for and yet the final OAT draft still does not have independent or community oriented oversight. The PHX PD must be held accountable for their actions. The OAT, as it stands, is an insult to the community request and need for adequate police accountability.
The OAT ordinance lacks any independent investigative abilities, the office doesn't have the ability to use it's resources to hold PPD or the city accountable when misconduct occurs. Organizational structure is "bias"! It undermines transparency; this ordinance tactfully uses the term deliberative privilege which legally doesn't apply to civil rights issues but is included anyways. Until there is meaningful community involvement in drafting and not the "bias" city manager office then vote no.
When community backed civilian oversight in February, it was because we were promised oversight that was independent, investigative, transparent, and community driven. Seven months later we’re finding out you wrote a policy without us, and are trying to give us performative investigative authority.
This so-called Office of Accountability and Transparency will be anything but accountable and transparent - this is purely a performative gesture so you Council members and Mayor Gallego can say you "listened" to the community and took action to address police brutality. If your civilian oversight policy doesn’t have actual community participation and independent investigations, then we don't want it. Something is NOT better than nothing when our lives are on the line.
The African American Christian Clergy Coalition and other African American organizations worked long and hard for Phoenix to establish the Office of Accountability and Transparency. It is needed to investigate allegations of inappropriate and/or illegal behavior of Phoenix Police toward those they encounter in the line of duty. We expect the Phoenix City Council and Mayor to respect the wishes of the community and establish this Office with civilian leadership and participation.
This proposal for the OAT does not accurately represent the needs and demands of the community. I disagree support the creation of this Office but oppose this current incomprehensive proposal. The community is asking for increased public participation - not another Office of City staff. The City should recognize the communities demands and alter their proposal to include more community input.
I oppose forming a civilian oversight board. Independent investigations are the best way to institute oversight and accountability WHEN AND ONLY WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. We don't need or want another board that is the same as what we have. We were promised INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT. This is NOT an effective measure. EFFECTIVENESS is what is needed! PLEASE DO NOT PASS THIS AS IS!!
I am against civilian oversight that doesn't include community participation! What is the point of oversight if these investigations cannot be conducted independently from law enforcement??
It is unacceptable that Council removed independent investigations and community participation from OAT/CRB. Black and brown people are still being targeted, harassed, and killed by Phx police. Cutting our voices out of this process shows you never cared about our health and safety- you only cared about your image. We cannot afford to settle for toothless processes that do nothing to change the reality- cops are still investigating cops.
Civilian oversight without investigative abilities is ineffective and does not serve our communities. We need Investigative power to be a part of the Civilian Oversight process if we want to be able to affect real and positive change.
It is absolutely clear to us, the citizens of Phoenix, at this point that you, council members and mayor, do NOT care about the safety, rights, and well being of our communities. You are only protecting your image and the police that keep murdering Black and brown bodies. We demand community input and true independent investigative powers in the OAT. Remember the feeling that passed the vote for OAT in February - that was brought about by We the People. We are still showing up, where are you?
The city needs to have outside agencies and community participation when dealing with the conduct of law enforcement. Involve the community or nothing transformative will occur.
I oppose any civilian oversight that doesn't not include independent investigations and community participation/input. Our lives are on the line, something is not better than nothing.
Oversight boards with no investigative power separate from PPD will yield no results for the people, as statistically proven over time in countless examples. To witness corruption of power while having no avenue of halting it is not enough. Smokescreens are not enough. Independent oversight is a crucial component in restructuring, and transparency should not be as much of a threat as it seems to be to PPD.
I am against civilian oversight that does not include independent investigation and community participation! Something is NOT better than nothing when our lives are on the line. Have you learned nothing from our protests?
Council committed to transparency and accountability. Yet, this policy does neither. This policy needs to move forward ONLY if it includes independent investigations. A transparent police department would not fear independent investigations. Families should be able to go to an independent body and be able to trust that the violence they experienced at the hands of police, will not be investigated by those same police colleagues.
I am against any civilian oversight that doesn’t include independent investigations and community participation. Cops should not get to investigate cops. Something is NOT better than nothing when our lives are on the line.
I am aganst civilian oversight that doesn't include independent investigations and community participation. Something is NOT better than nothing when the lives of community members are on the line.
I strongly support the creation of OAT and Section 20. While it is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction and very much needed. I'm tired of people on both sides opposing this measure because they either think it doesn't go far enough or think the police can do no wrong. These are unreasonable, absurd arguments. We need to look at this as an opportunity to bridge the gap between police and the community's understanding of what happens in certain cases.
We asked for independent oversight and this should not pass without it. The community needs to be able to hold public servants accountable. We will not be placated by this at best symbolic gesture. We need independent oversight now!
Independent oversight is what was promised and asked for and yet the final OAT draft still does not have independent or community oriented oversight. The PHX PD must be held accountable for their actions. The OAT, as it stands, is an insult to the community request and need for adequate police accountability.