Dallas commission says top police watchdog should report to City Council, not city manager
The proposed amendment to the city code would need to be approved by the City Council, then would appear on the general election ballot in November so Dallas... A review commission in Dallas has recommended that the city's top police watchdog should report to the City Council instead of the city manager, a move some oversight representatives have hailed as an important step forward. The proposed amendment to the city code would require approval from the City council in November. Supporters argue that it would strengthen oversight's independence by adding checks and balances to improve its objectivity, efficiency and transparency. The vote comes after months of turmoil in Dallas police oversight, which has lost its director and chief investigator and been uncertain over its authority in investigating residents’ complaints about police. The chairman of Dallas’ Community Police Oversight Board, John Mark Davidson, believes this shift will create more continuity and consistency within the office.
Publicerad : 4 veckor sedan förbi Kelli Smith i Politics
A review commission on Tuesday recommended Dallas’ top police watchdog report to the City Council instead of the city manager, a move some oversight representatives hailed as an important step forward.
The proposed amendment to the city code, which only two people opposed on Dallas’ 15-member Charter Review Commission, would need to be approved by the City Council to appear on the general election ballot in November. Dallas residents would then be able to vote on whether to approve it.
Police oversight board members and supporters of the recommendation said it would solidify oversight’s independence by adding checks and balances and improving its objectivity, efficiency and transparency. The vote comes after several months of turmoil in Dallas police oversight, which lost its director and chief investigator and has been rocked by uncertainty over its authority in investigating residents’ complaints about police.
John Mark Davidson, chairman of Dallas’ Community Police Oversight Board, said Wednesday that every person he’s spoken to across the city has been supportive of oversight and wants a healthy system.
“Making this shift will essentially make this office more of a consistent staple within the fabric of Dallas,” Davidson said. “Because it reports to the City Council, I think people can trust that the office will be there and that there’s more continuity and more consistency. And over time, that’s going to build trust and serve more people.”
Dallas’ Office of Community Police Oversight and the Community Police Oversight Board are separate entities that work together. The 15-member board is appointed by the City Council and already reports to council members. The office — made up of full-time city staffers — reports to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, who announced his resignation in February.
The Dallas Morning News published an investigation in early March detailing how board members have said the oversight office lost its authority to investigate complaints and its control over what grievances could be reviewed.
Many board members said sudden staffing changes were made after oversight brought to light a complaint by DyNell Lane, a disabled veteran who urinated on himself after he was denied the restroom at a Deep Ellum pizza joint. Body-camera footage showed four Dallas officers laughing about it later. Four days after The News’ investigation published, the officers were disciplined with written reprimands and mandated sensitivity training.
Interim police monitor Elaine Chandler, who was with Dallas’ HR office, has led the oversight office as the city searches for a director. Officials estimated a new monitor wouldn’t likely be in place until the end of June.
In the meantime, oversight members have quarreled with Dallas officials over a sudden legal opinion from the city that appears to limit some of oversight’s authority and investigatory power. Board members have said it’s unclear if they’re allowed to operate as usual under the newer interpretation, which states oversight can’t investigate anything that the Dallas Police Department rules a “no investigation.”
Oversight members are expected to discuss the topic with city officials at their next meeting April 9.
Deputy city manager Jon Fortune said at the Tuesday commission meeting that Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, who will be interim city manager after Broadnax leaves, has said a “high priority” will be resolving the operational issues with oversight and figuring out how it can be better supported.
Fortune said having the police monitor and police chief report to the same person allows the city manager to be the sole person accountable for the activities of the police department. City spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday about the Charter Review Commission’s vote.
At the meeting, police oversight board member Brandon Friedman explained what he called “a good bit of chaos” in oversight. He told the commission there’s an inherent conflict when the city manager can hire, supervise and fire the person responsible for day-to-day police oversight.
“Oversight offices should be independent much like an inspector general,” he said. “This would make oversight seamless and remove the majority of conflicts that may arise between the board, the office and the city.”
Angela Hunt, who represents council member Paul Ridley’s district on the Charter Review Commission, said there are structural issues when the same person who appoints the police chief also oversees the oversight office.
Of the many amendments to the city charter that are being considered by the commission, “this is one that could actually impact our citizens in a very positive way by creating some checks and balances,” she said.
Friedman told The News this week’s vote was “a big step forward.”
“It shows that there is support within the community and community leaders for continued independence of police oversight in Dallas,” he said.
Oversight board vice chair Jose Rivas Jr. told The News he hopes a shift to the City Council would give elected officials the authority to elevate and correct issues before the board. It could “remove roadblocks that impede the board’s effectiveness,” he said, noting oversight can work with Dallas’ public safety committee to address problems.
“We won’t always agree on everything but it’s important to at least be heard,” Rivas said.
Although some board members said they’ve been in communication with their council members, the City Council’s stance remains unclear. Many council members have so far not been willing to publicly voice their thoughts about police oversight and the confusion that has erupted.
Council member Cara Mendelsohn, who chairs the public safety committee, told a reporter in mid-March to speak with the city manager about the issues. She did not respond to a request for comment on the commission’s vote Wednesday afternoon.
Council members Chad West and Jaime Resendez have declined to comment. The mayor’s spokesperson and other council members who were contacted after the investigation published — including Zarin Gracey, Adam Bazaldua and Paula Blackmon — did not respond to requests for comment about the turmoil in oversight.
Council members Kathy Stewart, Tennell Atkins, Jesse Moreno, Paul Ridley and Carolyn King Arnold did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
Council member Omar Narvaez told The News last week he’s “always open” to considering recommendations to improve any ordinances, especially from appointed commissioners who have advisory roles.
He said he’s confident that if changes need to be made, the council will receive recommendations and “can have an open and honest debate on those.”