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Eugene Baker III
"Oh a stitch in time, just about saved me..."
Blog: New Oakland Police Commission being created: 'Formerly incarcerated individuals encouraged to apply'
Here is another great idea from the Golden State. The City of Oakland created a new civilian Police Commission to second-guess cops, and it excludes cops and former cops but solicits ex-cons to serve on the board, which has the power to enforce its decisions, up to and including terminating the chief of police. What could possibly go wrong? Matier and Ross, the San Francisco Chronicle investigative reporting team, report:
Barry Donelan, head of the Oakland Police Officers Association, said recruiting ex-cons to help select the chief and discipline officers for misconduct was "extremely distasteful."
The Police Commission was created via a voter initiative, Measure LL. The question that appeared on the ballot made no mention of ex-offenders or excluding ex-cops (citation omitted):
Shall Oakland's City Charter be amended to establish: (1) a Police Commission of civilian commissioners to oversee the Police Department by reviewing and proposing changes to Department policies and procedures, requiring the Mayor to appoint any new Chief of Police from a list of candidates provided by the Commission, and having the authority to terminate the Chief of Police for cause; and (2) a Community Police Review Agency to investigate complaints of police misconduct and recommend discipline?
Oakland recruiting ex-cons to oversee cops