The Fairfax County Police are out of control and need oversight but are slick enough to organize "Campaign contributions" during election time to avoid it.

Detroit police oversight board functions curtailed


Detroit— The Board of Police Commissioners, the citizen oversight board that rules on Detroit police policy and personnel matters, is in limbo.
The board can’t make decisions because there are only three members, one short of a quorum — and even if all the seats were filled, an executive order by Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr gave Police Chief James Craig the ability to bypass the board on personnel matters, one of its most crucial functions.
Commissioner Jerome Warfield is planning a public meeting to let residents know what’s going on. He said he’s made several requests to Orr to appoint at least one member to give the board a quorum, but hasn’t gotten an answer.
“It’s important that the citizens don’t lose their voice and power,” Warfield said. “We need the EM to make a decision — either the board is still in effect or not. And, if not, let’s stop the charade and stop meeting every week.”
Although the board’s powers are limited under the emergency manager, Orr spokesman Bill Nowling said it still performs a valuable function.
“I hear the criticism, but just because the board doesn’t have a quorum, there’s still a process for citizens to air grievances, and for questions to be asked and looked into,” he said.
Voters approved a civilian Board of Police Commissioners in 1974, with its five members to be appointed by the mayor. Under the new City Charter that passed the 2012 ballot, the board will have 11 members, seven of whom will be elected, with the remaining four mayoral appointments.
Regarding the appointment of a board member, Nowling said Orr is likely to take the same approach he’s taken with City Council members who’ve abdicated their positions: “He’s chosen not to replace them, and will let the electoral process take care of that in November,” he said.
Currently, Warfield, Chairwoman Jessica Taylor and Donnell White are the three board members. When Toney Stewart’s term ended recently, he was not replaced. The board has been operating for months with only four commissioners, although that was enough for a quorum.
According to its website, the board’s mission is “to increase public confidence in the Detroit Police Department by providing accountability through competent, objective and effective civilian oversight.”
That confidence is eroding, said Ron Scott, director of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, who raised the issue at Thursday’s board meeting.
“I’ve had it up to here with this dictatorship,” Scott said. He asked Warfield to hold a hearing to let the public know what the board’s role is.
“I agree, the idea for a hearing is timely,” Warfield said. “We’ll schedule that meeting.” No date has been set.
Scott said the board’s denuding has set the city back “all the way to 1959.”

“Citizen oversight is just that,” Scott said. “That’s not what’s happening now. If the police commission has been gutted, then all the reforms that took place are nullified.”