Phoenix has to change police oversight office to comply with Arizona law limiting its power
After Phoenix created a police oversight office, state legislators passed a law limiting the power of such watchdog agencies. The City Council is now reviewing potential changes to comply.
A proposed change would erase language saying the oversight office investigates alleged wrongdoing by Phoenix police, plus delete any mention of the office taking part in disciplining officers.
Mayor Kate Gallego said during a Tuesday policy session that the city did not support the state law it’s already conforming with.
“But we understand that it passed and was signed by Gov. [Doug] Ducey. And so some of these changes are not changes wanted or expected. But we are making them nonetheless,” Gallego said.
Phoenix did not mount a court challenge to the law requiring that police be the majority of any office able to investigate and discipline officers.
The city’s oversight office only monitors the police department’s own internal reviews.
Now that staff have been hired to work in the office, the City Council may soon establish a civilian review board.
Some people told council members that it would be better to close the office because the original vision for accountability and transparency has been foiled.
Councilwoman Betty Guardado said she’s disappointed, too.
“I guess today the only thing I can really say is I’m sorry that this is not what you guys thought it was going to be. It’s not what I thought it was going to be,” Guardado said.
The civilian review board would be charged with reviewing reports by the office and making policy recommendations.
