Sgt. Colin Langsdale said he believed Valencia had a gun. Other witnesses at the scene said they also believed he had a gun.
Under the new policy, which the commission unanimously approved, officers can still conduct so-called “consent searches,” but only after securing proof of that consent — either by capturing the person giving their consent on body-worn video or by getting the person to sign off on a written consent form.
“Our city is leading the movement to re-imagine public safety, revitalize our commitment to racial justice and support our courageous police officers who keep our city safe,'' Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
Under Proposition E, the Chief of Police would provide a report to the Police Commission that evaluates the current number of full-duty sworn police officers and the number of officers recommended in the future. The Police Commission would hold a public hearing on the report.
Measure 26-217 gets rid of the current Independent Police Review Board and replaces it with a new oversight committee that can discipline and even fire police officers. It would also have a budget of its own that is up to five percent of the total police budget.
The version of the law that was sent to the governor leaves the door open for creating an entirely new state-level office to investigate police shootings, rather than the attorney general’s office.
The former chief of the Oakland (CA) Police Department filed a whistleblower claim against the city, the first step toward filing a lawsuit over her termination in February.
A former officer with the Phoenix Police Department said on a local radio show that civilian oversight of Phoenix police was potentially dangerous and could create even more conflict in the community.
The Office of Accountability and Transparency will become a new city department, separate from the police department, which will include both a community review board and a unit dedicated to monitoring and investigating police complaints.
The Phoenix City Council is expected to hear a discussion on a civilian review board to oversee the Phoenix Police Department.