OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) - A ballot measure is passed giving a police commission more independence to investigate alleged police misconduct.
The measure even had the backing of the police union.
Oakland voters approve charter amendment S-1 by an overwhelming 88% giving arguably the most powerful independent police commission in America, having already fired a police chief, even more power.
"We were pretty confident that Oakland voters were going to pass this by overwhelming numbers and they did,” Cathay Leonard said.
Cathy Leonard is on the steering committee for the coalition for police accountability.
The police reform advocacy group that wrote the initial draft of measure S-1, which amends the city charter creating the police commission's own office of the inspector general.
“They need a civilian inspector general who will report directly to the police commission and not to the police chief, which is critical in order for them to effectively monitor the police department,” Leonard said.
Measure S-1 also gives the police commission the ability to end their relationship as a client of the Oakland City Attorney's Office and hire their own legal counsel.
“They needed their counsel to get unbiased legal advice,” Leonard said.
The measure also gives the commission the ability to access body-worn camera videos in police misconduct cases.
“That's been a problem with not releasing the police body camera footage,” Leonard said.
In an unexpected twist even the Oakland Police Officers' Association, often at odds with the police commission, supported the passage of the measure. OPOA President Barry Donelan sent KRON4 a statement reading:
"We hope it halts the bickering, gives the police commission the power they desire, and then we can actually address rampant crime."
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