News Radio KYW: Pat Loeb | January 31, 2022
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A selection panel has nominated nine people to sit on Philadelphia’s new Citizen Police Oversight Commission. Pending community feedback, City Council must now confirm the slate of candidates.
The commission, whose main role is to hear and investigate complaints against Philadelphia police officers, replaces the Police Advisory Commission, which was seen as purely advisory, toothless and underfunded.
The citizen commission is one of the reforms to grow out of the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. It was created with a ballot question in the November 2020 election, when voters approved it. CouncilCouncilmember Curtis Jones, who sponsored the legislation to create the new commission, said the old one tried to promote accountability but lacked power and resources.
"They used to operate with a pittance of a budget, and it was almost designed for them to fail," said Jones.
Jones explained that the oversight commission will have investigators, staff and a $2 million budget.
To read the full article, click here.