By The News Service of Florida
Local law-enforcement review boards could be filled with appointees of sheriffs or police chiefs under a bill that was revised Tuesday by the Senate Community Affairs Committee.
The bill (SB 576), sponsored by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, initially sought to do away with existing civilian police-review boards and bar counties and cities from creating panels to delve into complaints of wrongdoing. But under the revised version, approved in a 5-2 vote by the Republican-controlled committee, civilian oversight boards could be set up by county sheriffs or municipal police chiefs. The new boards could include three to seven members who would be appointed by sheriffs or police chiefs.
Ingoglia said the change would keep “community involvement” about policies and procedures that agencies must follow, “not necessarily any particular investigation.” Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Sunny Isles Beach Democrat who voted for the bill, said panels were created by local officials to “placate” the public, “not advance anything constructive.”
But Jackson Oberlink, a lobbyist for the group Florida Rising, said the proposal “corrodes” the trust that review boards created between communities and police forces by further alienating the public from departments.
According to a legislative staff analysis, 21 Florida cities have citizen review boards that would be affected by the bill. The cities are Bradenton, Daytona Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Gainesville, Key West, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Miami, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Ocoee, Orlando, Pensacola, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Winter Haven.
Ingoglia argued local panels are made up of “political appointees” without law-enforcement backgrounds who “second guess” police procedures. The House version of the bill (HB 601), which calls for the elimination of citizen review boards, is scheduled to go before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. The bill has already gotten through two committees.
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I say we create a Review Board to review the work of these Review Boards. Then we can hire a consultant to study whether or not we hire too many consultants. Then we can create a task team to come up with a plan to do away with task teams.
It’s all a sham… Defund the Progressive Nonsense
O/T Breaking News
Excellent article in the Tallahassee Democrat by Jeff Burlew regarding once again the misuse of office by Mayor Dailey and Dianne Williams-Cox where they are attempting to weaponize TPD against commissioners O’Keefe and Matlow. Citizens need to call on their legislature to take over TPD if this is going to go forward. The mayor and his two sidekicks Curtis Richardson and Dianne Williams-Cox’s attempting to weaponize a law enforcement agency against political opponents should not be tolerated and an investigation into the mayor and Dianne Williams-Cox is needed immediately.
Get rid of the police review boards, dirtbag politicians create them as a sop to their base, they are useless canards and are usually surrounded by controversy.
I am OK with the Review Boards. Three things need to happen…… ONE: Officers need to know that they can NOT do Choke Holds OR place their Knee on the Necks of Suspects. TWO: If a Suspect says they can’t Breath, take them at their word. THREE: Start running Ads and Commercials to let people know that they need to comply with Officers Commands or they will do what is needed to control the situation, to NOT be argumentative, Combative and never RUN from the Officer.
If the city manager had his act together, this wouldn’t even be an issue. Another reason why there should be a nationwide search for a new city manager. Citizens need to put the corruption era to an end and there is one commissioner blocking Tallahassee from moving forward and that is Curtis Richardson. Vote Curtis Out!
Having Kool-aide colored hair and a nose ring shouldn’t be the qualifications for being appointed to a review board in Tallahassee.
Unless you have experience as a law enforcement professional, you cannot fully comprehend and evaluate the performance of our cops. Just turn everything back to Internal Affairs and return review board funding the taxpayer.