Independent Police Oversight is Absolutely Necessary

Hi Everyone,

Having shared concerns about the actions and rhetoric of the Independent Monitor, let me add the following.

We absolutely need effective independent oversight of MPD. I don't agree with the Office's radical definition of “independence," conflating “autonomy" with “independence," but there's no doubt we need functionally independent oversight of the police.

While it's deeply troubling what happened during the last minute of Corey's life, we must also consider his last hour.

MPD as a matter of policy calls off high-speed pursuits on our city streets of those suspected of stealing a car, acknowledging the risks exceed the benefits. Why, then, were MPD officers engaged in a high-speed pursuit on Willy Street of someone on a bike suspected of petty theft? The scanner report indicates the officers knew who he was. Why wasn't there the option to catch up with him later, accompanied by mental health officers, community outreach workers, and the like? 

No doubt, had that happened, Corey Ruiz would still be alive.

The CARES program is a dynamic response to a static situation, e.g., a mental health crisis in someone's home. We've made great progress, but there's more to do. We need a mobile response team -- an alternative emergency response trained in deescalation that can respond in real time, on their own or with MPD, for situations like what transpired on July 22.  

MPD training in deescalation urgently needs review. The Office of Independent Monitor's report on the Richard Lee Johnson case points to the potential tragedies that could be avoided if officers were better trained to interact with civilians with restraint and respect, as opposed to control and dominance. There is something wrong with a police culture that tolerates this kind of egregious misconduct. UW Law Profession Ion Mehn's warning that “toxic masculinity" all too often inserts itself into police culture is deeply concerning. MPD must be committed to rooting this out if a modicum of trust is to be restored. 

Lastly, a distinction must be made between “justified" and “necessary."  While all necessary police shootings are justified, not all justified shootings are necessary. It's precisely this distinction that Recommendation 109 of the Final Report of the MPD Policy and Procedure Ad-Hoc Committee clearly delineates. I support the call for MPD to review this standard and commit to necessary changes.

I will be sharing more. In the meantime, to heal as a city it's best if we all got off of social media and recommitted ourselves to working together to fix the problems that need fixing and improving our City.

Take care and stay safe,

Tag