PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council this week will begin the process of creating a new Citizens Police Oversight Commission, which was approved by voters in November.
Councilmember Curtis Jones sponsored the bill that put the referendum on the ballot, and he plans to introduce the enabling legislation for it on Thursday. He said it will be 25 to 30 pages long and will accomplish three things: Better management of police-community interactions and trust in the new process from both police and citizens.
“If you have a transparent process and you have the authorization to investigate and clear rules and procedures of engagement, you can do those things and no, you’re not going to get 100 % of the decisions go your way, but you’re going to get 100 % fairness all the time,” Jones said.
Some specifics are still being worked out, such as how commission members will be selected. And Jones expects the bill will be a work in progress right up until it’s voted on.
He said he consulted with community groups and the police union in crafting the bill.
In a statement, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the department is looking forward to taking part in initiatives that will improve its relationship with those it serves.