A week after the Denver City Council cleared the way for
Mayor John Hickenlooper's proposal for civilian oversight of the police
to go before the voters in November, the plan still is under heavy
attack for what it lacks.Some community leaders have criticized
Hickenlooper for shying away from a political fight and not
fast-tracking a change to the City Charter that would end "comparative
discipline," a policy which holds that a police officer should not be
punished more severely than officers guilty of the same or similar
offenses, sometimes years earlier. "He dodges the very thing that needs
to be changed to bring meat and purpose to strengthening the entire
process," said Leroy Lemos, a member of the police reform task force.
"The only way meaningful change is going to happen is it's going to
have to come from the citizens." Lemos said he and other Hispanic,
black and American Indian community leaders are exploring a petition
drive to place on the May ballot a combined measure to change the
charter to end comparative discipline as well as give a civilian
oversight board binding powers to recommend discipline and initiate
investigations surrounding alleged police misconduct. [more ]
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