Philly police watchdog budget to stay flat, despite advocate protests
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Proponents of police reform are concerned that Mayor Cherelle Parker's proposal to flat fund the city's police watchdog may undermine its ability to hold officers accountable.
Why it matters: Funding is among the biggest struggles for the Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC), which has been plagued by infighting, instability and now a potential legal fight with the police union over its ability to conduct investigations.
- The watchdog has been without a permanent leader for over a year and hasn't investigated a single citizen complaint of police misconduct in nearly three years.
Driving the news: CPOC asked the city for a $1.3 million boost this year as it looks to hire more staff, including dozens of investigators, but Parker's proposal would keep the agency's budget at about $3 million.
- Some of the agency's appointed commissioners say they hope to reach a compromise during budget negotiations.
- City Council begins holding public budget hearings Tuesday, and mayoral spokesperson Joe Grace told Axios the administration will "respect that process."
The other side: CPOC interim executive director Anthony Erace didn't respond to multiple requests for comment.
What they're saying: Robert Saleem Holbrook, executive director of the Abolitionist Law Center, tells Axios that CPOC is a "pulpit that can be used to push back" against police brutality and misconduct.
- But it needs more money to hold "the administration's feet to the fire."
The big picture: Proponents have advocated for the agency's funding to stay between 2-5% of the police budget.
- But Parker's proposed spending plan for CPOC is between $14.5 million and $40.9 million short of that benchmark, given the broader police budget of $877 million.
Some commissioners agree that $3 million isn't enough, particularly as the agency braces for a potentially existential legal fight with the police union over its ability to conduct independent misconduct investigations.
Context: Erace revealed at a recent commission meeting that the watchdog must ask the police union for permission to conduct officer investigations because of a provision in the union contract.
- The union has vowed to fight in court to protect that provision and, in so doing, prevent CPOC from doing those investigations.
In the meantime, all disciplinary investigations are handled by police internal affairs, which has not yielded major results.
- Recently, the public has waited months without learning who put out a false narrative in the fatal police shooting of Eddie Irizarry.
What we're watching: CPOC commissioner Rosaura Torres Thomas tells Axios that the public should expect changes at the police watchdog, but she wouldn't elaborate.
- The agency has been searching for a permanent director and may soon announce the results of that latest effort.
- CPOC is scheduled to appear before the City Council on April 17. Legislators must pass a budget by July 1.