Philadelphia police watchdog chair resigns after bribery charges

Driving the news: Hassan Bennett has resigned as CPOC's chair after initially being placed on leave, the board revealed at its latest meeting last week.

• Vice chair Malika Rahman has stepped in as interim board chair.
• Commissioners will vote to appoint her as chair at their Nov. 19 meeting.

Catch up quick: Bennett is accused of providing court documents and a witness' name that he had access to through his job as a client advocate at the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

• Prosecutors say Bennett was captured on a recorded prison phone call agreeing to provide confidential information to a prisoner in exchange for $500.
• He has posted bail and faces several charges, including witness intimidation, per court records.

What they're saying: CPOC officials reiterated in a statement that Bennett did not disclose any information he obtained through his role as a commissioner.

• Rahman said during the meeting that the agency's "top priority" is restoring public trust.

"It remains our commitment to be transparent, accountable and integrous with the work that we do. … This is not an easy transition but this commission has not lost sight of the work," Rahman said.

What we're watching: Whether the police union uses Bennett's arrest as fresh ammunition against CPOC's push to independently investigate police misconduct during its next contract fight with the city.