On Day 4 of our week of action, we demand to see funding for #CivilianReviewBoard in the #LABudget.
Last December, the Board of Supervisors approved the creation of a civilian oversight commission of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. This historic vote was the product of two years of community organizing and county wide mobilizations demanding such a commission.
Since January an establish working group has been meeting to draft a proposal for the commission. This proposal has been significantly influenced by the community input and organizations such as the Coalition to End Sheriff Violence.
Action 3: #CivilianReviewBoard
The proposed 2015 and 2016 budget includes no proposed money for civilian oversight. The commission will play a critical role in taking and investigating complaints, assessing systemic patterns of misconduct and excessive force, analyzing and reporting on patterns of misconduct as it pertains to policies and practices of the Sheriff’s Department. Additionally, the draft proposal for the oversight commission to be submitted to the Supervisors includes recommendations for staffing to ensure the commission can fulfill these duties. We urge you to take action to secure funding for staffing and operations cost of a civilian oversight commission.
This funding is necessary to ensure that there is long lasting deterrence against excessive force and human rights violations against our loved ones inside the Los Angeles County jail system. It is also important to ensure that the community has an effective mechanism to achieve accountability and transparency.
In Solidarity,
Mark-Anthony Johnson
Dignity and Power Now
Member of Californians United for a Responsible Budget
