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Residents press Lakewood council for independent police oversight after the death of Jax Graton
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the Lakewood City Council to establish independent oversight of the police after the death of Jax Graton and raised concerns about transparency and treatment of grieving relatives; council heard emotional testimony but took no formal action on oversight tonight.
Dozens of residents and advocates used the initial public comment period at the Lakewood City Council meeting to press elected officials for independent police oversight following the death of Jax Graton.
Speakers representing family members and state‑level advocates described sustained grief, demands for truthful information and structural reforms to how use‑of‑force and investigative matters are reviewed. Many said the family and community had received conflicting information from Lakewood Police Department (LPD) communications and urged the council to create an independent civilian oversight mechanism with access to records and investigative authority.
“Independent oversight is essential and for it to be effective, it must have actual power and access to information,” said Jamie Frederick during the public comment period. “Without these, it will continue to be hidden behind the blue wall of silence.”
Several speakers read statements from family members. Amanda Phillips read a letter from Jax’s mother that catalogued family questions about the scene and the autopsy, and the family’s difficulty obtaining clear answers from the police. “The public deserves the truth, and Jax deserves the truth,” Phillips read.
Advocates and family members called for concrete powers for any oversight body, including subpoena or interview authority and public reporting of findings. Others demanded immediate improvements in the way bereaved families are treated and direct access to body camera footage and case files. Many speakers emphasized that the call for oversight was not only about this single case but about safety and dignity for transgender people and other marginalized community members.
Council response and next steps: Councilors listened through the initial public comment period and acknowledged the grief expressed in the room. Several council members offered procedural responses about how to pursue oversight — whether by requesting staff research, convening study sessions, or referring the subject to a city committee — but there was no formal council vote or directive recorded during the meeting to create an oversight body.
Ending: Advocates said they will continue to press the council and that people from across the state are watching. The council did not make a formal commitment at the meeting to create independent oversight; the requests will require follow‑up through staff research or future council action.
