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Advocates press commission for answers after officer-involved shootings; mental‑health hearing set
Summary
Community members told the commission they want independent investigations and better crisis‑intervention training after several shootings involving people with mental illness. The commission scheduled a meeting on Jan. 20 and promised a later public hearing to review training and community input.
Community advocates used the Jan. 12 public‑comment period to press the Police Commission for accountability after a string of officer‑involved shootings in late 2010 and early 2011.
Bob Offer Westort, speaking for a coalition that included the Mental Health Association, Public Defender’s Office and Coalition on Homelessness, urged accountability and said his groups were preparing to request an independent external investigation because a recently elected district attorney (the former police chief) could present a conflict of interest in investigations of incidents that occurred under his leadership.
Several speakers, including Christine Harris and Molly Glasgow, described alleged misconduct and urged the commission to ensure adequate training and independent reviews. Harris described being a victim of alleged police brutality and called for officers who abuse their power to be fired. Glasgow said independent investigation of a recent shooting of a man in a wheelchair would be "wonderful," and urged the commission and the incoming chief to take training and investigation seriously.
The commission announced a meeting on Jan. 20 with Commissioners Chan and Hammer and OCC Director Joyce Hicks to begin work on mental‑health issues and said it will follow that meeting with a public hearing to hear from mental‑health professionals, officers and community members. Chief Goodall reported the department's crisis‑intervention training has been affected by changes in federal funding; a 40‑hour course had been moved in‑house and the department plans to roll out a new 24‑hour curriculum in February. Commissioners requested a fuller report next week on how many officers have completed the longer CIT training and details about the revised course.
The meeting also recorded multiple public requests for an independent investigation into recent shootings and repeated calls for increased transparency about the investigation and discipline of officers.
