Civilian oversight of Berkeley police is hitting a wall

"Several times in the last year, the city's police department refused to turn over records to the Police Accountability Board (PAB) and police accountability director unless subpoenaed. The City Attorney's Office typically represents the PAB and the Director of Police Accountability in legal matters, despite complaints that it presents at least the appearance of a conflict the same lawyers also represent the police department, with which the PAB occasionally wrangles."

"Accountability board members spent years reviewing racist, anti-homeless text messages between members of a Berkeley police unit, only to have their final recommendations for policy changes within the Berkeley Police Department (BPD) largely brushed aside earlier this year, with the city arguing BPD had undertaken enough reform already. Meanwhile, the accountability board has been trying for more than two years to negotiate its own working rules with the city police officers union. Without them the board has been working under interim regulations since 2021."

Civilian oversight of Berkeley police faces repeated conflicts over access to records and body-worn camera footage. The police department has refused to hand over records unless subpoenaed. The City Attorney's Office represents both the Police Accountability Board and the police department, creating perceived conflicts. The accountability board's recommendations after investigating racist, anti-homeless texts were largely set aside by the city. The board has lacked negotiated working rules with the police union for over two years and has operated under interim regulations since 2021. The City Council has recently pressured parties to finalize the regulations.

Read at www.berkeleyside.org