What future does police accountability have in Berkeley?

"Police oversight officials have struck a defiant tone after the sudden firing of Director of Police Accountability Hansel Aguilar. The ousting came just 10 days after the sudden resignations of two veteran Police Accountability Board members, who said they were fed up with what they saw as obstruction from the city and resistance to reform from police."

"Aguilar's dismissal came after months of escalating tension between his office and the Police Accountability Board on the one side, and the City Council, Berkeley Police Department leadership and other city administrative agencies on the other. Most recently, in December, Aguilar sued BPD Chief Jen Louis in an attempt to get records related to a complaint against the police."

"The council has not provided any specific reason for why they fired Aguilar, but the conditions of his hire allowed them to fire him without cause, provided they give him one month's notice and pay him up to a year's salary in severance."

Berkeley's City Council voted to fire Director of Police Accountability Hansel Aguilar, with Mayor Adena Ishii and Councilmembers Cecilia Lunaparra and Mark Humbert leading the recruitment for his successor. The dismissal followed escalating tensions between Aguilar's office and the Police Accountability Board against the City Council, Berkeley Police Department leadership, and other city agencies. Two veteran Police Accountability Board members had recently resigned, citing obstruction from the city and police resistance to reform. Aguilar's firing came after he sued BPD Chief Jen Louis for records related to a complaint, though a judge denied his petition. The Berkeley Police Association has long accused the PAB and Aguilar of violating employment rights. The council provided no specific reason for the termination but exercised contractual authority to fire without cause, offering one month's notice and up to one year's severance.

Read at www.berkeleyside.org