INSIDER
’I truly believe there’s an appetite for change,’ says lawmaker on police reform bills headed to Austin
Read full article: ’I truly believe there’s an appetite for change,’ says lawmaker on police reform bills headed to AustinSAN ANTONIO – Doing something to change the current status quo on law enforcement actions across the state is personal for Representative Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston). “I truly believe there’s an appetite for change,” Gervin-Hawkins said. She’s working with lawmakers, law enforcement and community leaders to come up with bills that will help bring the changes demanded by San Antonio voters. “Right now, 53% of police officers do not live in the City of San Antonio. So we’ve got to rebuild that trust and those interactions.”RELATED: Understand: How arbitration plays out for disciplined San Antonio police officers
Lawyer: Police leaders in SE Texas community must reform or resign
Read full article: Lawyer: Police leaders in SE Texas community must reform or resignThe Hispanic officer's lawyer dismissed the charges against him as baseless. Delacruz shot Turner after a struggle that a bystander captured on video. A Baytown police spokesman has said Delacruz shot her during an attempted arrest after she shocked him with his Taser. The lawyer said Delacruz also worked as security for the apartment complex and suggested he confronted his neighbor because Turner was begin evicted. Greg Cagle, Delacruz’s lawyer, on Monday said that the officer was defending himself and acted within his training and the law.
San Antonio civil rights attorneys create referendum for police reform, citing custody deaths
Read full article: San Antonio civil rights attorneys create referendum for police reform, citing custody deathsSAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Law Enforcement Accountability Project and the Coalition for Police Reform and Accountability said the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the San Antonio Police Department is flawed, partly because group members say 70% of police officers who are fired get their jobs back through arbitration. Civil rights attorneys are now trying to create a referendum that will do away with the collective bargaining agreement altogether and bring forth major changes to the police department. Civil rights attorney Edward Piña said over the past decade, 106 people have died in San Antonio police custody. They may not be the reality of why they passed away,” Helle said. Pina said the current collective bargaining agreement is beyond reform, and that the entire SAPD must be reimagined.
WATCH: SAPD chief will hold listening session on recruitment, diversity at 3 p.m.
Read full article: WATCH: SAPD chief will hold listening session on recruitment, diversity at 3 p.m.SAN ANTONIO The second of three community listening sessions intended for the San Antonio City Council Public Safety Committee to gather feedback on policing is happening at 3 p.m. on Thursday. It will also broadcast on TVSA, AT&T channel 99, Grande channel 20, Spectrum channel 21, digital antenna 16.1, this city website or on San Antonios Facebook page. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus will give a briefing on the departments efforts in recruitment, retention and diversity. Civic engagement is crucial to our democracy, and community voices are particularly important as we develop policies related to public safety procedures, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a news release. These listening sessions will provide important guidance regarding the publics priorities and expectations.One other meeting is set on the topic:Session 3 will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 20, online.
WATCH: San Antonio listening session on police reform
Read full article: WATCH: San Antonio listening session on police reformSAN ANTONIO The first of three community listening sessions intended for the San Antonio City Council Public Safety Committee to gather feedback on policing is happening at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. It will also broadcast on TVSA, AT&T channel 99, Grande channel 20, Spectrum channel 21, digital antenna 16.1, this city website or on San Antonios Facebook page. Civic engagement is crucial to our democracy, and community voices are particularly important as we develop policies related to public safety procedures, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a news release. Session 3 will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 20, online. Residents can provide comments through a form, on the citys website, by visiting this webpage, by texting SAPolice to 55000 or by submitting a voicemail to 210-207-6991.
These are the police reform priorities the San Antonio mayor, City Council are focusing on in response to widespread protests
Read full article: These are the police reform priorities the San Antonio mayor, City Council are focusing on in response to widespread protestsSAN ANTONIO A proposed resolution put forward on Thursday by San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg lays out how the city is expected to address calls for reform of the San Antonio Police Department. Like other major cities across the nation, San Antonio city officials have been reexamining the police department in the aftermath of George Floyds death. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus authority to discipline officers is severely limited by state law and the citys collective bargaining agreement with the San Antonio Police Officers Association. Prior history can be used as evidence if the allegations include "violence, substance abuse and incompetence, according to the collective bargaining agreement. Nirenberg hopes the council and the police department can address some of these reforms before negotiating next years collective bargaining agreement.
New York poised to lift veil on police disciplinary files
Read full article: New York poised to lift veil on police disciplinary files(AP Photo/Hans Pennink)ALBANY, N.Y. ALBANY, N.Y.As protesters of police brutality demand accountability, New York lawmakers are poised to overhaul a decades-old law that has kept officers disciplinary records secret. But over the years, the law has draped a veil over most records of police misconduct, including allegations. Formal complaints about excessive force by officers are not public in New York. Only New York and Delaware have state laws that provide law enforcement with special carve outs from records disclosure, according to a statement from advocacy groups including Common Cause New York and the New York Public Interest Research Group. ___Associated Press writers Jim Mustian in New York and Michael R. Sisak on Long Island contributed to this report.