There’s a reported mass exodus of police officers in Charlottesville, Virginia, and one of the reasons cited is a civilian oversight board over the police, like what Nashville will soon have.
The Charlottesville Police Department is down nearly two dozen officers, according to that city’s The Daily Progress website.
Police administrators are having a hard time filling the vacancies. Things are so bad Police Chief RaShall Brackney told the website the department is experiencing a “mass exodus.”
“It seems like, I think, on average, one to two officers a week are leaving the department,” she said.
One of the reasons officers leave, Brackney went on to say, stems from how vocal and biased members of the initial Police Civilian Review Board act toward officers.
Members create bylaws for a future board that will provide civilian oversight of the department, according to The Daily Progress.
Brackney told the website that board members go on TV and radio and speak at marches to discuss how “officers’ days are numbered and that they’re coming after them.”
“The officers do not believe that there’s going to be any fair, impartial oversight,” Brackney said.
“It’s well-documented of how some of them have treated our officers, including me.”
The Charlottesville Police Department reportedly has 128 officers. Brackney said officers complain openly during exit interviews. They have also complained about their salaries, she said.
As for Nashville’s Community Oversight Board, The Tennessee Star said members will have access to police files and can interview officers and witnesses.
They can also send reports with recommendations about allegedly problematic officers to Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson.
Nashville-Davidson County voters approved the $10 million-plus oversight board in a referendum last year titled Amendment 1, prompting concerns from police officers.
As The Tennessee Star reported last month, the COB may receive its own oversight before it even launches.
Speaker-elect Rep. Glen Casada (R-TN-63), announced plans to study the oversight board when the Legislature convenes later this month, according to The Star.
State Rep. William Lamberth (R-TN-44), the incoming House majority leader, told Nashville Public Radio the board is redundant since there are other methods to oversee police.
Also, as The Star reported, Nashville Fraternal Order of Police members said they have serious constitutional concerns about the new board.
They said the $10 million plan is “constitutionally questionable,” doesn’t address due process, and is not set up for fact finding.
They also said the board is “set up for some means of retaliation and retribution for a problem that doesn’t exist.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Interesting that someone brought up the East German Stasi. They didn’t have a civilian oversight board. They are a good example for how American police should be.
It is so sad that civilians think they should have oversight over the police. It’s not like the police are PUBLIC SERVANTS, with salaries and equipment paid for by civilians’ tax dollars.
I support our boys in blue unconditionally!!!
[…] As reported, Nashville-Davidson County voters approved a $10 million-plus oversight board in a referendum last year titled Amendment 1, prompting concerns from police officers. […]
This is what happens when liberals get control. They try to remove monuments that are protected by law and they start acting like the law is a bad thing. Before you know it you have another Chicago on your hands
There should be oversight for Citizen Police, Citizen Observation Police, Neighborhood and Community Watch orgs, Fusion Centers, etc., as well. Talk about brain washing…people are behaving like an East German Stasi agency with over zealous “watching” of their neighbors…following people, using social media and instant communication apps to identify people who may have landed on some absurd watch list so the state can generate more Fed dollars and they are taking their “policing” to an extreme- operating like a parallel justice system- which is undemocratic and illegal. Yes to following rule of law and well trained police force who go after the bad guys!
There should be oversight for Citizen Police, Citizen Observation Police, Neighborhood and Community Watch orgs, Fusion Centers, etc., as well. Talk about brain washing…people are behaving like an East German Stasi agency with over zealous “watching” of their neighbors…following people, using social media and instant communication apps to identify people who may have landed on some absurd watch list so the state can generate more Fed dollars and they are taking their “policing” to an extreme- operating like a parallel justice system- which is undemocratic and illegal.
Nothing wrong with trying to educate our tax paid security force and also these new, militant community watch groups. Time to step back and learn the constitution and stop being reactive to fear mongoring and overzealous policing.
Isn’t there irony in supporting idea that police force should have no one looking over their shoulder and making sure they follow rule of law in policing but advocating those citizen/neighborhood/community watch groups tag teaming and following/harassing/ watching over the shoulder of innocent civilians living their lives legally and with no criminal incident or concern whatsoever?
I advocate for a democratic society where people are free and our justice system enforces the law of the land and police, who are paid by the people, are well trained, understand the law, reject organizing a parallel justice system and integrate into our communities by way of that positive, human connection.
No to police society. Yes to rule of law, well trained police and going after real bad guys, keeping our country safe.
My neighborhood has an ongoing rash of petty crimes which will progress to more serious ones without diligent police work and protection. But the police force is stretched beyond its capacity now and it will get worse. And the lazy people in the area only want to complain rather than join forces to institute a neighborhood watch because they’ve been brainwashed to “outsource” their life and security to the government instead of taking care of themselves.
The “progressive” voters of Nashville made a terrible choice with the Oversight Board and one that will come back to bite them in the butt. I wish the Fraternal Order of the Police would press the issue of Constitutionality and sue the Metro Government. They have a good case.
For those with no desire to do the math, over a dozen officers is roughly 10% of the Charlottesville PD. Nashville, on the other hand, has over 1,300 officers, so an exodus of similar proportions will mean a leaving of 130-150 officers from Nashville. Not only will Metro Nashville loose those people as LEOs, but they will also be losing then as tax-payers, and their families as well.
The posturing and badmouthing in Virginia is the sort of thing that becomes acceptable when the self-described “oppressed” come into power over their “oppressors”. Nashville, unless there is an intervention of common sense, will see similar junk happening over the next year-and-a-half.
Police oversight boards are a virtual admission of failure by mayors and city councils for not doing the job they were elected to do. It’s political theater, nothing more. And cops simply don’t want to play on that stage. Either support your police and fire those who come up short or get out of managing government.
Agree
Exactly!
Nash-Francisco is already having a “recruitment gap” with its police department