CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FIRST COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. F/S
O-14-15 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Isaac Benton & Ken Sanchez
ORDINANCE
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F/S Immediately Suspending The Operation Of The Police Oversight Commission Pending The Establishment Of A New Oversight System (Benton, Sanchez)
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IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDING THE OPERATION OF THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION PENDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW OVERSIGHT SYSTEM.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
(A) Effective oversight of the police force is critical to public safety and confidence and, therefore, the City Council has enacted a Police Oversight Ordinance to provide oversight of the police force and process citizen complaints.
(B) The City of Albuquerque deserves a highly professional well trained Police Department; however, the Police Oversight Commission (the "POC") has not proven to be an effective oversight entity as documented by the report from the United States Department of Justice dated April 10, 2014.
Section 2. SUSPENSION OF THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION. All functions, powers, and duties of the Police Oversight Commission established by Sections 9-4-1-4 and 9-4-1-5 of the Revised Ordinances of Albuquerque are hereby suspended until such time as the City Council determines those functions should begin again or enacts a different or altered oversight process. During the suspension, the Independent Review Officer (IRO) shall continue to receive, investigate and evaluate citizen complaints and officer involved shootings without oversight by or the involvement of the existing Police Oversight Commission.
Section 3. The determinations of the IRO shall, if requested, be reviewed by the City pursuant to the Police Oversight Ordinance. The City shall assign the review to a contract hearing officer qualified pursuant to the terms of the ...
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