PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council narrowly passed an ordinance to establish a civilian-led board tasked with overseeing the police department.
In a contentious 6-3 vote, the council approved creating the civilian board with the amendment that residents who have filed legal claims against the Phoenix Police Department won't be eligible to serve on it.
The amendment could potentially apply to residents who have sought damages from the city after they were injured by an officer.
Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington took issue with the amendment because of its broad language and its potential of excluding important perspectives from the board. Washington voted in favor of the ordinance so she would be allowed to file a reconsideration motion, which would force the council to later re-vote on the measure again.
Supporters of the amendment said it was needed to provide more balance to the board since Phoenix residents with a history of law enforcement experience are also excluded from being appointed to the board.
The civilian board will consist of nine Phoenix residents, who are appointed by the mayor and council.
The board will work in tandem with the Phoenix Office of Accountability and Transparency, which has been compiling reports that review internal investigations conducted by the police department. OAT assesses how the police department investigates incidents where a civilian was harmed by an officer and makes recommendations.
The office recently released a couple of review reports that found Phoenix police did not complete thorough investigations into use-of-force incidents.
According to city records, the civilian board will be tasked with reviewing reports compiled by OAT and vote whether to adopt or decline the office's findings.
OAT was created in 2021 as the city was being subjected to greater scrutiny over how Phoenix police investigated protestors. The police department has been subjected to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation for nearly three years.
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