WE NEED TO JOIN THE REST OF THE NATION IN CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT OF POLICE

Ask any criminal defense attorney, and they will tell you that they often hear allegations of police brutality or false arrests. Obviously, many of these complaints may lack credibility, coming from accused criminals, but some are true, as seen by the recent events of an Alexandria Police officer's tasering of a woman on Easter Sunday coming to light. If some police officers allow themselves to get caught on camera abusing people, what do you think they do when there are no witnesses and cameras around? Many complain that they are simply discouraged or threatened if they report abuses to Alexandria Police Department Internal Affairs office. In a press conference they called in reference to the Easter Sunday taser incident, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy and Chief Coutee acknowledged shock and a commitment to investigate and see that such things do not happen again. APD has adopted a community policing program to instill community confidence in the police department.

Perhaps it is time that Alexandria joins the multitude of other cities across the nation, that has instituted a citizen' oversight panel of their police departments. It is clear that APD's Internal Affairs department neither works nor helps to promote faith in the police department to police their own. These 'affairs' should be public, not internal, to go along with Mayor Roy's pledges of transparency in City government.

Models and the numerous progressive cities that have instituted such oversight programs can be found at the Police Assessment Resource Center (PARC). Here in Alexandria, Louisiana, consideration should be given to such a commission of respected citizens, bi-racial and by-partisan, including professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, and from a variety of trades and occupations. One or more police officers, whose reputations are beyond reproach, must be included, to provide information on the law enforcement procedures and problems they face. Such a committee should only be allowed to present public recommendations to the City, so as not to run afoul of Civil Service laws.

If there already is such a group established, it needs to be publicised better, and even the APD's Internal Affairs office should inform citizens of any such group. Such an oversight committee would tremendously restore confidence in our police and city government, save the City money from lawsuits or claims, and be an open and fair method of protecting the rights of citizens and law enforcement officers.