BART Riders Criticize Citizen Oversight Plan
Final draft keeps committee’s power limited
Oscar Grant was killed after being shot during a confrontation with BART police officers Jan. 1
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While BART negotiations were dragging on into Thursday night, board members got an earful from riders criticizing the agency’s plan for a citizen oversight board.
Eleven members will be appointed by BART's Board of Directors to meet with an independent police auditor monthly to review complaints of police misconduct.
While the plan is in its final draft, critics say it doesn't do enough to prevent events like the New Year’s murder of Oscar Grant during a confrontation with BART police.
One of the attendees, Krystof Lauper, raised concerns that under the proposed format any action by the oversight committee can be easily overruled by BART and the BART police. “You're going to tell me that the civilian review board needs two-thirds of super majority to overrule these people?”
In a San Francisco Chronicle Op-Ed Wednesday, State Senator Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) called the proposal “a watered-down shell of civilian oversight that is far less than what the community deserves and has asked for”.
The BART Board of Directors is accepting written comments on the proposal which can be found on their website, until August 7.
Comments can be sent to boardofdirectors@bart.gov
Posted Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 5:33 AM PST
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