Phoenix Announces Candidates for Civil Control Committee

PHOENIX – The final three director candidates for the very first Phoenix Civil Oversight Committee were unveiled to the public on Thursday evening.

In May, the City of Phoenix approved the establishment of the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) to investigate police misconduct and investigate complaints against officials and cases of violence.

“The OAT’s mission is to ensure that complaints against Phoenix police officers are handled fairly and objectively. The new office can also provide recommendations for training, guidelines, and disciplinary action, ”the City of Phoenix wrote online.

The three candidates are Andrew Myerberg, currently Director of the Seattle Office of Police Accountability (OPA), Erin Ellison, Senior Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at Arizona State University, and Roger Smith serves as the City of Cleveland’s Administrator Office of Professional Standards (OPS).

You can read their full biographies on the City of Phoenix website.

The three candidates answered questions from a moderator as well as questions from the community.

A local organizer from Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro said OAT is a good place to start, but there is still a way to reform the Phoenix police force.

“The office is an asset to many families who are looking for something different in terms of accountability and transparency,” said Jamaar Williams of Black Lives Matter Metro Phoenix. “Police work in our city is as bad as the accountability and transparency office to see our lives really change substantially.”

The three candidates will conduct a panel interview in front of the City Manager. Right now this is Ed Zuercher, but his last day is October 8th and he is being replaced by Assistant City Manager Jeff Barton. However, you could be disqualified if a judge refuses to challenge Phoenix against a new state law that puts police officers in charge of police oversight.

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