Dallas City Council Votes to Expand Police Review Board's Oversight Powers

Note: This story is developing and will be updated.Dallas City Council members on Wednesday voted unanimously to expand the power of its board that hears complaints about police misconduct.Members of the Citizens Police Review Board — which will now be renamed the Community Police Oversight Board — called the vote a "victory" on Wednesday afternoon. The vote occurred after months of town hall discussions, which were often the center of political and racial tension between Dallas residents, and some initial push-back from law enforcement organizations.Complaints that the board was toothless have persisted for decades. Activists have made calls for more oversight power over the years, but those demands took on an added sense of political urgency after the shooting death of 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean, who is black, by a white off-duty police officer.Among the board's new powers: Creation of an office of community police oversight Creation of a monitor position to oversee investigations of noncritical incidents Providing procedures related to critical incidents  Continue reading...