Thread by @JRaphling

We need to defund police and invest in communities to promote public safety. @hrw has just released a report recommending this divest/invest approach to reform. hrw.org/news/2020/08/1…

But @hrw report also says we need meaningful accountability mechanisms to deter police misconduct. We cite to data from departments across the US showing police investigating themselves and finding themselves blameless.

Our report on Tulsa revealed from 2012-17, TPD reported 3,364 acts of force, found only 2 “out of policy”, imposed no discipline for either. Not unusual for US police. hrw.org/sites/default/…

Now @LAPDHQ releases its 2019 complaint data and complaints are increasing, but, big surprise, they find themselves blameless almost every time. latimes.com/california/sto…

Only 4% of complaints made by members of the public were sustained. More disturbingly, @LAPDHQ sustained exactly ZERO of the 734 complaints alleging racial bias.

But that is expected, since in 2018, they cleared themselves every time in 494 complaints of racial bias, and in 2017, they claimed to be blameless in all 514 such complaints.

So either LAPD is a 100% not racially biased police dept, and the thousands in the streets protesting are wrong, or there is something wrong with letting them investigate themselves. And of course, the supposed oversight body, LA Police Commission, is beyond useless.

We need independent community oversight bodies, with full access to police records, subpoena power, authority to conduct investigations and the power to discipline officers and command staff. And, we need to #DefundThePolice