Sunset Advisory Commission members expressed concern over the drawn-out, years-long process of reforming @TCOLE, but they did appear to agree on a few changes they could push at next #txlege, @David_Barer reports for @KXAN_News.
Here's what to know:
kxan.com/investigations…
Lawmakers have struggled to pass statutory changes to the @TCOLE, amid tensions with law enforcement groups — including police unions — over how much power the agency should wield over officers, Barer reports.
Presently, it has almost none.
The lawmakers did appear to agree on several changes that could give @TCOLE more oversight power.
Fixes could be coming to police separation reports, standards to create new departments, funding and more. No action was taken at the meeting, Barer reports. #txjustice
The commission also showed interest in pushing for more money for @TCOLE, which lags far behind similar states in funding, according to Texas 2036's @LuisSantosTX, who was cited in the @KXAN_News report. #txjustice
.@LuisSantosTX provided a stark assessment of Texas' F-5 form, which is a sheet that indicates why the officer left and whether they were honorably or dishonorably discharged. #txjustice #txlege
“The F-5 system is fundamentally not working,” Soberon told lawmakers.
.@LuisSantosTX said reforming the F-5 form could help correct a major problem in the state: so-called “wandering officers.” #txjustice
Texas 2036 recommends making the F-5 public and redefining the types of discharges, including the dishonorable discharge category.
Learn more about our report that shows a serious need to support an improved data capacity and infrastructure at #TCOLE. #txlege #txjustice
VIEW OUR REPORT: bit.ly/3AkTfAP
What are some key takeaways from our Texas Law Enforcement Data Landscape report?
TCOLE needs to “drastically improve the collection of motor vehicle stop data,” which has “been plagued with quality problems for years” and lacks vital information, @David_Barer cites our report.
The big picture: Bad data quality obscures real problems that should be scrutinized and it makes good agencies look bad. #txjustice #TCOLE
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