Thread by @shayshinecastle

Next up: Police oversight panel. Appointing a special counsel to look into Max Weller's complaint about the POP's work stoppage.

Plus, council might pass a moratorium on new cases, which would give some legal cover to the work stoppage.

Already tweeted this, but you can catch up here: boulderbeat.news/2023/06/02/con…

And here: boulderbeat.news/2023/05/18/aft…

Brockett, on why he's suggesting a moratorium: "The reason I put this forward is the panel has perceived changes" in their governing ordinance. "They're not alone in that. They're taking the time now to focus on proposing changes to the ordinance."

"Their desire was to focus on those changes," Brockett says. "I know it's been a difficult time for the POP, and the community as well." I'd like us to formalize a moratorium so they can focus on those changes.

Reminder: POP is still reviewing cases they'd already accepted; they just voted to stop accepting new cases

5 cases scheduled through Aug. 8, then another 5 cases will be completed in September

Yates: What happens to the motion to appoint special counsel?

Erin Poe, city attorney: You could appoint tonight, or do that later.

Reminder: Council has to appoint counsel to investigate a complaint found to have merit. It doesn't have to be an outside attorney, but the city recommended that bc of the conflict of interest, having city attorneys serve the POP.

No timeline on *when* counsel has to be appointed, Poe says, in response to Yates q

Speer: Any idea when the ordinance changes will be ready?
Poe: There's a study session July 27, then the task force — which is meeting weekly — has an Aug. 1 meeting. So sometime after that, they'll come back with proposed ordinances.

City Manager NRV: We also have a consultant helping with this. We hope she'll be able to come to council in early October to present her recommendations, as well as "what she's heard" from the task force.

Yates: I'm fine with a moratorium, but I'm struggling with the need for it. It sounds like the POP has a lot of work to do, they're working on it, they'll have stuff to do until the end of September, and the recommendations will come to us in early October.

Plus there's no rush to appoint a special counsel, Yates says. "I have yet to hear what changes to the ordinance are needed for the POP to do its work. ... I do think we all agree some changes are necessary and appropriate" but a lot of them relate to the selection process.

Speer: These two items seem like they could be contradictory — removing a board/commission member for nonattendance, and allowing a board to stop work. The common thread is what the board members themselves say they need. POP wants a timeout; we should listen to them.

Winer: "Now is the time to support them. It's been a very stressful 6 months for me, for those on council, staff, and certainly for those on the police oversight panel."

I support this "to show we are behind them and the success of the POP."

Can't resist getting in a slight "I told you so" — I said in November, when this first started, that we time out to fix the selection process, Winer says. I was voted down, and that's fine, bc it should have come from the POP, not me.

Wallach: I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the cessation of work that occured was not requested of council. It was simply the determination of the board. What would we do if Planning Board said 'We're not gonna do our job?'

"I'm not looking to punish anybody, but...

... if there's a way to continue" without doing a moratorium, that would be my preference, Wallach says. "If we could let it lie and not take up the complaint for awhile" that would be my preference.

Reminder: The independent police monitor is still reviewing new cases — just not the POP (they're still reviewing existing cases)

Another reminder: The recommendations of the POP *and* the independent monitor are just that... recommendations. Ultimate disciplinary authority resides with the police chief.

Everyone votes for the city attorney to draft a partial moratorium, but they aren't actually approving the moratorium.

Everyone but Yates and Wallach indicated support for that moratorium, when it returns.

They're continuing the vote to appoint a special counsel to investigate Weller's complaint. They'll take that up again July 13. Unanimous vote for that.

Yates: Obviously we can't ask anyone to do anything, but it would be helpful for those of us struggling with the moratorium if the (POP) chair or someone send us a note about what changes they need in the ordinance, and why they can't do new cases.

Yates: I need to clarify my request. I don't want to know what the proposed changes are. The POP voted to stop working; they obviously had a reason. It might be helpful if they share that reason.

Or you could just watch the meeting, NRV says. Or read any of the press coverage about it...

Which has been copious.

Before we move on, if YOU want to have a say in what changes should be made to POP's governing ordinance: Go to the Canyon Theater at the main library (1001 Arapahoe) Wednesday, June 21, 5-6:45 p.m.

Or fill out this online survey: beheardboulder.org

@threadreaderapp please unroll. Thanks!