Advocacy groups push to give Arlington civilian oversight panel more investigation power

ARLINGTON, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Civilian oversight boards may not be a new concept but it is one that continues to give many communities across the country and in the D.C region, a say when it comes to police conduct and accountability.

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The Arlington County Board voted Wednesday night to create a civilian group that has the ability to subpoena police and launch investigations of officers but cannot discipline them.

Julius D. Spain, President of the Arlington branch of the NAACP, who along with several other community activists told FOX 5’s Ayesha Khan, that the board only gets to have certain limitations but should be allowed to have more direct access to records and more independent authority separate from the auditor, who will be hired by the county manager.

"We believe having an independent auditor report to or be hired and fired by the county manager, creates a conflict of interest," said Spain.

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"We want to see that improvement but we also know that it is going to require some legislation. We want individuals to know that this is more than just transparency and accountability, we’re trying to build an enhanced trust and confidence in the community."

Under the plan that was voted on, the board would only get to review completed police investigations, rather than conducting their own investigation. 

"The police union did not want subpoena power but we saw last night was that there was a majority on the board who wanted that, so in that vain, we are happy," said Spain, "but there is more to be done, there is a memorandum of understanding that needs to be worked out but we haven’t gotten there yet."

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Nearby, the city of Alexandria is creating a more powerful police oversight board, which will have the power to conduct independent investigations. It’s something the group Arlington4justice told Khan, they would like for the panel in Arlington do as well. 

"It does not have a strong investigative authority as the Alexandria one does," said co-founder, Michelle Woolley.

"Right now, they have to work together in conjunction with the police to be able to investigate and there are some issues around that, so it would be nice to see if there were some additional aspects to having just a disciplinary authority."

"There is a power to investigate, it is focused through the independent monitor," said Matt de Ferranti, Arlington County Board Chair.

"The independent monitor regularly in the course of the investigation, will sit with the police who are doing a criminal investigation and if that monitor has additional questions or witnesses that they want to add then they will be able to do so and will regularly update the oversight board."

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Khan also contacted the Arlington Police Beneficiary Association for a comment and was told via an email statement that:

"Though the decision made, is not the outcome we would like, we are all about compromise and we feel this is the best outcome for everyone involved."

The yet-to-be-formed board will include seven Arlington residents and two nonvoting members with experience in law enforcement.