Iowa Senate passes bill banning citizen police review boards

[cigaretteman]

Iowa cities are one step closer to being blocked from maintaining citizen review boards that provide oversight of their police departments, under a bill that passed Monday in the Iowa Senate.

At least six cities — Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Ames, Coralville, Dubuque and University Heights — would be required to dismantle their citizen police review boards if the bill becomes law.

The move would eliminate a mix of long-established panels operating for decades and more that were established in the wake of George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer, which sparked calls for police reform nationwide in 2020.

Iowa Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, said the bill would defend law enforcement from "unwarranted prosecutions of frontline defenders."

Iowa Senate passes bill banning citizen police review boards. What comes next:

At least six cities including Iowa City, Ames, Coralville and University Heights would have to dismantle their citizen review boards under the bill.

www.press-citizen.com

 

[MitchLL]

Elections have consequences.

 

[lucas80]

Something, something small government. Local control.

 

[jneffer]

who do these cities think they are...why should they get to decide what kind of government oversight works best for them?

 

[LunchBox50]

Local control!!!!!

 

[sober_teacher]

Stuff like this is why I’m increasingly loath to accept police accounts of incidents at face value. Increasing number of republicans think they shouldn’t be accountable to the public at all, nor provide transparency.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

Ridiculous. There isn’t a single explanation for doing this that makes sense. Police departments have a hard enough time establishing rapport with the communities they serve. Review board meetings are essential for maintaining it!

 

[Titanhawk2]

Well, reading the minutes to the CR board meeting was a waste of 1 minute. Half the members didn't show and all they did was review crime reports from the city.

 

[IIowaFarmBoy]

Iowa is difficult in this. Iowa also is very difficult on reciprocity on teacher and real estate license. Stagnant non immigrant population.

 

[Pinehawk]

Well, reading the minutes to the CR board meeting was a waste of 1 minute. Half the members didn't show and all they did was review crime reports from the city.

That's just it. These Boards really didn't do much anyway. It was more for show. But, even that was too much it seems.
I remember an article from years ago where members of the Iowa City Board complained because the police just ignored all of their suggestions. I'm pretty sure there have been zero 'prosecutions' as a result of these Boards as the Senator claimed.
This will just further the divide between the police and their communities.

 

[ping72]

 

[franklinman]

Hell ya, why would you want to fire a cop or hold them accountable. lol

 

[hydro2.0]

Seems dumb to eliminate

 

[JMNSHO]

Next election cycle, this should be included in a laundry list of how the Republicans have defunded the police. Include the moving of rangers off site from state parks. Let them waste their breath trying to bring nuance to the accusations.

 

[abby97]

Elections have consequences.

That is an Obama quote but the left doesn't like it used on them because it was only is to be used against the right.

 

[MitchLL]

That is an Obama quote but the left doesn't like it used on them because it was only is to be used against the right.

And...?

 

[Hawkeye Swarm]

What other professions have a citizen review board? Is there a citizen review board for doctors, teachers, pilots?

 

[Hawkeye Swarm]

Next election cycle, this should be included in a laundry list of how the Republicans have defunded the police. Include the moving of rangers off site from state parks. Let them waste their breath trying to bring nuance to the accusations.

How is not having these boards defunding the police?

 

[Pinehawk]

What other professions have a citizen review board? Is there a citizen review board for doctors, teachers, pilots?

Those professions aren't paid by public tax dollars, and don't include the enormous responsibility that comes with potentially legally taking someone's life, or putting them in jail.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Ridiculous. There isn’t a single explanation for doing this that makes sense. Police departments have a hard enough time establishing rapport with the communities they serve. Review board meetings are essential for maintaining it!

I would amend this statement.

Police departments have a hard enough time establishing rapport with the communities *that routinely break the law and expect to get away with it or expect special treatment as a self identified protected class of citizen.*

&

Police departments *do not have a hard time establishing rapport with the communities that routinely follow the law.*

Police do not serve to please the criminal class and their loud mouth supporters who lie through their teeth about every aspect of the crimes their loved ones are charged and convicted of.

 

[JMNSHO]

How is not having these boards defunding the police?

You are missing my point a bit. I'm talking strategy, and my suggestion is to make the allegation that the Republican party is cutting RESOURCES that have a key role in ensuring safe and effective law enforcement in our communities. Let the Republicans explain why they think this ISN'T defunding the police. The left spends too much time explaining itself; let the Republicans add nuance and sound weak and pedantic while they defend their cuts.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Stuff like this is why I’m increasingly loath to accept police accounts of incidents at face value. Increasing number of republicans think they shouldn’t be accountable to the public at all, nor provide transparency.

Just taking their cue from Federal government Democrats.

 

[jneffer]

Those professions aren't paid by public tax dollars, and don't include the enormous responsibility that comes with potentially legally taking someone's life, or putting them in jail.

i'd say local school boards are pretty close to citizen review boards for teachers

 

[Pinehawk]

i'd say local school boards are pretty close to citizen review boards for teachers

Agreed. Yet they aren't being eliminated by the republicans.

 

[gohawks50]

What other professions have a citizen review board? Is there a citizen review board for doctors, teachers, pilots?

School boards are the citizens review boards for teachers.

 

[gohawks50]

Agreed. Yet they aren't being eliminated by the republicans.

Yet, but a lot of local control is being taken over by the state.

 

[Tom Paris]

Agreed. Yet they aren't being eliminated by the republicans.

Because Republicans like attacking teachers.

 

[Hawkeye Swarm]

You are missing my point a bit. I'm talking strategy, and my suggestion is to make the allegation that the Republican party is cutting RESOURCES that have a key role in ensuring safe and effective law enforcement in our communities. Let the Republicans explain why they think this ISN'T defunding the police. The left spends too much time explaining itself; let the Republicans add nuance and sound weak and pedantic while they defend their cuts.

It isn't dedunding the police.

 

[JMNSHO]

It isn't dedunding the police.

Republicans are removing a resource that helps ensure effective and responsive law enforcement in our communities. You can't defend your own cuts?

(You are playing defense, that is the point here)

 

[Hawkeye Swarm]

Republicans are removing a resource that helps ensure effective and responsive law enforcement in our communities. You can't defend your own cuts?

(You are playing defense, that is the point here)

No they're not. People who have no background or experience in a certain profession reviewing the actions of that profession is beyond aburd.

 

[jneffer]

No they're not. People who have no background or experience in a certain profession reviewing the actions of that profession is beyond aburd.

does this apply to politics in general? or running a federal agency specifically?

 

[JMNSHO]

No they're not. People who have no background or experience in a certain profession reviewing the actions of that profession is beyond aburd.

The Iowa Republican Party has shown a systematic pattern of defunding police; dissolving local police boards; ceding authority over state and local police to the federal government; defunding law enforcement positions and closing dozens of law enforcement facilities around the state.

 

[gohawks50]

No they're not. People who have no background or experience in a certain profession reviewing the actions of that profession is beyond aburd.

So school boards, city councils, hospital boards, county boards of supervisors, etc. should be eliminated?

 

[jneffer]

No they're not. People who have no background or experience in a certain profession reviewing the actions of that profession is beyond aburd.

the best anti-DOGE argument i've seen

 

[Pinehawk]

No they're not. People who have no background or experience in a certain profession reviewing the actions of that profession is beyond aburd.

Oops

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

What other professions have a citizen review board? Is there a citizen review board for doctors, teachers, pilots?

Ummm…Yes. Teachers have a school board.

Pilots and doctors aren’t paid by local tax dollars so why would there be a local board?

 

[Finance85]

Ridiculous. There isn’t a single explanation for doing this that makes sense. Police departments have a hard enough time establishing rapport with the communities they serve. Review board meetings are essential for maintaining it!

This^

 

[MitchLL]

Oops

^^^^^^^^Someone should tell President Musk!