San Jose Struggles with Police Oversight: In San Jose, a year after a consultant recommended expanding the powers of the city’s police watchdog, the proposal was rejected by the City Council. With an 8-2 vote, the council opted against giving the Independent Police Auditor’s (IPA) office increased authority, including the right to directly investigate certain alleged police misconduct cases. Instead, the majority voted to explore improvements to the current police oversight model, emphasizing the need for uniform policies guiding the collaboration between the IPA and the San Jose Police Department’s internal affairs unit.
This decision follows over three years of deliberation on enhancing the IPA’s role, spurred by calls for increased police oversight in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing in May 2020. The IPA’s office has faced challenges, notably the abrupt retirement of the city’s most recent IPA after a contentious incident with a police officer at a community event.
Councilmembers Sergio Jimenez and Omar Torres dissented, advocating for expanded powers. Jimenez proposed deferring the decision until a new permanent IPA is hired to provide input on the matter. Despite this, the council directed officials to assess the costs of hiring additional staff for the IPA to manage increased workload, including more misconduct investigation interviews with police and community outreach.
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This decision aligns with the stance of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, which opposes expanding the IPA’s powers. The association contends that civilian investigators handling misconduct cases could negatively impact morale and recruitment efforts at a time when the department is striving to hire more officers.
As the city plans to search for a permanent IPA, the recent retirement of Shivaun Nurre, the previous IPA, prompted the appointment of Karyn Sinunu-Towery as an interim IPA. This choice has faced criticism from police critics. The ongoing debate on the IPA’s powers, despite a clear decision on the oversight model, reflects the complexity of balancing police accountability and department morale in San Jose.