Miami-Dade is about to have a civilian police review board once again
DORAL, FL – Miami-Dade County will have a civilian police review board once again after 11 years when it was cancelled due to budget constraints.
Now it will be called Independent Civilian Panel and its main duty is to investigate citizen complaints of excessive force and other types of misconduct by county police officers.
The 13-member panel will have permission to inspect all closed Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPC) internal-affair files and make suggestions regarding police department policies, procedures, training and recruitment.
This new civilian police review board became a reality yesterday when commissioners voted 8-5 to relive it.
Miami New Times reported that Mayor Carlos Giménez, who has vetoed the panel twice in the past two years, despite commission approval, would not use his veto power a third time.
Commissioners Audrey Edmonson, Sally Heyman, Eileen Higgins, Barbara Jordan, Daniella Levine Cava, Jean Monestime, Dennis Moss, and Xavier Suarez voted yes to the panel, while commissioners Esteban Bovo, Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Joe Martinez, Rebeca Sosa, and Javier Souto voted no.
The panel is a result of years of advocacy from social-justice groups and Commissioner Barbara Jordan, the main legislative sponsor of measures to reinstate civilian oversight in the county.
In a statement provided to Miami New Times, Barbara Jordan said “the community will finally get an Independent Civilian Panel to provide increased transparency to reported allegations of police misconduct.”
“The panel is a critical first step to creating trust, oversight, and transparency between law enforcement and the community,” Daniella Levine Cava, who had also advocated for civilian oversight of police, said in a statement.
Miami-Dade County started a police board back in 1980 after riots raised by the acquittal of four county police officers involved in the fatal beating of Arthur McDuffie. The board was cancelled in 2009 due to the economic recession.
The killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, that also awaken the subject of racial inequities, brought back the discussion about the police accountability in civilian matters.
Being a cop is brutal and a damned if you do and damned if you do not situation ,
I would have lasted one shift .
Having said this I do think White Hispanics or light skin Hispanics , whatever we are called get over in ways that darker people do not .
Working at night , I have come to the realization that the White Hispanic who has been texting as they drive right in front of police with impunity or just driving like a nut will be the one who kills me ( being dramatic to make a point ).
Would like to see , one set of standards for all which we do not have and this is the gripe you hear from many who have darker skin .
They do not dislike police , they only want laws applied equally .
Look at the curfew , its a joke for White Hispanics as no one is going to pull us over .
I work at night , I have all the proper proof I need if pulled over but being a White Hispanic I am not going to be pulled over and neither are the countless leaving parties at 1 am , etc but do not try this unless you are not a White Hispanic .