On Tuesday, April 28th, the Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee heard from Rashidah Grinage of PUEBLO on a proposal from Mayor Ron Dellums' Task Force on Police Issues to "civilianize" the Oakland police department's Internal Affairs. The proposal requests that all citizen complaints against OPD go to the Citizen's Police Review Board (CPRB) and that the CPRB hire ten new civilian investigators. Oakland police raised objections to the proposal, but a large community turn-out appears to have convinced the committee to issue a directive to make the proposal happen.

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PUEBLO wrote in support of the proposal: In 2008 alone, the Oakland Police Department has shot ten civilians, six of whom died. In none of those shootings were police charged with crimes or fired for their involvement.... Several weeks ago, Capt. Edward I. Poulson, the head of the Oakland Police Department’s Internal Affairs Department, was suspended following allegations that he viciously beat a suspect, who later died, and then demanded that subordinates keep his brutality a secret. In light of these incredible facts... the community demands a transparent and efficient civilian-run investigative agency.

Rashidah Grinage Speaks at Oakland Citizen's Police Review Board, 4/23/09 | Who should investigate complaints against Oakland police? | PUEBLO

Also See: NOBLE Honors Rashidah Grinage and PUEBLO at Awards Dinner | Town Hall for Justice on AB312, BART Review, and OPD Complaints, Oakland, 4/25/09