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LA mayor vetoes police discipline ballot measure
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
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Topline:
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has vetoed a measure headed for the November ballot that would have given the police chief the power to terminate problem officers and restructured the way officers are disciplined.
How it works now: Right now, the power to fire an officer rests with a three-member disciplinary panel known as a board of rights.
The proposal: The proposal would have given the police chief the power to terminate an officer accused of serious misconduct, with the officer having the ability to appeal to binding arbitration.
The proposal also would have changed the composition of disciplinary panels. Right now, they are composed of three civilians. The change would have swapped out one civilian for a command officer from the department. Studies have shown civilians tend to be more lenient with officers than superior officers.
The mayor’s objection: In her veto letter to the City Council, the mayor said the proposed initiative “risks creating bureaucratic confusion.” The mayor said she made the decision after consulting with hundreds of officers and top brass, who argued the measure would have created a two-tier system of discipline with only some cases adjudicated by the chief.
What’s next: The City Council can override the mayor’s veto with a two-thirds vote. Its next meeting is July 30.
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