Fairfax County could go from wrong to right on police reform

Fairfax County could go from wrong to right on police reform

 Fairfax County will vote Tuesday on a police reform proposal.

By Editorial Board December 5 at 7:13 PM

FAIRFAX COUNTY will have the chance Tuesday to go from wrong to right on police accountability.

The county was wrong when it failed for more than a year to take responsibility for the shooting of an unarmed man by one of its officers in 2013. It started to make things right when, after the controversy that followed, the county Board of Supervisors commissioned a group of civilians to propose accountability-boosting revisions to police procedures. Tuesday, the most essential of those recommendations — a civilian review panel to look over investigations of police misconduct — could finally get the green light.

The panel would allow citizens to submit complaints about police investigations they think have gone awry through a channel outside the department. Their peers, all members of the Fairfax County community, would review those complaints and determine whether the case deserved a second look. The board has already approved an independent auditor to monitor internal affairs investigations of incidents involving death or serious injury.

The review-panel plan has been revised somewhat since the initial recommendation. For example, while citizen complainants will retain the right to speak and take questions before the panel, they won’t be allowed to present new evidence or testimony. And although the commission suggested the panel have a single representative from a law enforcement background, it now must have a minimum of one. It’s up to the Board of Supervisors to appoint a balanced slate of members.

Even with these alterations, the panel’s approval Tuesday would mark a major turning point for Fairfax. John Geer’s death more than three years ago made news, and it laid bare broader problems in county policing. Just this summer, statistics showed that more than 40 percent of use-of-force cases in the county involved black residents, who account for only about 10 percent of the county’s population.

These troubling numbers underscore the need for reforms, including outside review. But the county can’t stop there: Though the police department says it has implemented around 90 percent of the recommendations under its purview, some remain in progress. A pilot program for police body cameras, which the board says it plans to turn to early next year, should top the list.

The citizen review panel is designed to address abuse after it occurs. The county must continue pursuing other measures to stop that abuse from happening in the first place.

From the comments section of the Washington Post

Astonishing that the Washington Post editors simply signed on to the self-serving claims posted by Chairman Bulova about progress in reforming Fairfax County police Department.

Why does the Post continue to ignore the fact that Bulova herself chose to let the Police Department—famed for its stonewalling, secrecy and lack of accountability -- call the shots on police reform by turning over responsibility for revisions of the Ad Hoc Commission to the Police Chief and former Police Chief (now Deputy County Executive)? Why was there no mention of the facts revealed by Pete Earley and John Lovaas, two members of the Ad Hoc Commission, who bravely took issue with the myths being propagated by County spokespersons in the Metro section just two days earlier? 

From the comments section of the Washington Post

I really thought the chief was getting it. He needs to be fired if this culture of public deceit is ever going to change.

 The chief declines consent???

His consent is not required!

As for Sean Corcoran, the President of the police union, he is a clown. He was a commissioner and was also on the subcommittee that wrote the proposal that included a civilian review panel. He voted FOR all the recommendations including the civilian panel. It should also be noted that Sean Corcoran was also the one that said he finds it "UNBELIEVABLE" that an officer could be charged with murder while in the commission of his duties. I wonder where the Geer case would be today if a detective like Corcoran was in charge of the Geer investigation. After all, he would have ruled out murder even before he arrived at the scene.

From the comments section of the Washington Post

Geer was obviously just the tip of the iceberg. It seems like every week some new story about misconduct by the Fairfax PD emerges. The way to reform the dept. is to make everyone resign and then re-apply for their jobs and use this to cull the bad apples - starting with the chief.

From the comments section of the Washington Post

I disagree with the statement that the Fairfax Police used to have a sterling reputation. While they may not have engaged in many unjustified shootings, they have always had a reputation for being surly at best in their dealings with the public. Many people in Fairfax attributed that to the fact that the police did not make enough money to live in Fairfax, and they resented those who did.

From the comments section of the Washington Post

Pretty much, if the Police Union is against it, I'm for it, and vice-versa.

From the comments section of the Washington Post

They sound like Iranians, they want to review themselves. A great deal if you can negotiate it.

From the comments section of the Washington Post

The Fairfax County PD is a decent department. They would be better if the get rid of the holier than thou attitude. That attitude runs county wide amongst its employees.