"We've had mayors try to take the lead, we've had
councils try to take the lead on this, we've had other police guild members try
to take the lead. Everyone's had a say on this except for the citizen,"
Spokane City Councilman Steve Salvatori said.
SPOKANE, Wash. -
Prop One, would mark a new era in police oversight in
Spokane, a measure that would amend the city's charter by establishing an
office of police ombudsman and a police ombudsman commission.
The kicker to Prop One, which will be voted on by Spokane
residents in a special election next month, will be that the ombudsman will be
able to investigate concerns independently from the Spokane Police Department.
Right now, Police Ombudsman Tim Burns has limited authority;
he can only investigate using what the police department's internal affairs
division has already compiled. There has been a back and forth between the city
and the police guild in recent years to change that and now Spokane city
councilman Steve Salvatori says it's time to let the voters decide.
Historians will look back at 2006 as a turning point in the
relationship between Spokane's police department and many of its citizens, when
the lives of Otto Zehm and Karl Thompson intersected in a North Division Zip
Trip convenience store trust and accountability in the Spokane Police
Department went on trial.