A bill introduced in Florida could do away with civilian oversight of police departments.
Florida state Rep. Wyman Duggan introduced HB 601 with the goal of making any external oversight of police agencies in the state “unlawful,” according to the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union.
“It is the intent of the Legislature that the receipt, processing, and investigation of complaints against law enforcement officers and correctional officers, and the rights and privileges afforded to such officers while under investigation, apply uniformly throughout the state,” the bill reads.
The bill will be placed under consideration during the state’s next legislative session, which begins on Jan. 9, 2024.
Civilian oversight boards — or police review boards — act as a third-party oversight agency for police departments. They’re typically government agencies made up of individuals with no ties to the police department. They investigate misconduct, review civilian complaints, review internal department investigations and make recommendations on changes.
In Florida, these boards have no legal power, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. The boards can’t force those in law enforcement to testify in court or subpoena any police agencies. This is due in part to a 2017 state Supreme Court ruling.
A 2022 study by the Leroy Collins Institute at Florida State University found that 21 cities in Florida have civilian oversight boards for their police departments — Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Lakeland and West Palm Beach among them. The report said the oversight boards show a decrease in Black arrest rates and help bridge the gap between police and civilians.
“Recent high-profile police incidents against members of the Black community across the United States have garnered national attention, including several police actions in 2020 that resulted in serious injury or death of Black individuals,” it stated. With the “increased push for transparency in police departments and the public,” it continued, civilian oversight boards “can be a step in improving both officer and civilian behavior.”
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