Pubdate: Thu, 10 Feb 2000
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2000 The Denver Post
Contact:  1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202
Fax: (303) 820.1502
Website: http://www.denverpost.com/
Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htm
Author: MARK COHEN

PUT TEETH IN REVIEW

Re: "Returning integrity to probes," Feb. 7 Chuck Green column.

As a member of End the Politics of Cruelty, which has engaged in a
three-year-long campaign for police accountability, I applaud Chuck Green's
statement that "citizens deserve a system with greater accountability [of
police]." But they also deserve more than the "small committee of former
DAs, judges and citizens" that he calls for.

The Ismael Mena incident is merely the latest in a long list of police
abuses. The only way to prevent such abuses in the future is to establish a
truly independent, elected civilian police-review board. Not the toothless
Public Safety Review Commission we have now, but a board with the power and
budget to initiate and conduct investigations, subpoena officers accused of
abuse and discipline and, where appropriate, initiate prosecution against
officers who have abused their power.

Until such a board is established, police officers will continue to commit
acts like the murder of Mena with impunity and without accountability to the
citizens they're sworn to "serve and protect.''

MARK COHEN Denver
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