In a twist potentially shaking the foundations of police oversight in Phoenix, Roger Smith, the first director of the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT), is resigning amid escalating tensions and bureaucratic roadblocks. Smith, who took on the role in 2021 following intense debates over police conduct, has cited a lack of independence crucial for the OAT's function as a watchdog over the Phoenix Police Department as the reason for his departure. According to a report by ABC15, Smith's performance reviews had been largely positive until his sudden placement on a performance improvement plan in January.
During his tenure, Smith was known for his involvement in the U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights investigation into the Phoenix police. However, in a recent turn of events, he sent his resignation via email to the city manager, even after a successful track record boasting ratings in areas such as approachability and strategic agility. "Events have led me to conclude that OAT does not have the independence required to effectively perform its responsibilities," Smith told ABC15 in his resignation letter, raising questions about the efficacy of Phoenix's commitment to police oversight.
State legislation has also played a role in shaping OAT's capabilities. With laws limiting who can probe into police misconduct, OAT's operational scope was narrowed, as explained by Smith in previous interviews. Despite the constraints, the OAT, under Smith's leadership, opened 38 monitoring cases but faced criticism for not releasing any monitoring reports to the public.
Before his Phoenix post, Smith's resume included reviewing civilian complaints against police in Cleveland and New York City, making his departure a notable loss for the community stakeholders vested in police accountability. City Manager Jeff Barton publicly wished Smith well, praised by a statement obtained by ABC15, assuring that efforts will be made to find a suitable leader to continue the work of the OAT.
Politics and tensions within the city hierarchy seem to have overshadowed the OAT's mission, as demonstrated by Smith's recent frustration over not being able to appoint a preferred candidate for a position within OAT, a decision supposedly influenced by criteria set by the City Council. Mayor Kate Gallego shared with ABC15 her appreciation for Smith's work and underscored the continuation of the office's objectives.
The advocacy group Poder in Action views Smith's resignation as indicative of the systemic resistance to genuine police reform and transparency. "The historic pushback on OAT shows us that PPD will never and could never reform itself," said Rebecca Denis, a spokesperson for the group, underscoring the group's call for the immediate release of the DOJ report, as conveyed in a statement to ABC15.
