Philadelphia's push for police reform hit a roadblock as the Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) failed to secure the power to independently investigate allegations of police misconduct in the newly awarded police contract. Despite the vocal and unified testimony from the CPOC and considerable community backing, the arbitration process did not yield the desired result. “We came prepared, we made the case, and we spoke with one voice alongside the community,” CPOC's Executive Director Tonya McClary told the City of Philadelphia, expressing disappointment at the commission's exclusion from independent investigatory authority.
Characterized by a series of closed-door arbitration hearings, the decision-making process permitted attendance and testimonies from current or retired members of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), while sidelining the CPOC itself. “Despite the strong public policy reasons to make this process transparent and accessible to the public, the City and the FOP agreed to proceed behind closed doors,” explained the CPOC, per the City of Philadelphia. Councilmember Curtis Jones, sharing in the dismay, emphasized the importance of independent oversight for protecting both citizens and uniformed officers, saying, "We will not be deterred from fair evaluations of the citizens’ complaints."
The public push for reform and the CPOC's involvement in the November arbitration hearing were backed by community leaders, advocates, and residents. Nevertheless, the recently announced contract overlooks reforms passed by the City Council into law. According to the CPOC, the arbitration panel's final award disregards the commission's mandate and the community's desire for an accountable police force. "This award ignored City law and the input of Philadelphians," McClary stated, firmly asserting that the commission's duties to Philadelphians would persist regardless of the arbitrators' decision, per the City of Philadelphia.
As the City and FOP enjoyed their solidarity, the CPOC was relegated to a brief timeslot to give their testimony separately. While arbitration is not mandated to be confidential by law, the agreement between the City and the FOP to keep the proceedings private was met with criticism, particularly because it excluded the oversight body and the public from the process, a move which the CPOC indicates acts counter to the public policy need for transparency. The terms of the new contract notably fail to explicitly include any contractual authority for the CPOC to launch its investigations. Instead of ensuring that the panel recommends, the commission was advised to "invest in fostering stronger relationships with both the Police Department and the FOP," the award read, sidestepping the commission's direct request for investigative power.
