Mayor Jim Kenney issued an executive order Jan. 12 reestablishing the city’s Police Advisory Commission, which was initially formed in 1993.
According to Kenney’s executive order, the 13-member commission will help ensure lawful policing by reviewing citizen complaints of police misconduct. The PAC also will review police policies and procedures, with a goal of improving community relations.
According to the order, “[The PAC will] focus on maximizing trust between the police and the communities that they serve.”
The PAC currently has six commissioners, six staffers and an annual budget of about $300,000. A spokesperson for Kenney said he’ll appoint more PAC commissioners in the spring.
Ronda B. Goldfein, chair of the PAC, expressed optimism about its future.
“The mayor has clearly stated his intentions to support the commission and have a full complement of commissioners by the spring,” she told PGN. “We’re optimistic and enthusiastic about the administration’s support.”
Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for Kenney, said the mayor is committed to supporting the PAC.
“We are absolutely committed to making sure the PAC has the resources it needs to function effectively,” Hitt said in an email. “And that’s something we’re looking at as part of our budget process now. So I’ll have more to say on that in March. To date, the [Kenney] administration has increased the commission’s funding by nearly $150,000 and grown its paid staff by 50 percent.”
The PAC reviewed the Nizah Morris case for about 10 years, between 2003-13. Morris was an African-American trans woman found with a fatal head wound in 2002, shortly after a “courtesy ride” from police in the Gayborhood. In 2013, the PAC recommended state and federal probes of Morris’ unsolved homicide.
Kenney’s executive order pledges a commitment to “the ideals of openness, responsibility and accountability” within his administration.