City of Phoenix names first director of police oversight office
Nov 9, 2021, 4:45 AM
Roger Smith (City of Phoenix photo)
(City of Phoenix photo)
PHOENIX — The city of Phoenix on Monday named Roger Smith as director of the new Office of Accountability and Transparency.
Smith leads the Office of Professional Standards for the city of Cleveland, which investigates 200-300 allegations of misconduct against officers annually.
Prior to Cleveland, Smith worked as Counsel for New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board for nine years.
“My work in leadership positions with civilian oversight in two cities with large police forces has prepared me for the unique challenge to introduce this type of work in Phoenix,” Smith said in a press release.
“I am confident as we lay the foundation for this new office with feedback from all stakeholders throughout the community, we can create a stronger city for everyone.”
The office, which the Phoenix City Council approved for creation by a vote of 5-4 over the summer, will monitor or investigate members of the Phoenix Police Department and ensuing complaints against officers.
Among other duties of the office are providing recommendations for training, policy and disciplinary actions, the city said.
“Our goal is to use data, mediation, and transparency to rebuild trust between the police department and the community,” Mayor Kate Gallego said in the release, adding the office is an important milestone. “We are very fortunate to have found a person who has deep experience in this work.
“I look forward to working with OAT Director Roger Smith as we forge a transparent, inclusive path forward.”
The City Council held its first work-study to discuss the possible adoption of civilian police oversight in September 2019. More than a year of progress on the office by supporters was halted in November 2020 when the council shot down an ordinance to create the office by a vote of 5-4 before it was eventually passed in May 2021.
The ordinance barred a current or former Phoenix police officer from serving as the director of the office or on the oversight board, but an Arizona law passed as part of the state budget prevented a majority of civilians from serving on police oversight panels.
That law was later ruled unconstitutional by a judge who said it violated the single-subject rule, allowing the city of Phoenix to appoint Smith as director.
The Phoenix Police Department is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The department is probing the Phoenix police’s use-of-force practices and looking for patterns of retaliation over activity protected under the First Amendment as well as discrimination against people with disabilities or who are homeless.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
