PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona lawmakers are moving to limit the role of civilians in reviewing police misconduct.
The Senate on Wednesday approved several measures backed by police unions in the wake of a national reckoning over racial injustice. Senate Republicans approved a bill requiring that sworn officers control at least two thirds of the seats on police review boards.
The Senate also backed a measure requiring 80 hours of law enforcement training for civilians on review boards.
Republicans say officers should be evaluated by peers who know the challenges of the job. Civil rights advocates say the measures are a step back from the growing trend of having civilians oversee police discipline to ensure public accountability.
