By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – A compromise proposal on creation of a civilian advisory board for Bloomington Police won overwhelming support Monday night from the Bloomington City Council.
Mayor Tari Renner announced the vote to the cheers of a standing room crowd that spilled over into the hallways and stairwells of city hall.
The only no vote came from Diana Hauman, who said supporters of the civilian board don’t appreciate the work done by the police.
“I’ve heard very few people say ‘thank you.’ Thank you for putting your lives on the line every day to protect us;” said the council woman and former Mayoral candidate.
After Hauman’s comments, Renner was quick to praise the police as an “incredible group of people,” and noted the city leads the state in funding police and fire pensions.
For the first time, rank-and-file Bloomington police officers publicly voiced their opposition. Police union rep Steven Brown and Sergeant Jeff Albee said local officers are unfairly being painted as racists.
Just two weeks ago, Alderman David Sage appeared to be a sure no vote. He said supporters won him over by limiting the commission’s scope.
Instead of re-investigating citizens’ complaints against officers, the board will check if the department followed proper protocols. Sage said the revised ordinance also places more of an emphasis on education and community outreach.
The compromise also prohibits felons from serving on the board, which helped to win over council woman Joni Painter. She threatened earlier to vote no.
Mayor Tari Renner said he will seek council input for board membership. The deadline for people to apply to be on the board is Aug. 11. An application can be found on the city’s website.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at howard.packowitz@cumulus.com
