Citizens Police Oversight Commission suspends member

PHILADELPHIA (KYW News Radio) — The city’s Citizens Police Oversight Commission suspended one of its own members at its meeting Tuesday night, leaving four seats on the nine-member commission vacant.

The commission voted to suspend Rosaura Torres Thomas without giving a reason, but several sources said it was because of the sharing of confidential materials outside the commission. Thomas denies that she shared the materials inappropriately and said the action was part of a “long list of bullying and harassment.”

“I was verbally attacked for submitting a confidential report to the (Office of the Inspector General). I was harassed. I was yelled at by staff at town hall meetings.”

The city released a statement on Tuesday about Thomas’ suspension.

“A commissioner may be suspended for up to 90 days. If there are grounds for the commissioner’s dismissal, this may be done after a public hearing,” it says.

“We will update the community at a later date on developments regarding the permanent termination or reinstatement of Commissioner Thomas.”

Thomas says she will not appeal the suspension.

“My intention is not to glorify myself, but to help the survivors,” she said.

Thomas’ suspension is the latest in a series of struggles and missteps by the commission, which was created in 2021 after the killing of George Floyd to give citizens the opportunity to investigate reports of police misconduct in Philadelphia – a $2 million budget, the right to subpoenas and access to internal documents.

But the sense of urgency has faded over the past three years as internal conflicts have reduced the size of the Commission. Three of the seats have been vacant for a year after three commissioners resigned complaining of toxic conflicts. The chair’s term expired in the spring and he does not seek re-election.

City Councilman Curtis Jones, who introduced the bill to create the commission, says the work is still important.

“We are just one bad police stop away from needing this commission,” he said.

But the city council, which has to confirm new members, went into recess without taking any action to put the situation right again. New appointments, the expired term of the chairman or the replacement of the suspended member will not take place until autumn at the earliest.

In the meantime, the commission’s staff continues to investigate complaints under a new executive director who took office in May. Jones says the staff is doing a good job.

“There is a fair and impartial process for reviewing the actions of citizens and police that people still believe in.”