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Colorado Springs City Council approves police accountability board on second reading

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- After another vote by the Colorado Springs City Council, the police accountability board is moving forward.

The council unanimously voted in favor of the board during a second reading Tuesday. Last month, the council approved the board on its first reading and laid the groundwork for its goals.

"We're excited to work with (the) council to start getting the ball rolling, and for us to sit down and get the committee all formulated with the members," said Robbie Johnson, an organizer for the the protest group The People 719.

The citizens advisory committee will be tasked with bringing policy recommendations to City Council, the Mayor and the Colorado Springs Police Department, as well as review uses of force by officers.

The Council announced it's taking applications for volunteers to serve on the committee, after deciding it would allow council members to appoint people.

More than 800 people have applied so far.

"We hope to have the list narrowed down to 60 by the end of this month, and at least have six (of 11) members by the end of August," said Councilman David Geislinger. "That's an aggressive timeline. Fortunately, we talked with the advocates for this ordinance that we just passed, and they recognize it's going to take time to go through that many applicants."

This final vote comes in response to weeks of protests in the Springs calling for increased transparency and accountability in CSPD, further motivated by the May police-related death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Many protesters referenced the shooting of De'Von Bailey in Colorado Springs last August as part of a trend of deadly force being used by officers.

City leaders said they've had multiple discussions with protest leaders about what should be done and they've been impressed with the conversations they've had.

The ordinance calls for 11 members with diverse racial and economic backgrounds who will serve a maximum of two- to three-year terms. It states the board will serve "to share the concerns and needs of both citizens and the police department," and "provide feedback to the Council with policy recommendations.

The vote on Tuesday was 8-0 in favor, with Councilman Don Knight absent.

Councilwoman Yolanda Avila, who cast the lone dissenting vote at the first reading, changed her mind and voted for the ordinance Tuesday. She said she's disappointed the committee won't have the power to make real change, and worries that it won't be diverse enough.

"So it's with a heavy heart, that I want to show that I want to move forward, that I'm doing it for you all who have been here protesting for weeks," she said. "I hope this council and mayor, and future councils and mayors, don't let you down."

But Renee Alexander, another organizer for The People 719, is more optimistic.

"This is just our foot in the door," she said. "A lot of times, we don't even get that foot in the door.  So how do we make this turn into multiple situations of social change, and not just one?"

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Andrew McMillan

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