LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — After weeks of protests sparked by police brutality, the NAACP and The Links have issued a joint statement demanding reform, and for Gov. Andy Beshear to issue an emergency order to help appoint civilians to oversee police misconduct.
"We have a long-standing issue with race in this country and it goes past police brutality," Chairman for The Political Action Committee Adrian Wallace. "There's generational systemic racism from the foundation of this nation, and we have a lot of work to do, but I believe this is the moment where some of that can begin to change."
In order to do that Wallace believes the police have to have more checks and balances. To assure accountability, Wallace along with others are calling Gov. Beshear to take immediate action and issue an emergency order that would allow civilians to oversee police officer misconduct and other disciplinary actions, by overriding KSR 67 and KRS 15.
"It doesn't seem it's very transparent when not even our city council can even know what's going on, that's why I believe for the sake of the police as well as the public we need this civilian oversight," says Wallace.
Currently, protesters in Lexington are demanding changes to Lexington's collective bargaining agreement. If Governor Beshear approves this order, cities will have more power to do that.
