Portland's Police Power Struggle: Who's Really in Control?

Portland's city council finally passed a law to create an independent police review board. This happened four years after people voted for it. The board is supposed to keep an eye on the police. But the council made some big changes to the plan. They did this after talking to the police for a long time. The police had some big demands. They wanted to decide who could be on the board. The council said yes to some of these demands. Now, people who have complained about the police in the last two years can't be on the board. Also, people who have sued the police or the city in the last ten years can't be on it either. This includes their family members too. This seems unfair. People who have had bad experiences with the police might know the most about how to improve things. But now, they can't even be on the board. On the other hand, people who really like the police can still be on the board. This doesn't seem right.The new board also can't make its own rules. The police department will decide what the board can and can't do. The mayor even said he was worried the police might sue the city if they didn't get what they wanted. But anyone can sue anyone for anything. This isn't a good reason to give in to the police. This isn't just a problem in Portland. Many cities have police departments that are too powerful. They become like their own little governments. They have their own money and power. They don't always listen to the city leaders. This can be a big problem. In New York City, the police department is very powerful. Some people compare it to the Praetorian Guard in ancient Rome. The Praetorian Guard was supposed to protect the emperor. But sometimes, they would pick the emperor. This didn't always end well for the emperor. Many people moved to Portland from New York City. They don't want Portland to become like New York. They don't want the police to have too much power. In 2022, people in Portland voted for an independent police review board. But the council took four years to make it happen. And when they did, it was a weak version of what people wanted.