COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission (LETAC) in Colorado Springs could soon be dissolved.
It may then be restructured to serve the community better.
The commission's chair, Deborah Walker, recommended disbanding the current group, citing structural limitations and a lack of authority to address community concerns about the Colorado Springs Police Department.
"The recommendation officially has three components. The first is the dissolution, the disbanding of LETAC in its current state. But then the more important two, we are asking city leadership to roll up their sleeves and figure out what the best structure moving forward is," said Walker.
The commission was formed in the summer of 2020 following the 2019 killing of Colorado Springs teenager, De’Von Bailey, by police, and the national attention brought by the killing of George Floyd.
Originally named the Law Enforcement Accountability and Transparency Commission, the group later changed "Accountability" to "Advisory" because it lacked the authority to perform accountability work.
Over the years, the commission struggled with its limitations. During town halls and listening sessions, community members frequently asked questions about police policies or advocated for an oversight body with more authority.
"We can't answer questions on behalf of the Colorado Springs Police Department. We certainly can't answer questions that are city council's to answer," said Walker.
Walker noted the commission did not have the authority to review use-of-force cases or high-profile incidents.
Additionally, the commission currently reports to the Colorado Springs City Council, which handles the police budget, rather than the mayor's office, which oversees the police chief and department operations.
"There's some structural questions in terms of what would be a better fit," says Walker.
The Colorado Springs City Council is scheduled to hold a first reading on the ordinance change on April 14, with a second reading on April 28.
If passed, city leadership will decide the next steps for creating a new entity.
"I believe this needs to be a big public conversation about what our community needs, with a lot of stakeholders," added Walker.
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