Re: "Tougher oversight of police weighed — Botham Jean case fuels calls to strengthen citizen review board," Nov. 21 Metro & State story.
Proposals for change in the Citizens Police Review Board are, in my opinion, not likely to improve oversight of police activity or complainants' case outcomes. Most complaints do not justify subpoena power. Leave those that do to the justice system.
1. Better appointee vetting. In my experience there are three groups: predisposed to the citizen; generally favoring police; and qualified, impartial members. Prioritize openness over activism.
2. Due process. Complainants are rushed and not given time to fully present evidence. Although there is no published time allotment, either board policy or member disinterest often penalizes complainants.
3. Officer named in complaint present at the hearing. Many cases don't require Internal Affairs scrutiny. Senior officers may have second- or third-hand knowledge, yet they often testify in first-person capacity. A simple Dallas Police Department policy change could rectify this.
Activism and justice do not produce the same results. Before granting a citizen body greater powers, the City Council should exercise restraint and study more aspects of the board and its activities.
Remarkable, or perhaps not worthy of either remark or consideration. Recently, among the opinions you published were those of David Roark, identified as the communications and resources director of the Village Church, and Todd Wagner, senior pastor of the Watermark Community Church.
I find it remarkable — which is why I am choosing to remark — that both men cite abortion as the sin against which to battle.
Not the war in Yemen, where Saudis are slaughtering and starving the populace with support from U.S. arms and aircraft. Not the desperate plight of the million Rohingya, banished from Myanmar and languishing in dreadful camps in Bangladesh with too little U.S. aid. Not even our California neighbors, burned alive and/or banished from their homes by climate-worsened wildfires.
But of course these are persons of both sexes and all ages. They are apparently less-tempting targets than women of childbearing age. I will buy their commitment to Christ when they turn their attention to male contraception.
It's encouraging to see 26,000 nurses, doctors, paramedics and other health professionals writing to the National Rifle Association with the headline "Gun Violence is Our Lane" to get them to stop their resistance to any common-sense gun laws. A similar action was taken with little progress after the Sandy Hook massacre of 20 young children and six teachers in 2012.
Perhaps these caring health professionals can channel their energies toward senators like Ted Cruz and John Cornyn who are taking major donations from the NRA. The 35,000 killed by guns annually increases each year with Republican inaction. Sadly, some Texans who voted for Cruz must have not thought that the safety of our children and grandchildren is important.
Re: "Oxymorons that made the list," by Dennis J. Schmitt, Wednesday Letters.
Really? President Donald Trump as an oxymoron. This is what you now publish as a letter to the editor? That is pathetic. How about this real oxymoron — impartial journalists?