Nirenberg says city is taking action on police reform

Mayor Ron Nirenberg in a virtual discussion on race relations in San Antonio on Saturday suggested there should be greater transparency in the release of police records and said the city is taking “real action” on the socalled “8 can’t wait” list of policies aimed at reducing police brutality.

He also said the city will hold a public session Wednesday to give citizens a window into the protocols and procedures used by the

Police Department.

“Everything from discipline to the use of force, so people can see all the elements of it,” Nirenberg said. “From there, I think we already have some clear paths. The things that were unaddressed in the last (police union) contract need to be addressed in this one. Particularly as it relates to the disclosure of records.”

Nirenberg spoke during a virtual discussion on Facebook that was organized by District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez. Also in the discussion were Carey Latimore, a professor of African

American History at Trinity University, Bishop Trevor Alexander and Kimiya Factory, a 21-year-old activist and graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The 1½-hour discussion spanned from the death of George Floyd, the black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis, to potential solutions that would address brutality and racial inequality in policing locally.

The “8 can’t wait” policy proposals, which some police departments across the U.S. have begun adopting, include actions such as banning chokeholds, requiring police to exhaust all other means of de-escalation and mandatingcomprehensive reporting following an incident.

Nirenberg also suggested the Texas Legislature change Chapter 143 in Texas Government Code, which often overlays and preempts the ability of cities to make meaningful reforms, he said.

Under Chapter 143, a police officer has a right to seek arbitration after he or she has been disciplined or terminated and potentially returned to the force.

Factory pressed Pelaez and Nirenberg to listen to members of the black community more closely and said potential new policies are “lip service” until change is enacted.

Nirenberg acknowledged the anger during Thursday’s City Council meeting over police brutality and said his focus would be on “achieving the progress people are marching for.”

“People are angry because they tried following the rules, and it results in George Floyd,” Nirenberg said. “We have to go address an agenda of reform.”