By: Hermes_Simplex

In reply to Waldo.

There was an independent “oversight” committee in Olympia, WA that had no government connections; it was comprised of concerned citizens, mostly faculty and students of the Evergreen State College. it started as a group that spoke out against bullying by campus police and grew from there.

they would make their credentials (if any) and methods openly known and all they did was write letters and press releases. That was all they had to do. They did not have any disciplinary power or anything like that, they were primarily focused on organizing information. I think because of that, people were able to take them seriously. It’s easier to listen to an argument when its effect is naturally tempered. Less commitment when you turn out to be wrong, perhaps?

I think it’s valuable for such a group to exist, just to have an organized voice. The cops always catch alot of heat for brutality cases, but not organized heat, not enough to match the organized defense they and the courts can produce. Just a wave of media hype that will always fade.

Obviously this is a considerably different sort of organization from what is proposed here, but an interesting one. I’ll see if I can find anything more about it and will post anything I come up with.