市長候選人群起圍攻 Kim Janey回應將公佈警察內部檔案以示透明

波士頓是代市長Kim Janey。(檔案照片) (Boston Orange 編譯)波士頓代市長Kim Janey今(12)日下午6點發出聲明，強調她要讓市政府的每個角落都透明，負責，已指示市府法律部門，立即檢視前警察Patrick Rose的內部事務檔案，做必要修改，以保護受害者資訊，然後盡快公開檔案。 她表示，任何可能洩漏性攻擊或家庭暴力案件受害者身分的資訊，都必須重新撰寫，以符合法律規定。不過市府也同樣有義務要確保透明的面對公眾，因為扣押資訊只會破壞公眾信任。 她說，「我已經要求儘快檢視，重寫事件發生經過，以便檔案可向大眾公開」。 Kim Janey表示，波士頓警察局自己的內部調查都認為1995年的嚴重指控是可信，卻竟然沒人阻止Rose和其他青少年接觸，而且Rose還能獲准在警局繼續任職超過20年，甚至最後領導巡警組，讓人覺得很莫名其妙，深感不安。 波士頓環球報稱，Kim Janey是在一群波士頓市議員，市長候選人，以及麻州國會議員都強烈施壓，要求獨立調查，並說明波士頓警察局是如何處理這宗陳年舊案後，才決定公開檔案。 波士頓環球報在週六晚刊發報導，稱波士頓警察局在1995年以性虐待的刑事罪，控告Rose。但該控訴後來撤銷了，檢控官現在說，Rose逼使一名12歲男孩撤銷控訴。另外的一宗波士頓警察局行政調查，後來決定Rose很可能犯了罪。 在波士頓環球報這故事上網一日後，波士頓市議員們星期日發表了一份聯合聲明，要求對波士頓警察局如何處理這宗1995年案件，徹底問責，並誓言要使用包括市議員的能力的每一樣可用工具，來逼使市府公佈紀錄，以確保這是件的透明度，並建立安全保護，避免類似事情發生的任何可能。 波士頓市長候選人Andrea Campbell說，持續的缺乏透明度與問責制是不可接受的。每延遲一分鐘，就是進一步破壞公眾信任，否決了受害者應享有的正義。 同樣在競選市長的吳弭(Michelle Wu)稱這情形是”可怕的破壞公眾信任，而且持續到今天，還有(Kim Janey)政府拒絕公開內部事務記錄。 另一名波士頓市長候選人Annissa Essaibi George在社交媒體上說，”這掩蓋文化必須為過去”。 麻州國會議員也支持要求獨立調查的呼籲。普莉斯萊說，這是侵犯公眾信任的警鐘。社區都稱波士頓警察局的內部事務，經常都不追究，沒後果，沒責任。 麻州參議員伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)表示，人們需要透明及問責來從系統中根除不正義。 去年夏天Rose被逮捕，目前因性虐待6名7歲到16歲男孩的33宗控罪，羈押在囚。其中一名男童告訴警察，Rose在1995年虐待他。波士頓警察局拒絕說Rose是否受到紀律懲罰，但波士頓環球報的調查發現，該部門在那控訴之後，幾乎沒採取任何措施來限制Rose和其他孩童的接觸。 Rose擔任巡警20多年，2014年時當選波士頓市最有力量的巡警工會會長，並連任至2018年初退休。             Kim Janey表示，她的政府正在加倍努力進行警察改革，並成立在有必要時有權發傳票要求公開記錄之外，有權檢視所有內部事務檔案的警察問責及透明辦公室(OPAT)。             波士頓市府為聘請OPAT執行主任，正在完成聘僱條款，市府的2022會計年度預算，將包括支持這辦公室成立的一大筆款項。她將在未來數日宣佈誰是OPAT主任，並會訂出成立OPAT辦公室的資金及資源計畫大綱，在週三時和2022會計年度預算一併公佈。 Statement from Mayor Kim Janey on Former Boston Police Officer Patrick Rose

 

As I have stated previously, my administration has pledged to bring a new era of transparency and accountability to all corners of city government. I have instructed the City’s Law Department, as counsel for the Boston Police Department, to immediately review former police officer Patrick Rose’s internal affairs file. In keeping with the law, any information that could compromise the identities of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence must be redacted. However, we have an equally compelling obligation to ensure transparency with the public because withholding information only serves to erode the public’s trust. I have asked that the review and redaction happen as quickly as possible so that the file can be released to the public. It is baffling that officer Rose was allowed to remain on the force for over two decades and ultimately led the patrolmen’s union. I was deeply disturbed to learn that there was no effort to prevent Rose from coming into contact with other minors after such serious charges were found to be credible by BPD’s own internal affairs probe of the original allegations in 1995. Transparency and accountability are foundational values when it comes to fostering public trust, and this is especially true for law enforcement. That is exactly why my administration is doubling down on our work to implement police reform and to stand up Boston’s Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT). OPAT will have the authority to review all internal affairs cases, in addition to holding subpoena power to compel the release of records and enhance accountability when necessary. We are in the process of finalizing an offer to hire an executive director to lead the critical work of OPAT, and our upcoming budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2022 includes significant funding to successfully launch this office. I look forward to announcing the executive director of OPAT in the coming days, and we will outline our plan for funding and resources to support the establishment of OPAT when we release our FY22 budget proposal on Wednesday.