Young Kwak photos Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl and Police Ombudsman Bart Logue. T he ombudsman's powers are expanding. During a late Monday night meeting, Spokane City Council members voted 6-1 to give the civilian police watchdog power to directly investigate the chief of police. The ombudsman already had authority to investigate officers, but city code required complaints against the chief to go to the mayor for potential investigation. Council President Breean Beggs, who sponsored Monday's ordinance and was a force behind Spokane's civilian oversight of police, says the change aligns city code with the city charter language passed in 2013 when citizens voted to create the ombudsman's office.

https://www.inlander.com/news/spokanes-police-chief-isnt-happy-about-a-new-law-broadening-the-ombudsmans-power-to-investigate-26128616

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