iradiophilly | News - Philly City Council Police Oversight; Ventilation In Philly Schools; Chalfont Shelter-In-Place

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Philly City Council Police Oversight; Ventilation In Philly Schools; Chalfont Shelter-In-Place

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 02/04/21 11:03 pm | updated: 02/04/21 11:03 pm

Philadelphia City Council introduced legislation on Thursday, 2/4, in relation to the Citizen Police Oversight Commission approved by voters in the November election. Councilmember Curtis Jones is the main sponsor on the bill. It proposes that the mayor and city council appoint a five-member nominating panel. The panel would be tasked with evaluating and nominating nine commissioners, subject to city council approval. The commissioners would select the executive director and staff. The commission will be able to investigation any police use-of-force incident, with or without a complaint. They have the power of subpoena in the investigations and can ultimately recommend discipline for officers or possible criminal charges. The police commissioner will have to respond to, but not accept the commission's recommendation.

Council also resolved to hold a hearing on an incident during the Walter Wallace Jr. unrest last fall. It happened around 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, 10/27, near 52nd and Chestnut Streets in West Philadelphia. 28-year-old Rickia Young was driving to pick up her teenage nephew when she made an errant turn and ended up between a line of police officers and protestors. She tried to make a u-turn as the police line advanced. Officers surrounded the SUV and smashed its windows. Young and teen were pulled from the vehicle and struck. Her 2-year-old toddler was taken from the backseat. The two were taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. The grandmother eventually found the baby at City Hall. There is an internal affairs investigation and the officer seen smashing windows was put on restrictive duty.

SEE ALSO: Woman/Baby Pulled From SUV Video

PreK- 2nd Grade Philadelphia school teachers and staff are scheduled to return to their school buildings on Monday, February 8. Their students are expected to come back and start a hybrid schedule on February 22. That is around 2,000 staff and 9,000 children. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is not convinced that buildings will be safe for return, specifically raising questions about the ventilation. "Every classroom has to have adequate ventilation," Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan said. Earlier this week the school district released a video showing the installation of window fans in classrooms (see link). The fans were criticized for looking cheap, weak and insufficient, comparing them to a dorm room fan or a computer fan. "I was somewhat surprised. It's not the kind of high tech instrument that I would have expected," said Jordan. The union has called on a neutral third party to evaluate the safety of the buildings over the weekend.

According to the school district, the fans are just part of an overall ventilation assessment program to reopen schools (see the 'Facts' links). Certified ventilation and air balance experts have tested every room to determine the proper airflow and made required adjustments, including adding fans where needed and adjusting room temperature. $4 million was spent upgrading ventilation systems in school buildings.

SEE ALSO: Philadelphia School District Window Fans - Video
SEE ALSO: Facts About Ventilation - Philadelphia School Districts
SEE ALSO: More Facts About Ventilation

A shelter-in-place order has been lifted following a barricade situation in Bucks County. Residents in the area of Valley View Road between Pleasant Avenue and Marion in Chalfont Borough were advised to shelter-in-place on Thursday afternoon, 2/4. Central Bucks Regional Police and the Central Bucks Special Response Team were on the scene. An individual was taken into custody without incident and taken to Doylestown Hospital for a mental health evacuation. No one was injured. The streets in the area have reopened.