Tuesday night was the first meeting of the new Community Police Oversight board which has been years in the making in Dallas. Tensions have been running high since the conviction and sentencing of former officer Amber Guyger, and Tuesday night the tension boiled over once again.
The clash between officers and attendees happened when board members moved to adjourn the meeting without first hearing public comments.
Citizens at the board meeting said they've worked hard, many of them in tandem with Chief Renee Hall, to make sure this city has a community oversight board. Because of that, they say they deserve to be heard.
Once the room settled, the board moved to hear from people in the room. Each person received two minutes to speak.
They say they want to ensure the board has the best interest of the community in mind when it comes to police relations, official complaints, and police investigations.
"Don't let this board appointment and the position that you hold take control or blind your filters on what it is you're here to do. You're here to represent the people and to give us a fair opportunity when we are being handled or mishandled by the police here in this city," said activists and McKinney City Councilman La'Shadion Shemwell.
Activist Changa Higgins worked directly with Chief Renee Hall when she arrived in Dallas to implement some of the board guidelines.
To not be heard, he said, is unacceptable.
"You exist to ensure accountability, justice, procedural fairness for us, not them," said Higgins.
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During public comment, citizens repeatedly asked three board members to step down over accusations that they don't truly support the idea of a community police oversight board.
Board member Janice Coffee did admit that she had at one point said she was not in favor of police oversight boards.
