The Davenport City Council is considering the possibility of police reform. Earlier this week, it began hearing recommendations from the city's Civil Rights Commission on how to improve relations between law enforcement and minority communities.
Rabbi Henry Karp is the Vice Chair of the commission. He says that after listening to the concerns and experiences of Davenport residents, the commission recommends shifting funds from the police department to social programs, establishing a citizens' review board, and evaluating how the criminal justice system favors wealthy criminals.
"A rich person who has committed a heinous crime can pay the bail and walk free until the trial, while a poor person, who may very well be innocent of the charges brought against them, cannot afford bail, and therefore finds themselves incarcerated."
Karp says not everything can be fixed at the local level, but winning local support is a start.
Commission meetings are open to the public every second Tuesday of the month at noon.
