A week after the conviction of a Minneapolis police officer for the murder of George Floyd, the Fresno Police Reform Implementation Team got to work. The eight-member team, led by former councilman — and chairman of last year's committee — Oliver Baines, met for the first time Tuesday. Baines was...
‘I’m Not Sure I’ll Make It Out of This.’ Former Councilmember Details Alleged Assault.
Oliver Baines offered extensive new details Friday on an alleged assault earlier in the week by a long-time friend and aide. But, the former Fresno City Councilmember said the incident had nothing to do with a failed business venture, as was reported by Fresno police in a news release the...
Former Aide Arrested in Alleged Attack on Oliver Baines
Police arrested the one-time chief of staff for former Fresno City Councilman Oliver Baines after allegedly assaulting Baines on Wednesday night in northwest Fresno. Raymond Eddy, 52, was charged with assault after the alleged attack. Eddy and Baines are former Fresno police officers. Baines has remained active in the community...
Fresno Names Police Reform Board to Implement Policy Changes
Last year, a special committee recommended 73 ways to reform the Fresno Police Department in the wake of local and national protests over law enforcement practices. Now, a new 8-member board will help carry out those suggestions. The original reform committee, created last year after the death of George Floyd...
Baines Gets Personal with Emotional Comments as Police Reform Panel Wraps
For four months, Oliver Baines held his emotions in check while leading a 39-member commission on the contentious issue of police reform. A former councilman and Fresno police officer, Baines was asked to guide the city through a process aimed at addressing issues that have been simmering for decades. After...
Create New Civilian Oversight Board for Police, Reform Commission Urges
Fresno should form a new civilian oversight board to monitor the police department which would include full access to police investigation files, says a key recommendation from the city's police reform commission. The proposed Civilian Oversight Board would be made up of between 11 and 13 members and would have...
Police Reform Panel Will Send 73 Recommendations to Fresno Mayor, Council
The final Fresno Commission on Police Reform meeting has been pushed back from Monday until Thursday evening at 5 p.m. on Zoom. The commission will be voting on its final report to send to the Fresno City Council. Commission chair Oliver Baines said a few extra days were needed to finish...
Police Reform Panel Struggles to Keep Everyone on the Same Page as Deadline Nears
A virtual meeting of the Fresno Commission for Police Reform turned into more than 5 hours of back and forth bickering about rules Monday night that ultimately led to the tabling of many recommendations up for discussion. For example, the panel's subcommittee on police oversight produced 29 recommendations, but the full...
PD Reform Commission Debates Cops on Campus, Breaking the Chains
The Fresno Commission on Police Reform held a marathon five-hour meeting, hearing updates from its four subcommittees and proposed changes, as well as news that a community survey is underway. The commission's request for more time to complete its work was granted by Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias. The...
Calls to Defund Fresno Police Continue as Commission Seeks More Time
The Fresno Commission on Police Reform resumed business with a public meeting on Monday night that included more calls to defund the department. As it gets closer to the deadline for issuing its reform recommendations, the group continues to seek an extension of its 90-day mandate. Also in Politics 101: D'Aungillique...