Arlington Officials Request Meeting With Youngkin On Veto Of Police Bill

ARLINGTON, VA — After months of working on an ordinance that balances fairness and trust among Arlington residents and the county police department, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, with his veto of House Bill 670, disrupted “the hard work of so many Arlingtonians,” county officials said Wednesday.

The bill, which would allow the Arlington County Board to pick an independent police auditor to oversee its new police Community Oversight Board, easily passed the Republican-controlled House of Delegates in a 65-35 vote earlier this year. The bill then passed the Democratic-controlled Senate.

But as one local state lawmaker stated Tuesday, Youngkin, the new Republican governor of Virginia, vetoed the bill “to own the libs” in Arlington — despite wide support from Republicans in the House.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), applied only to Arlington, where state law currently prevents the County Board from direct employment of any staff beyond the county manager, county attorney, clerk and auditor.

Because the Arlington County manager appoints the police chief and has supervisor authority over the Arlington County Police Department under existing law, the bill passed by the General Assembly aimed to lessen any appearance of conflict and support the police auditor's independence.

The independent police auditor position was a "carefully crafted compromise" between the community and the Arlington County Police Department, Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol said in a statement Wednesday.

“It is deeply frustrating that the linchpin of our plan, which sought to bridge perspectives and unite our community, has been struck down by the Governor,” Cristol said.

Arlington County officials also pointed out Wednesday that Youngkin appeared to have vetoed the bill based on a concern that does not apply to Arlington’s Community Oversight Board ordinance.

SEE ALSO: Gov. Youngkin Vetoes Arlington Police Oversight Bill

Youngkin’s veto states that “investing in a single politically-appointed individual the power of judge, jury, and executioner without any input from law-enforcement officers or delineated qualifications for such individual constitutes an undue burden for those who protect and serve the community.”

But under Arlington County’s ordinance, neither the Community Oversight Board nor the independent policing auditor provides binding disciplinary determinations.

“We will seek every option to move forward with our ordinance as designed, including a truly independent Policing Auditor, because it reflects the compromise and values of our community,” Cristol said.

County leaders are planning to request a meeting with Youngkin and his staff to address “a clear misreading of Arlington’s intentions,” she said.

This bill would have empowered the Arlington County Board, rather than the County Manager, to appoint an independent policing auditor.

The independent police auditor is intended to work collaboratively with the county’s newly created Community Oversight Board and conduct concurrent investigations into police misconduct.

The county board decided to create both the independent policing auditor and the Community Oversight Board after extensive research. The process took well over a year, including more than three months of broad public engagement on the draft of a new ordinance, Arlington County said.

“The Arlington community has created a Community Oversight Board ordinance informed by national best practices and empowered to work with an Independent Policing Auditor to conduct concurrent yet independent investigations with law enforcement,” Cristol said.

In a statement accompanying his veto, Youngkin said "investing in a single politically-appointed individual the power of judge, jury, and executioner without any input from law-enforcement officers or delineated qualifications for such individual constitutes an undue burden for those who protect and serve the community."

The Arlington branch of the NAACP said Tuesday that Youngkin's statement is "inflammatory hyperbole." The police auditor does not have the authority described by Youngkin.

"The Oversight Board has no power to make binding disciplinary determinations or even overturn an investigatory decision," the NAACP said in a statement. "If it does not concur with a concurrent investigation, it can only recommend further review or investigation by the Police Chief. Its real power is to tell the public that it disagrees and why."

RELATED: Civilian Oversight Board Established To Review Arlington Police