NYC Department of Investigation Creates New Office to Oversee Police Department

The New York City Department of Investigation announced its first ever Inspector General today.

Philip Eure is now responsible for overseeing the New York Police Department, especially regarding controversial police practices.The DOI Commisioner Mark Peters says stop-and-frisk was one of the main factors that played into the creation of the new job.

"When you have a problem of that magnitude it's important both in terms of solving it, in terms of keeping it solved and in terms of public confidence in the issue to have an independent oversight entity taking a look at it."

Peters adds that even with the recent improvements to the NYPD, like drops in crime, the Inspector General is still necessary.

"While we need to all remember that the NYPD is the best trained, most professional police department in the country, every police department aught to have some sort of independent oversight. Because that's how you run modern government."

The Inspector General will head the new 50-person oversight office, which includes investigators, lawyers, data analysts and community outreach personnel. Eure is currently the Executive Director of the District of Columbia's Office of Police Complaints.