DALLAS — The state of police oversight in Fort Worth is in flux more than three years after an on-duty officer now convicted of manslaughter fatally shot Atatiana Jefferson in her mother’s home.
Fort Worth’s inaugural police oversight monitor Kim Neal left in November after more than two years in the position, and the city hasn’t hired a replacement. City Council members narrowly rejected a recommendation to create a police advisory board, angering activists and some residents. And a recent 97-page report commissioned by Fort Worth following Jefferson’s death found that officers aren’t reliably held accountable even though they’re often combative and aggressive with the public.
Those events weighed on the minds of politicians, activists and residents during the murder trial of Aaron Dean, 38, who was sentenced Dec. 20 to 11 years, 10 months and 12 days in prison. The punishment marked the end of the long-awaited trial, but where reform efforts go from here remains to be seen. Fort Worth police say they’ve changed policies since Jefferson’s death, but activists say they believe there’s still a long road ahead for the city.
