Philadelphia, PA— The Philadelphia Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) has released a new report examining the Police Termination Arbitration Board (PTAB).  This reform has not effectively improved the grievance arbitration outcomes for terminated Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) officers; and the current PTAB arbitrators do not fulfill the contract’s requirements.

Key Findings of the report:

  1. Reinstatement Rates Remain Alarmingly High: The analysis reveals that over 85% of officers fired by the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) were reinstated in recent years. This includes cases involving egregious misconduct such as excessive use of force, discrimination, and dishonesty.
  2. Undermining Departmental Accountability: In numerous cases, reinstated officers were returned to the force despite documented concerns from PPD leadership about their potential impact on public trust and officer morale. In these cases, arbitrators are overruling decisions made by the Police Commissioner about who is fit to be a police officer.
  3. Disparities in Arbitration Outcomes: The report highlights inconsistencies in the arbitration process, with outcomes varying significantly depending on the arbitrator involved. For example, arbitrators selected by the police union for PTAB demonstrated a higher likelihood of overturning terminations compared to those with no such affiliations.
  4. Current PTAB Arbitrators Do Not Meet Requirements: PTAB must have at least 10 arbitrators, with an equal number appointed by each party. Additionally, at least 40% of the arbitrators must be diverse, defined as women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, or other underrepresented groups. Currently, there are 9 arbitrators—5 FOP-appointed, 3 City-appointed, and 1 jointly appointed—failing to meet the first two requirements, and the diversity requirement is met solely by the City’s appointments.
  5. Lack of Transparency in Arbitration Proceedings: The arbitration process remains opaque, lengthy, and confusing. This lack of transparency continues to erode community confidence in the system.

Impact of Arbitration on Discipline:

  • The report details challenges with the Police Termination Arbitration Board, where overturned terminations of officers have undermined public confidence in accountability measures.

Executive Director Tonya McClary’s Statement:

“We applaud the city’s efforts to institute reform, but it’s crucial to remember that any change needs continuous evaluation. We urge the City to review the current process, champion data-drive reforms, and ensure transparency in this examination. We’re eager to be part of a team that uses data to assess what’s working, what’s not, and define clear metric for progress.”

Access the Report

The full report, titled “ Police Termination Arbitration Board Evaluation” is available now on the CPOC website at https://www.phila.gov/media/20250129095649/CPOC_PTAB-Explainer_Report.pdf.

About CPOC:

The Citizens Police Oversight Commission is Philadelphia’s independent civilian oversight body, dedicated to ensuring police accountability, transparency, and trust.

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