The civilian oversight commission that investigates alleged misconduct in the Philadelphia Police Department is gearing up to subpoena records of police-involved shootings after the administration has refused to release them.
In February 2013, The Police Advisory Commission asked for access to all completed investigations and reports from incidents where police fired their weapons from 2007 through the present day. More than a year later, the commission said the department's legal team refused the request.
The commission voted unanimously Monday night to authorize subpoena action against the department.
"Frankly, this should be unnecessary, but the PPD continues to undermine the commission's independent role by their refusal to release shooting records under the terms of Executive Order 8-93," PAC Executive Director Kelvyn Anderson said in a release.
The executive order, which went into effect in 1993, gives the commission the power to subpoena, access records and conduct independent investigations.
Commission members say police top brass has taken a selective approach to providing information about police-involved shootings and that doing so damages community trust.
The Philadelphia Police Department has been the subject of a federal review by the Department of Justice. Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey asked the DOJ to investigate a rise in police shootings in 2013 and provide recommendations to reduce and better investigate such incidents.
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The first of three reports is scheduled to be released on March 6, the commission said.
NBC10 reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department for comment. They told us anything involving a subpoena is handled by their law department which won't be available until Tuesday.
