BART asks for help in shooting probe

(01-29) 18:10 PST OAKLAND -- BART said Thursday that it will hand off its internal affairs probe of the fatal police shooting of Oscar Grant to an outside law firm or public agency in an attempt to bring credibility to the investigation."A lot of people have said they have no faith that the BART Police Department can police itself," said Carole Ward Allen, a member of the transit agency's Board of Directors. "By authorizing an independent, outside investigation, we hope to reassure the public that we are transparent and accountable."Ward Allen is the chairwoman of the board's Police Department Review Committee, formed after Officer Johannes Mehserle shot Grant to death early New Year's Day at the Fruitvale Station in Oakland.Grant, 22, was unarmed and lying on his stomach when Mehserle shot him. Mehserle, 27, quit the force Jan. 7 rather than speak to internal affairs investigators, and six days later, prosecutors charged him with murder.The internal affairs investigation is separate from the criminal probe, and is aimed at determining whether any other officers at Fruitvale Station that night should be disciplined. BART has not decided which firm or agency will take over the probe. BART also will hire a third party to do a top-to-bottom review of its police practices, directors said. SOURCE:SFGATE.COM