7/29/2019 A Proposal To Grow A Respected Citizens Police Review Commission

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ThePoliceProfessionalismandAccountabilityCoordinatingCommittee

August26,2013

AProposalToGrowARespectedCitizensPoliceReviewCommission

Powercorrupts;AbsolutePowerCorruptsAbsolutely

WithintheGreensboroPoliceDepartmenttherehasbeentoomuchpowerconcentratedintoofewhands,withtoolittleindependentoversightforfartoolong.Thissituationhasimpactedpoorcommunitiesand

communitiesofcolorindisperpornateways.Itshouldnotcomeasasurprisethatthosepartsofthe

communitymostnegativelyimpactedhaveraisedtheirvoicestheloudest.

Greensboroshouldnotgoonyearafteryearwithlaw-suitspilingup,withembitteringandembarrassing

incidentsasintheBennettCollegeepisodeandwithhundredsofcasesnotbroughtbeforethecurrentcity

apparatusbecauseofthelackoftrust.WebelievethetimeisripeforGreensborotomakeboldchangesin

thisareathatwillmoveourcityforwardandperhapsmodelforothersaneffectiveapproachtoquality

solutions.Tothatendweputforwardaninitialsetofideasthatwehopecanbedevelopedintoaninitial

plan/proposal.

1. TheBCC,citizensandgroupshavebeenmeetingandcarryingoutworkasanadhocPoliceProfessionalismandAccountabilityCommittee.Wehavebeenundertakingsomeofthefunctionsofa

citizenspolicereviewcommission.Weintendtorefineourprocessandtodeclareourselvesasan

interimCitizensPoliceReviewCommission.

Wewouldcontinuedoingtheworkwehavebeendoing,i.e.receivingcomplaintsandprovidingguidancethatwedeemproper,necessaryandlegal.

Further,wewouldinformandcoordinatewithwhatevermechanismtheCity/HumanRelationsCommissionhasinwayswedeemhelpfultothepersonswithwhomweareworking.

TheinterimCitizensPoliceReviewBoardwouldcontinuetofunctionuntilwedemocraticallygrowapermanentCitizensPoliceReviewCommission.

2. Weproposethataprocessbeundertakenassoonaspossibletobringtogethercommittedqualityrepresentativesfromtheuniversity/collegesector,thereligious/faithsector,the

neighborhood/communitysectorandtheCity/Police/HumanRelationssectors.Thissectorgroup

wouldworktogethertoexplorepastpracticesinGreensboro(whatworked/whatdidnot)andbest

practicesfromaroundthenationanddevelopaninitialdraftofwhatmakessenseforGreensboro.

3. Afteraperiodofwork,thiscollectivesectorgroupcoulddevelopacreativeprocesstogrowtheknowledgeandethicalbasenecessaryforacommissiontofunctionwell;thatmightincludeholding

severalopenmeetingsineachdistricttoreceive,shareanddiscussinformationandideas.

4. Atsomepointtheremightbeatownhallmeetingtobringtogetherthefivedistricts,buildingunderstanding,growingknowledgeandforgingtrust.

5. EachdistrictthenmightbeequippedtoselectorelectacoupleofrepresentativestositonacitywideCitizensPoliceReviewCommission.

ThisisaninitialdraftofIdeasforDiscussiononly