Dept. of Justice representative endorses civilian review board

By Allie Blood

Published Jan. 25, 2008

Representatives from the United States Department of Justice and the Minority Men's Network spoke at a Columbia Police Department Citizen Oversight Committee, both endorsing the idea of a Columbia civilian review board.

Columbia Police Department Citizen Oversight Committee meets twice monthly to determine whether the city needs a civilian review board. A civilian review board would be a third-party organization to review public complaints against the police.

At the Thursday night meeting, Department of Justice representative William Whitcomb stressed the need for transparency and public discourse in a civilian review board. He first commended the committee on their progress and urged them to remain focused on the citizens and what is best for Columbia.

"You want to be deliberate," Whitcomb said. "You want to do this right."

Whitcomb said a civilian review board must be community-driven. He said when the committee considers the board's conception in Columbia, the committee should talk to all members of the community, including those who have few dealings with the police as well as those who often encounter them.

Whitcomb advised the committee to include a spokesperson to talk to the media so the public would have a clear and streamlined view of the committee's research.

"It's important to keep in touch with the community during the process and to be transparent in their research," Whitcomb said.

Minority Men's Network spokesperson Robert Ross asked the committee to recommend a civilian review board.

"This is not an indictment against the police," Ross said.

Ross said the police face pressure from citizens and politicians to do their job, and because of this, a third-party review board would be a helpful tool when the police are face allegations from citizens.

"Sometimes a complaint pits the police against the public, but a civilian review could relieve that," Ross said.

According to Ross, the Minority Men's Network submitted a resolution to the City Council requesting the creation of a civilian review board because citizens are concerned about racial profiling. Civilian review boards have effectively addressed this perception in other communities, Ross said.

Ross said that the Minority Men's Network supports the police, but also supports a non-punitive review board.

After speakers, the committee created five subcommittees to aid in their research.

City Councilman Karl Skala said the small-group dynamic was an important step in developing their recommendation.

"It's good that people are thinking in detail," Skala said. "From a City Council perspective, I want to hear their recommendations with reasons why. This was a very important meeting."

At the next meeting, the committee, which is made up of Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman's appointees, will hear from more speakers and discuss the subcommittees' first meetings. The meetings are open to the public.