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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