What Is It?

Many cities have some kind of citizen oversight of their local police department. They operate differently from place to place. In Atlanta, for example, the Citizen Review Board investigates complaints from individuals and advises city government on policy changes. In Kansas City, Missouri, the Office of Community Complaints investigates complaints against police officers and also offers mediation as an alternative.

You may see them called by other names, like Citizen Advisory Boards and Civilian Review Boards.

Here are some examples of the types of boards you might find in different cities:

• A civilian – someone who is not a police officer – investigates complaints against officers. This person usually has some sort of special training.
• Volunteers and regular people from the community oversee internal affairs investigations (an internal affairs investigation is an investigation the police department does of itself).
• An auditor looks at patterns of officer misconduct, rather than individual incidents.

Some people say that citizen review boards give ordinary people a say in how law enforcement operates. The boards might hire outside investigators to look into incidents of police misconduct, recommend that officers receive specific training, and mediate disputes between officers and members of the community.

Why It Matters to You

Trust between communities and their local police is critical. But as media coverage of police misconduct has become more common, it’s become clear to more Americans that the relationship between law enforcement and the people they are sworn to protect is often tense.

What if you feel that you, a friend or family member, or someone in your community has been treated unfairly by local police? Maybe you’re concerned about a single incident or think there’s a pattern of incidents. Raising the issue with your local citizen review board could help resolve the problem. Here are some examples of when you might consider doing that:

• You believe your local police treat people differently depending on their race.
• Your brother was injured during an arrest and believes that police used excessive force.
• You called the police about a problem but don’t feel that they took your concerns seriously enough.
• Neighbors witnessed police responding to a person having a mental health crisis but used a taser instead of trying to deescalate the situation. You think the local police need better training on mental health.
• You’re concerned that there’s not much trust or cooperation between the community and the police.

How to Make an Impact

Speak Up

Mayors, city councils, and other local government officials are often in charge of appointing members to citizen review boards. Think your local board needs some new blood? Live in a place that doesn’t even have one? Call or write your local elected officials to tell them what you think.

Join Up

Some cities and counties have a formal application process to join a citizen review board. Find out if you have this opportunity where you live.

File a Complaint

If you have a specific concern or complaint, reach out to your citizen review board directly.

Vote

Being a mayor or city council person doesn’t mean having a job for life. If you don’t think your local government is doing its best to make sure you have a citizen review board that works for everyone, let them know at the ballot box.

On the Ground

People like you are having an impact across the country every day. Check out these stories about citizens making a difference:

• In Charleston, South Carolina, a faith-based advocacy group called for an independent audit of the police department, which found racial disparities in things like traffic stops and use of force.
• In Nashville, Tennessee, local residents pushed for an oversight board through a ballot initiative.
• In Aurora, Illinois, the city council created a new Civilian Review Board that enables community members to review complaints made against the local police department.
• In New Haven, Connecticut, local activists negotiated with city legislators to create an all-civilian review board with the power to investigate officers accused of misconduct.
• In Salt Lake City, Utah, anyone can apply to join the civilian review board.