MONTGOMERY – At Tuesday’s Montgomery City Council Meeting, Mayor Steven L. Reed introduced a resolution to establish a civilian police review board.

“As we continue to support our police department, we cannot overlook the opportunity to do our part to create a more impartial system of justice,” Mayor Reed said. “This board will not only bridge gaps between our community and the Montgomery Police Department, but it will also give our residents a voice in initiating safer policies, interactions and practices that benefit everyone.”

Mayor Reed’s proposal comes as a proactive response to nationwide calls for equity, dignity, fairness and transparency in law enforcement operations. The Civilian Review Board—also commonly referred to as a citizens’ review board or police oversight board—is an advisory body that can make recommendations both on individual instances of potential police conduct, as well as recommendations on overall department functions.

The current draft proposal calls for the creation of a board that will be comprised of 13 members, including one resident from each Montgomery City Council district appointed by their council member, and four at-large residents appointed by Mayor Reed. Each member will serve a five year term. It will essentially function as an extension of Montgomery City Investigations but adds an additional layer of community input.

Members of the board will be briefed on all complaints that are investigated by the City. They then can make recommendations, ultimately left to the discretion of Mayor Reed and MPD Chief Ernest Finley, on whether and/or what disciplinary action could be taken, in accordance with existing personnel corrective action options. Board members will also be expected to analyze and suggest ways to enhance departmental operations – which could range from community events and training programs to ways to reduce violence.

Link to proposal: https://www.montgomeryal.gov/home/showdocument?id=14327. For more information, visit www.montgomeryal.gov.

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