1 year ago
46
Ever since Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Birmingham's Civilian Review Board, some citizens have been counting on that extra layer of accountability.Unfortunately, two years later, they are still waiting.Even Woodfin recently admitted his pledge has fallen short so far."We just haven't gotten our Civilian Review Board off the ground the way our citizens deserve," Woodfin said.Since April 2021, the five-person panel has never held a public meeting or considered any community police complaints.Do all such agencies struggle to get off the ground?We decided to look outside Alabama for perspective.Atlanta's current police Citizen Review Board was created in 2007, after police killed 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston during the execution of a no-knock warrant.WVTM drove over to ask its director about what it takes to get a CRB up and running.Lee Reid was asked if he was surprised by Birmingham's lack of progress."Yes, when I was doing my research, I was a little surprised by that," Reid said.Reid has led Atlanta's Citizen Review Board for more than a decade and admits the city's previous versions of community oversight were ineffective."It didn't have any city staff. It didn't have any funding, and it rarely met like what you're talking about," Reid said.Then, once Johnston was killed by police in 2006, the citizens demanded more."The community had decided we needed something different and the protests and the community outcry was we want something more robust," Reid said.Now, their CRB has a dozen full-time staff, including three investigators.Since 2007, Reid said they have updated the ordinance governing the board, even providing the group with subpoena power to force police officers to testify.He claims the rate of agreement between the Atlanta Police Department and the board's recommendations for officer punishment has risen to nearly 60 percent since he took over. Reid says it takes a commitment like that to convince the public you're serious about police accountability."The worst thing you could do is set up oversight and it becomes ineffective, under-resourced, and does not meet the needs of the community," Reid said.Woodfin's community is still waiting for the tool to build the public trust that he promised."This is an area we haven't fully gotten right yet. And we got to," Woodfin said.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
Ever since Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Birmingham's Civilian Review Board, some citizens have been counting on that extra layer of accountability.
Unfortunately, two years later, they are still waiting.
Even Woodfin recently admitted his pledge has fallen short so far.
"We just haven't gotten our Civilian Review Board off the ground the way our citizens deserve," Woodfin said.
Since April 2021, the five-person panel has never held a public meeting or considered any community police complaints.
Do all such agencies struggle to get off the ground?
We decided to look outside Alabama for perspective.
Atlanta's current police Citizen Review Board was created in 2007, after police killed 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston during the execution of a no-knock warrant.
WVTM drove over to ask its director about what it takes to get a CRB up and running.
Lee Reid was asked if he was surprised by Birmingham's lack of progress.
"Yes, when I was doing my research, I was a little surprised by that," Reid said.
Reid has led Atlanta's Citizen Review Board for more than a decade and admits the city's previous versions of community oversight were ineffective.
"It didn't have any city staff. It didn't have any funding, and it rarely met like what you're talking about," Reid said.
Then, once Johnston was killed by police in 2006, the citizens demanded more.
"The community had decided we needed something different and the protests and the community outcry was we want something more robust," Reid said.
Now, their CRB has a dozen full-time staff, including three investigators.
Since 2007, Reid said they have updated the ordinance governing the board, even providing the group with subpoena power to force police officers to testify.
He claims the rate of agreement between the Atlanta Police Department and the board's recommendations for officer punishment has risen to nearly 60 percent since he took over.
Reid says it takes a commitment like that to convince the public you're serious about police accountability.
"The worst thing you could do is set up oversight and it becomes ineffective, under-resourced, and does not meet the needs of the community," Reid said.
Woodfin's community is still waiting for the tool to build the public trust that he promised.
"This is an area we haven't fully gotten right yet. And we got to," Woodfin said.
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