[Peace] CPRB Letter to Editor

[Brian Dolinar]

Check out Ricky Baldwin's excellent letter to the editor
promoting a CPRB in Champaign.

BD

Police review board would ease ill will Sunday June 17, 2007

We should all welcome The News-Gazette editorial on the recent shooting in
West Side Park, and the questions it raises. Of course, we are all glad that
the police officers and Mr. Clemons survived, hope that everyone will
recover and are pleased that the events did not turn out worse.

But there is, as the editorial says, a disturbing trend among police
agencies to "manage the flow of information," which means they keep most of
it to themselves. This trend contributes to speculation and distrust in the
community. The fact that there is no process but the internal police
procedure for investigating such use-of-force incidents, or other complaints
that citizens may have, only exacerbates this ill will.

By contrast, an open process with independent oversight by ordinary citizens
would increase trust in the community significantly. Such an oversight board
could look into complaints and review police policies and procedures, and
report to the city council and/or mayor.

Dozens of American cities of all sizes, as well as communities in Canada,
Britain and Australia, currently have some form of independent oversight of
law enforcement. Urbana will likely establish a board this summer. A wealth
of research and information is available on the subject, what works and what
doesn't work.

I recommend www.nacole.org for starters.

I also urge the Champaign City Council to begin the process of establishing
citizen police review.

RICKY BALDWIN

Urbana
-- 
Brian Dolinar, Ph.D.
303 W. Locust St.
Urbana, IL 61801
briandolinar at gmail.com
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