HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-26-1999 Articles Opinion
Tuesday,
Jan. 19,
Iowa City Press-Citizen 1999
.Our view
The issue:
Council cats .Oouno,,
police board shouldn't
get names of officers in
complaints filed by civil-
fans.
heart out of Wesugges,:
· This is the end. With
this decision, there no
police board longer is any need for
police board to contin-
ue.
John Watson was right on lessly, when police were blocks.
two counts, investigating an open door The board and the coun- Let's end the charade and
First, there was "no com- late at night at his business, cji, though, butted heads on a admit we never were very
~lling reason for immediate The board was to be an critical issue: Should the serious about this experi-
action." independent body, able to board at least have the names ment in public accountabili-
Second, new rules look into complaints against of officers mentioned in ry.
approved by the Iowa City police by civilians. It would complaints? Yes, said the Let's eliminate the Police
Council do compromise the have no power to punish board, otherwise how could Citizens Review Board.
intent of the board on which police officers or take any it track complaints? No, There was doubt about it
Watson serves, action at all against them. decided the council, all along, anyway. Now,
there's no more doubt.
Watson is co-chairman of But it could track complaints Even worse, the council The City Council has
the Police Citizens Review and give civilians at least the said there was no time for
taken away any possibility of
Board. And he is right, feeling that their views discussion. No time for real the board being of use to res-
We will go fuFther. The counted, debate. The decision had to idents.
City Council has dealt a That's serious stuff. Fairly be made. Now. So get rid of it.
death blow to the board, specific rules -- perhaps dic- No, itdidn't. And, yes, the
With its recent action, there hated by the council -- aren't board did need the names of
is no need for the board to necessarily out of line~ officers. So did the public.
continue to exist. But the council has Police officers, remem-
What is so terrible? It isn't stepped across the line. ber, are public employees of
really that complicated. There was concern from the most visible type. They
The board has been oper- the beginning that the board carry guns. The have the
ating under mles of its own would be meaningless, power to save lives or take
making. The council thought because it had no power. It lives.
that was a little too haphaz- couldn't compel officers to Under rules established
ard and wanted to formally come before it. It couldn't by the council, we have no
establish mles of its making, punish officers. Much of its way of knowing what offi-
Considering the nature of work would be in secret, cers have invited complaints
the board, that's not neces Still, it wasn't doing against them or whether the
sadly bad. The police board badly, considering the road complaints are deemed vali&
~ established as a reaction Of what use is the police
to the police shooting of board now? None.
local artist and businessman
Eric Shaw. Shaw died, need-
TUESDAY
January 19, 1999
While you were away..,
* A blizzard and changes in police board procedures ring in the new
year for Iowa City.
By Steven Cook
-L~ers to The Daily Iowan
the Editor
-Oisolav and While students were away from the UI during their month-long
Cla~si~ed winter hibernation, events in Iowa City ground on. Here's a short list
Advertising of what you may have missed:
-$Ubscrietion
Info
-o~ s~ Review of police board procedure ......
Copyright 1996
Thc Daily Iowan: Procedural changes designed to remove an adversarial atmosphere at
Coowi~ht 1996 Police Citizens Review Board hearings were approved by {he Iowa
Associated Press. City City Council on Jan. 12 over objections from police-board
members.
The major change bars complainants from a hearing designed to give
accused officers the chance to defend themselves.
Previously, complainants could attend the meeting and ask the officer
questions.
A joint city council-police board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 11.
Board Chairwoman Leah Cohen said she had hoped the council
would delay action on the changes until that meeting.
"We felt it was 'a normal process to do it all together rather than
doing it in pieces," she said.
After its creation a year and a half ago, the board formed its own
operating procedures; the council had yet to approve these
procedures.
Having both the complainant and officer at the meeting would cause
an adversarial atmosphere, City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes has said.
Opponents of the change have said barring the complainants from the
hearing removes them from a hearing they should be involved in.
1 of 3 1/19/99 I0:01 AM
Police trafffC Stops.
should be monlis0'i ed
A few. y~'rs, agc}, .the. Mary-that will ~orce law enforcement
land State Police issued a direc-officials .. to .. begin: keeping
'tive to its officers..The memo records on the race of everyone
advised patrolmen to begin they pull over. This bill won
focusing their attention on approval in the House last year,
black males who traveled east but later died in a Senate corn-
ion Highway 68-- pulling them mittee.
over and questioning them to Conyers' bill deserves
determine whether they were approval-- but it should not be
drug suspects, passed simply to give organiza.
And sure enough, between tions like the ACLU a weapon to
1994 and 1:997, blacks made up use in clas~.action lawiuits
80 percent of against law enforcement agen-
the people cies. Rather, it should be passed
whose vehi- to'force these agencies to begin . ..
..... : .... icles Were collecting information.that has
stopped and a legitimate law enforcement
searched -- purpose.
even though Just as an analysis of traffic
blacks stops by location can reveal pat-
accounted for terns and trends that are of
~onyers only 18 per- great help to police administra-
: cent of the people who used tors, the analysis of racial fac-
i Highway 68. tors could be of assistance, too.
Fair? Of course not. And stop- And since many police agenmes
i ping people for DWB -- driving now equip squad cars with on-
. while black-- is also a violationboard computers, recording the
:of the Constitution's 4th race of individuals -- at least
',Amendment. for the two years required
: But there's nothing to suggest under Conyers' bill-- wouldn't
, that the attitudes that give risebe a time-consuming chore for
', to such practices are unique to overworked officers.
', Maryland. In fact, there's everyAt the very least, the data
', reason to believe that blacks are would pinpoint those jurisdic-
. i routinely targeted by many tions where DWB is considered
', police agencies throughout the a criminal offense. And identi-
', nation -- and that's why U.S. lying the full scope of this prob-
',Rep. John Conyers. D-Mich.. lem is the first step toward a
i plans to introduce l~gislation solution.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Lawyer's Fight Against Rogue Cop
Becomes Crusade for Human Rights
g~^~ JO~ES was fresh out of Yale people who believe they have suffered
Law School when he decided to from police misconduct have a place to
drop everything to seek punish- tall with their complaints, Lawyers and
ment of a policeman accused of beating volunteer law-school students man the
two men to death. In the process, he de- hotline phones to provide advice to call-
velopod an innovative system to deter ers, make referrals to other lawyers, and
police brutality that is attracting atten- offer to listen to people who feel they
tion nationwide, have nowhere else to turn.
Mx. Jones, now 30, says his crusade Information from the calls is plugged
began at~r he read about Aaron Wil- into a computer data base, which is con-
liams, a petty thief who had died while sidered one of the first of its kind in the
being arrested in San Francisco in 1995. country to be run by a citizens' group
According to newspaper accounts, mem- While police departments or courts typi-
bors of the police department shot pep- caily keep track of cases of police mis-
per spray into Mr. Wffiiams's mouth, conduct, they generally do not include
gagged him, and threw him face-down information about complaints that did
in the back of a police vehicle. The lead not make it to the courts or police offi-
arresting officer was Marc Andaya, cers who were found to be "not guilty" at
whqm Mr, Jones had just tussled with in trial. Such information can be cracial,
court, where the policeman w~s accused however, in cases like that of Mr. An-
of 8hooting to death an unarmed, black daya.
mental patient who was in his custody. In 1996, Mr. Jones established the
Mr. Jones lost an appeals-court battle to Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
persuade the courts to try Mr. Andaya San Francisco to house Policewatsh, do
for the murder, but when he saw that advocacy work for victims of police mis-
another death had occurred on Mr. An- conduct~and to run legal-service pro-
daya's watch, he realized that his fight grams. During the next five years, he
had not ended. "I decided right then and hopes to create a Bay Area Prisonwatch,
there that I was going to put my entire Immigration and Naturalization Serv-
life on hold and do whatever it teok to ice Watch, and Hatowatch to help peo-
make sure that this officer never did pie who suffer abuse at the hands of lc-
anything like this again," gal authorities, racists, homophobes, or
Mr. Jones gave up a job he had begun others.
with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil
Rights to focus on fighting Mr. Pmdaya, Attracting Attention
who says he did nothing wrong to either Human-rights leaders around the
of the men he arrested. For two years, country are watching Mr. Jones' prog-
Mr. Jones led an effort to remove Mx. ress.
Andaya from the police force by organiz- Gerald Le Melle, a deputy executive
lng protests, making the officer's record director at Amnesty International
public, and detailing how he failed to which recently recruited Mr. Jones to
follow police procedures, serve as a spokesman on police brutal-
[n 1997, the San Francisco Police ity. says that Mr. Jones and his organi-
Commission fired Mr. Andaya-4argely zation stand apart from the "ragtag
in response to Mr. Jones' perseverance, groups of people running around with
During his battle, Mr. Jones started a video cameras" that have cropped up af-
hotline, Bay Area Polieewatch, so that ter the highly publicized videotape of
Rodney King's beating by L~s Angeles
pehce officers.
"He has recognized that the less infor-
mation there is and the more isolated
Purpose: Established in 1996 by people are on the issue, thelesseffective
Van Jones, a lawyer, to provide lc- and less protected they can be," Mr
gal aid and other assistance to vic- Melle says,
rims of police misconduct in Call- D~.~ing its first two years, the Ella
fornia's Bay Area. The center re- Baker Center--which is named for the
cently opened an affiliate to do civii-right~ crusader--relied on income
similar work in New York City. that Mr. Jones received from a two-year
fellowship from Echoing Green, a New
Finances: The group expects to York foundation that supports young
bring in $300,000 this year, main- leaders w/th innovative ideas.
ly from foundations, corporations, Today, the center operates on a
and individuals. $309,000 annual budget and has five
~ddm~: 1230 Market Street, No. full-time staff members.
409, San Francisco 94102; (415) Last year, Mr Jones won a Reebok
951-4844; e-mail hurnanrts(aiella International Human Right-s Award in
bakercenter.org, honor of his work. He put the $25,000
award into starting New York Po
World-Wide Web site: http.//www, licewatsh, an East Coast version of Bay
ellabakercenter.org Area Policewatch; it now has two full
time employees. "It was important to
"I don't think anybody my age has seen one particular strategy conquer the
world. People from the civil-rights era can remember when, after two years'
worth of work, they could say, 'We made that discriminating employer pay.'
None of us have seen any of that happen." --Van Jones
test our model against the biggest, hard- He plans to make appeala for endow- themselves under arrest, face down on
est police force in the world," he says. ment gifts to black and Hispanic ath- the sidewalk," he says.
While the prestige of the Reebok letes and entertainers, whom he be- Mr. Jones notes that with his com
Award has helped attract new donors, lieves will understand from personal ex- ments, he does not mean to imply that
Mr. Jones--like many young non-profit perience why his charity exists. All too he is opposed to police officers in general
leaders teday--wants to find a way to often, he says, they come under suspi- or in the growth in the size of police
keep his group afloat without relying so cion from law-enforcement officials no forces. But, he says, "Police officers are
heavily on day-t~day fund raising, mattor how big their paychecks have city employees just like bus drivers or
His dream is to build an endowment become, school toachers. They're not saints;
that can sustain the group on interest "You have these situations where they're not suporheroes. They're city
from investraents. "What I wake up these millionaire African-Americans employees, and they make mistakes."
thinking every morning is 'endow- and Latinos drive their fancy cars in "We're just trying to fight the bad
raent,' ' he says. their neighborhoods and then find gays," he says. ---sus^~
National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement
~tlESSAGE FROM THE PRE$1DENT
NACOLE 1997
Volume "Adoancing the Blueprint [or Change"
Summer 1998
In This Issue: Another NACOLE Conference has come and gone and we are
' ' I ~.making progress in our efforts to Advance the Blueprint for
A. II About NACOLE ..... 2 Citizens' Review o[ Law Enforcement. After a review of the conference
comment forms, I am impressed with the candid nature of the
Board of Directors ....... 2 comments and the response to the work of NACOLE for the short time
we have been together.
Agency Spotlight .. :. · 3 I would like to thank all of the participants for their effort in making
the 1997 NACOLE Conference something special. It is inspiring to see
Around the Country in
Citizen Review ............. 4 the formation of this organization with the interest and the cohesiveness
of its membership as we move forward in this struggle. There are allies
Report on the Third Annual in our communities, but they are hard to find. We must actively seek out
~nt:erence ................ 3 and recruit these people into our ranks to create a climate by which we
can mount a national movement for Citizens' Review throughout every
Talkin' about the 1997 town, burg and hamlet in the United States. If there is a police or
Conference ................ 5 enforcement agency with jurisdiction for any geographical area in this
Goals and Benefits of the country, there must also be some form of official, effective and
Conference ................ 6 discernible Citizens' Review for that police agency to be responsive to
its citizenry. It has been made quite clear that we must continue to
Conference Registration ...... 7 "e',Toive" and "involve" if we are to exist as a balance between a free and
open society and a society which has lost the ability to provide citizens
NACOLE Membership with freedom and justice for all.
Information ................ 8 Our 1998 NACOLE Conference, "Citizen Oversight: Strategies for
Advancement, Enhancement and Survival" wiI[ be held in Indianapolis,
The NACOLE Review is a Indiana from October 11-14. The Conference Hotel will be the OMNI
publication of the National Severin Hotel located in the heart of the downtown area. You will receive
Association for Civilian
Oversight of Law conference materials in the near future.
Enforcement. The 1997 conference transcript is available and should be a
welcomed addition to your growing arsenal of information. If there is a
For information, suggestions, need for additional transcripts, p~ease contact NACOLE and we will
and/or additional copies process the request as soon as possible. The cost for the transcripts is
contact Clyde B. Davis, $65 (includes shipping and handling).
Treasurer and Editor,
NACOLF' [ look forward to the 1998 [ndy Conference and again working to
P.O. Box 1110 advance one of the most important and critical issues of the 21st
Lanham, Maryland 20703. century, Citizens' Review.
Phone: (301) 731-5808 Brian C. Reeder
Fax: (301) 794-0264 President, NACOLE
Au. ABOUT NACOLE
ACOLE Beginnings
n 1993, several members o[ the Landover, Maryland and approved over 20 cities in establishing
U.S. delegation to the the articles o[ incorporation and civilian oversight systems.
International Association for preliminary bylaws. On May 16, NACOLE recognizes that the
Civilian Oversight of Law 1995, the National Association for majority of law enforcement
En['orcement ([ACOLE) conference Civilian Oversight of Law officers strive, often under
in Cambridge, Massachusetts met Enforcement (NACOLE) was dangerous and demanding
to discuss issues of mutual approved as the official name of circumstances, to carry out their
concern relating to civilian the organization, duties in a restrained, lawful and
oversight within the United States. As NACOLE continues its professiona~ manner. However, the
The focus of this meeting was to work, the membership recognizes United States continues to have a
form a national organization that that the relationship between police growing crisis of police
would address the specific needs of and community continues to be misconduct.
civilians organized for law one of the most critical social Citizens want to feel secure
enforcement oversight, issues facing this country, that police officers are in the
At the 1994 IACOLE particularly police behavior toward community to serve and protect all
conference in Orlando, Florida, minority communities. The number the citizens of that community. We
meetings were held with the U.S. of civilian oversight agencies in this believe that citizens have a right to
attendees to the conference, country has increased significantly be assured that adequate
Several teleconferences were held in recent years. About 71 of the mechanisms are available to
during the year to discuss issues nation's 100 largest cities have review and investigate questionable
related to the creation of a national citizen review mechanisms. In or unacceptable actions of law
organization. In April 1995, a 1996 and 1997, NACOLE assisted enforcement officers.
~-oup of individuals met in
National Association for Civilian
NACOLE Strives To... Oversight of Law Enforcement
O Facilitate and involve the community as a true partner in community NACOLE
policing; Board of Directors
BR~^N C. R~.EDER, President
L9 Provide for the establishment, development, education, and technical Indianapolis, IN
assistance of/for the civilian oversight of law enforcement;
HELEr~ M^~IE L~.-wIs, Vice President
L9 Develop a national forum to promote the idea of civilian review. Minneapolis, MN
Establish a clearinghouse of information and become the provider of LARNA SP~ARMAN, Secretary
technical assistance for emerging citizens review agencies; Provide Indianapolis, IN
continuing education opportunities for practitioners of citizens' review. CLYDE B. DAVIS, Treasurer
[~eve]op an extensive li[~rary ol~ research materials and publications for Lanham, MD
use in the field of civilian review; DONALD C^$1MERE, MEMBER
Richmond, CA
L~ Encourage the highest ethical standards in organizations which oversee
law enforcement; J~as JOHNSON, MEMBER
Cincinnati, OH
L~ Educate the public by developing mechanisms to enhance police and MALV1NA G. MONTE[RO, MEMBER
community relations, educate law enforcement agencies and encourage Cambridge, MA
law enforcement to respond with sensitivity to citizens' complaints; and K, FELICIA DAVIS, MEMBER
' O Encourage full racial and ethnic representation and participation in this Syracuse, NY
organization and the agencies overseen by its members. SaE QUINN
San Diego, CA
lew Direction For San Diego County's Citizens' Law
Enforcement Review Board
by Joi~n Parker
In May of 1997, I took a major The first major success was in Note: John Parker retired from
step in my second career and meetings with the Sheriff's the Oakland (California) Police
became the second permanent Department's command staff. They Department in 1990, after
Executive Officer of the Citizens' learned that [ was not some
Law Enforcement Review Board in flaming radical from San Francisco r~early 22 years of service. His
San Diego County, better known as with an agenda to thwart law uniformed police experience
CLERB. This was not an easy step, enforcement's ability to carry out includes Patrol/Field Training
since I would be leaving the it's crime fighting role. The Officer; Special Operations
relative security of my Civil Service message that threw them was that
protected position as Chief the Review Board stood behind the Division/Helicopter Pilot (CPD);
Investigator of San Francisco's concept of strong but professional and SWAT sharpshooter. As an
Office of Citizen Complaints law enforcement, fully accountable investigator, he served in Vice
(OCC), just after that agency to the citizens of San Diego Crimes and Narcotics and
implemented a new city charter County. They learned that [
and mandated a full staffing understood the [aw enforcement Internal Affairs. Upon his
consisting of one OCC line culture and intended to be a retirement from OPD, Mr. Parker
investigator for every 150 SFPD straight shooter when dealing with took a position as Senior
officers. This meant that fifteen the complexities of civilian Investigator with the Office of
investigators would be handling oversight of their department. The
work previously handled by eight, primary agenda was to improve Citizen Complain~ in San
Because of my long-time law the County's law enforcement Francisco, rising to become
,:nforcement background, I was services to the public in a manner Chief Investigator and serving
expected to ride into town and that is consistent with the for e,,:tended periods as that
bring about instant changes in the protection of the rights of citizens
confidence level of CLERB. Things and peace officers alike, agency's acting Director. He left
didn't go quite as expected. Initially, CLERB's staffing in 1997 to become Executive
Taking this position in May, just included an executive officer, two Office of CLERB.
before the county carved up it's special investigators, and a clerical
budget pie, was tough. The days staff of two. Staff hiring began in
entailed setting up meetings with January 1992 with the executive
members of the Board of officer. Fifteen complaints had
Supervisors, but many ca[is went already been filed through the end
unanswered. There were initial of 1991; 78 cases were filed in
meetings with some of their staff 1992; 111 cases in 1993; 182
members, but there would be no cases in 1994; 236 cases in 1995;
meetings with any of the County and 247 cases in 1996. Staff was
Supervisors before budget reduced by one investigator and
deliberations, except for a few both clerical positions in August
chance meetings in the hallways of '1995.
the Administration Building. An We are currently exploring
intense lobbying effort against ways of getting around the
CLERB was being waged by the constant court challenges yet
Deputy Sheriffs' Association, as respecting the state law-mandated
well as past negative comments confidentiality rights of deputies
about CLERB made by a very when their testimony is sought by
opular elected sheriff. CLERB.
AROUND THE COUNTRY IN CITIZEN REVIEW
Sonorna County Center for Peace and Challenges in Syracuse
Justice The Citizen Review Board (CRB) of Syracuse has faced
e dous opposition since its creation by local
S onoma County, California has been working toward
)establishing a Civilian Review board in response to nine ordinance in lgg3. The board became operational in early
police-related deaths in two years. The U.S. Commission on 1.994, and has since then been inundated with legal
Civil Rights and the California State Advisory Committee held challenges from the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) of
a public hearing in Sonoma County in February 1998, to Syracuse.
investigate police-community relations and will release a At present the PBA has been able to secure a temporary
report within 6 months. We have been compiling information injunction against the Board's subpoena power. [n March
about existing review boards around the United States to 1.998, a dramatic court case unfolded that did not involve the
educate the public about what police oversight is. Our local CRB directly, but its verdict has positive affects/effects for the
daily paper just released two cover stories about Civilian Board. A former police officer sued the Syracuse police
Review Boards in the Bay Area. To date, no elected official Department, one lieutenant, one deputy chief, and the Chief
has spoken out publicly about this issue. Our work on the grounds that he was reiterated against (fired) as a
continues.., result of his testifying before the CRB under subpoena. After
Visit our web site at www.peacentresonic.net 2_ 1/2 years a jury finally rendered a verdict. The officer was
Elisabeth Anderson awarded more than $800,000,00 in back pay, with punitive
damages assessed against the lieutenant and deputy chief.
Currently, the CRB is in the midst of budget hearings,
and faces the real possibility that its part-time investigator
position witl be cut. There has been murmuring in the
Community that the CRB would be cut in its entirety. The City
Council has not yet voted, and while it is hoped that cutting
Idaho Concerns the CRB in its entirety will not be considered, the loss of the
The Concerned Citizens for Police Accountability (CCPA), part-time investor position is devastating to the Board's
Inc. was formed in Boise, Idaho on September 4, 1997 in ability to independently review cases of police misconduct.
~t~e wake of two separate controversial shootings which killed it's a struggle, considering the many challenges to the
Ryan Hennessey, age 20, and Justin Atkinson, age 2t. John CRB's existence and frustrating episodes at the strategic foot
and Patrieia Biilington, stepfatl]er and mother of Ryan dragging of the police litigation; the CRB has adopted the
Hennessey formed the organization shortly after they motto of the "Little Engine that Could, I think we (CRB) can!"
attended a NCOPA, National Coalition for Police
Accountability (NCOPA) Conference looking for answers for K. Felicia Davis
their concerns on police accountability and whether such a Citizen Review Board of
thing existed, What they discovered was that there are many Syracuse, New York
organizations across the nation already working in the fieid of
police accountability through citizen review of law
administration and the promotion of progressive law
In the fall of 1997, Boise topped the charts in the nation
in regard to fatal police shootings with two more questionable
shootings in October which killed two brothers from
Pennsylvania, Doug and Craig Brodrick, as well as Officer
Mark Stall. The CCPA and ACLU of idaho immediately took
the opportunity to invite Boise officials to attend the NACOLE
conference which did an excellent job in its presentation of
civilian review, Boise officials opted for an ombudsman
instead of the much debated citizen review committee. The
projected date for the ombudsman position to be filled is in
June ;998. Meanwhile, the QCPA remains dedicated to its
efforts to promote the implementation of an empowered
civilian review board for the city of Boise.
Visit our web site'at www.ccpa/idaho.com
Patricia Billington, Assistant Director, CCPA
NACOLE '97 Conference Fact Sheet
o FATES REPRESENT]~D:
Arizona (1) California (55) Colorado (4) Idaho (6)
Hawaii (6) Indiana (3) Massachusetts (1) Maryland (1)
Michigan (4) Minnesota (4) Missouri (1) Nebraska (1)
New York (4) North Carolina (4) Ohio (1) Oregon (4)
Pennsylvania (4) Texas (1) Utah (1)
ORGANIZATIONS ~.EPRESENTED: TOTAL NUMBER-- 44
TOTAL M~B~Rs-- 65 NaMB~a RE~STeRE~>-- 106 TOTAL A~rE~DEeS-- 135
KEY ISSUES OF INTEREST: · Determining what has not worked with other oversight agencies and identifying potential solutions for
implementation.
· Establishing a civilian review board clearinghouse (web page).
· Establishing an oversight newsletter, articles, chat room.
· Establishing NACOLE as a support organization for emerging oversight agencies.
· Establishing regional and state oversight meetings and associations.
· Learning to differentiate between large vs. small city issues and solutions.
· Identifying a list of potential speakers and trainers For future conferences.
· Identifying different models of oversight agencies to increase communication and sharing.
· Establishing an auditing process within civilian oversight.
· Increasing community input in connection with the review process and recommendations regarding police
policy matters.
· Learn about dil~ferent enabling legislation establishing oversight agencies.
· Networking with other agencies to receive updates on different issues.
· Pepper spray usage vs. other alternatives.
· Promoting NACOLE as the premier organization for national oversight issues.
Talk in ' About the 1997 Conference opposition, it is claar that there is stii
much work to be done to bridge the
"In a word, the NACOLE annual the same a more effective group of gap between police and citizens, but
conference was inspirational. The civilian review professionals and I am encouraged. I plan to attend the
NACOLE conference provides both institutions and a rejuvenated next NACOLE conference and hope
structured and informal movement.' to see more police personnel
opportunities to learn from the John Crew participation in NACOLE."
successes and frustrations of fellow Police Practices Project Director Ursula K. Henry
civilian review professionals and ACLU of Northern California Detroit Board of Police
advocates. Because we often toil Commissioners
away in relative isolation from one "The NACOLE Conference was an
another, the importance of these enlightening experience. Learning "The NACOLE Conference was a
opportuniti~ cannot be about civilian oversight agencies in great opportunity for activists, law
overestimated. Whether the resulting other states was interesting, to say enforcement officers, board members
inspiration takes the form of a new the least. In particular, I was uplifted and scholars to exchange ideas and
learn more about civilian review and
substantive proposal on a particular to hear that Pittsburgh was
problem or just a more general sense successful in establishing it~ "Citizen its role in improving police-
'r optimism that challenges affecting Police Review Board," despite much community relations.
~e field can be overcome, the by Will Gonzalez, Executive Director
product of the NACOLE conference is i Police-Barrio Relations Project
Location Conference Benefits
Hotel · Exposure to critical law enforcement
40 ~ir~ Jackson Place issues shaping our future.
li~ll~napolis, IN 46225
· Opportunities to undertake new roles in
Tel: (317) 634-3664
F~: (317) 687-3619 civilian oversight nationally and locally.
· Opportunities to meet and share ideas
The room rate is $109 for single or double
with leaders in the civilian oversight field.
occupancy (excluding state and local taxes).
These rates will be available for 30 days before · Membership in a fast-growing national
the conference. Indianapolis International network of civilian oversight and law
Airport is 10 minutes away from the hotel, enforcement leaders across the Clnited
Transportation from the airport is available States.
through Indy Connections for $8 per person
each way, or by private taxi service for about · Development of essential ski[is to involve
$15-$20 each way. the community as a partner' in community
The Omni Severin is located in the heart of policing.
the city's downtown business, entertainment
and cultural district Its central location affords · Extensive national dialogue between law
convenient access via the hotel's sky walk to enforcement personnel, citizens and
the Circle Centre Mall and the RCA Dome with civilian oversight practitioners.
over 100 stores, several restaurants and bars, a
movie theaten The Indianapolis Children's
Museum and Indy 500 Speed Way and Museum ~/~,/ho Should Attend
are also nearby. Participants in this conference may be
Civilian Oversight Agency Personnel; Police
Commissioners/Chiefs; Law Enforcement
Conference Goals Agency Personnel (sworn and non-sworn);
Conference participants will learn how to: Police Union Representatives; Internal Affairs
· Network with city and state agencies to Staff; Social Service Agencies; Federal, State,
promote civilian oversight and police and Local Officials; Special Interest Groups;
accountability reform processes. Communities interested in creating Civilian
Review boards; Volunteers, Colleges,
· Define what communities need to know Universities and Students. The general public is
when establishing a civilian oversight also invited.
system, change existing review
mechanisms and what accomplishments
can be expected in the short and long Registration Fees
term in any jurisdiction. Regular and organizational members $250;
· Explain the types of resistance used to associate and non-members $300. Late
derail or c0-opt any form of civilian registration: regular and organization members
oversight system and effective strategies $300; associate and non-members $350.
for counterinc~i that resistance.
1998 Conference Theme:
I Discuss what a community can expect to
gain from a functioning civilian review "Citizen Oversight:
process, and how review agencies Strategies for Advancement,
are effective in reductions of municipal
liability suits. Enhancement and Survival"
'IACOLE Membership Information
Sustaining Members are Regular Members are individuals Student Members are individuals
organizations and individuals who who are not sworn law who are full-time students and are
wish to make tax deductible enforcement officers but who work concerned with the oversight of
contributions to further the goals or have worked for agencies that enforcement. Student members will
and principles of NACOLE. are mandated by legislative or be able to serve on committees but
Fee: $500 (Minimum Donation) executive authority to investigate are ineligible to vote or serve as
or review complaints against law officers.
Organizational Members are enforcement officers. Fee: $150 Fee: $25
Agencies or Boards who provide
civilian oversight of law Associate Members are individuals Membership expires one year from
enforcement by legislative or concerned with the oversight of law receipt of dues and is renewable at
executive mandate. These enforcement. These members shall current membership rates. For more
agencies will receive one be able to participate in all information call Clyde B. Davis, at
transferable regular membership NACOLE activities, including (301) 731-5808.
and associate memberships for the serving on committees, but are
remaining members of the Board. ineligible to vote or serve as
Fee: $300 officers.
Fee: $1 O0
National Association ~t
Return Address: NACOLE
P.O. Box 1110
LANHA~, MARYLAND 20703