Laserfiche WebLink
C ITIZEN R EVIEW OF P OLICE: APPROACHES AND I MPLEMENTATION <br />107 <br />Chapter 6: Resolving Potential Conflicts <br />Between Oversight Bodies and Police <br />KEY POINTS <br />• Three preliminary steps can help significantly to reduce conflict among all the parties involved in citizen <br />oversight: <br />— Either initiate the oversight system without the impetus of a controversial police shooting or avoid <br />consideration of the incident in the planning process. <br />— Involve representatives of all concerned parties in the planning of the oversight procedure. <br />— Establish clear, measurable objectives for the oversight system. <br />• Many police administrators and officers have criticisms of local oversight bodies, most of which fall into <br />three categories: <br />— Citizens should not interfere with police work. <br />— Citizens do not understand police work. <br />— The process is unfair. <br />• Several considerations and actions can help address police concerns about the oversight process, including: <br />— Recognizing the typically advisory role oversight bodies play but also documenting the judicious role <br />most oversight systems have adopted. <br />— Training board members thoroughly and publicizing how carefully they have been prepared. <br />— Accepting that the mission of oversight is to provide for citizen, not professional, review. <br />— Highlighting that oversight bodies agree with the police or sheriff’s department’s findings in the vast <br />majority of cases. <br />— Publicizing particularly high-profile cases in which the oversight body has sided with the subject officer(s). <br />— Working to reduce delays in holding hearings and reviews. <br />— Explaining how oversight findings can benefit officers. <br />— Sitting down and resolving misconceptions and conflicts face to face.