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Charge
February 5, 2008
It has been nearly eight months since the “incident at Town Hall” on
May 24, 2007.
Despite having a nationally recognized police force and a
comprehensive policy on citizen complaints, it is clear that we need
to review our practices and procedures and improve them.
The 1987 Report of the Selectmen’s Police Community Relations
Subcommittee states:
…More than for any other municipal agency, for a police department,
"public confidence" is a critical end in and of itself. Not only does
our society cherish liberty and carefully dispense the power to curb
it, but, effective law enforcement requires public support….
…A police officer's daily and routine responsibilities are among the
most difficult and most critical of all municipal employees. Police
work inherently involves a high percentage of sensitive and
conflict ridden human encounters. Even the most mundane police
responsibilities often relate to people in times of temporary, but
high stress….
…"Human relations", "race relations", and "civil rights" are all terms
that are, thankfully, commonplace in contemporary public discourse.
However, the concepts they embody, both individually and in
conjunction with each other, must never be taken for granted. These
simple, commonplace terms capture what is most important, most
profound, and most complex in the obligations of civilized society.
Government at all levels must be forever vigilant to safeguard and
perfect these great concepts; when they are neglected, not only are
grave injustices perpetrated, but the entire community suffers and is
diminished….
Questions concerning the process remain as to: whether the complainant
should have more access to the internal review report; who should get
an opportunity to publicly comment on the report; how civil service
protections for police officers interplay with our procedures; and how
a charge is determined. It is very important that we as a community
come together and restore public confidence in our municipal
institutions and their ability to treat citizens fairly and with
respect.
In the aftermath of the investigation and disposition of this incident
questions have arisen as to whether our standards for handling citizen
complaints can be refined and improved. In addition, there has not
been a comprehensive review of the policies and procedures. governing
citizen complaints since they were adopted in 1987.
Therefore the Board of Selectmen is appointing an independent Review
Committee to make recommendations for improvements in policy and
procedures. The charge
includes reviewing, to the extent the Committee deems appropriate, the
results of the May incident and of other prior citizen complaints
along with best practices in other jurisdictions to determine if
there are shortcomings in the current system and how they might be
addressed. The review process should include ample opportunities for
public comment.
The Board of Selectmen, further charges the Citizen Complaint Review
Committee to review the citizen complaint policies and procedures of
the Brookline Police Department; to examine how those policies and
procedures have worked in particular instances; to hold at least one
public hearing and to solicit other public comments, as necessary; and
to issue a written report to the Board of Selectmen by October, 2008,
or earlier if appropriate. That report should include the Committee's
findings concerning existing policies and procedures and any
suggestions the Committee might have for improvements.
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Wednesday, February 27, 2008
6pm, at Hunneman Hall in the Main Library
Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 6:00pm at the Old Lincoln School, 1st Floor
Cafeteria 6pm
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 6:00pm at the Old Lincoln School, Room 202
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 7:00 p.m., PUBLIC HEARING, Old Lincoln
School Auditorium
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Old Lincoln School, Room 202
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at the Old Lincoln School, Room
202.
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