The Citizens Police Review Board voted to reject several of Police Chief Ken Burton’s proposed ordinance changes during a special meeting Tuesday night.
Following more than an hour of public comment in an Aug. 24 meeting, the review board met again Tuesday night to decide on its final recommendations to City Council.
The board examined each of the mayor’s seven points one by one, starting with a uniform definition of misconduct. Both Burton and the CPOA argued the board should adopt the Missouri state definition of misconduct, but the board voted unanimously to use a more in-depth Columbia Police Department Code of Conduct and the contained definition.
“It seems logical to me to follow the police Code of Conduct and misconduct as defined by the police department,” board member Betty Wilson said in the meeting. “I can’t see any reason to deviate from this.”
The board also discussed the guidelines for closing meetings, coming up with a list that included cases of domestic assault, rape, complainants under the age of 18 and other sensitive issues.
In Burton’s July 25 statement, he said interviews should only be conducted in closed sessions to alleviate the concerns of both witnesses and police officers.
“This should reduce the officer’s fear of their compelled public testimony without benefit of legal counsel, (sic) being used against them in potential future litigation,” the memo stated. “It would also eliminate the need for citizens to publicly discuss matters that they may not wish to disclose publicly, or that may be of a highly personal nature.”
Keep Columbia Free, a local political action committee, expressed its concern about changing the openness provision of the board in its Aug. 29 memo.
“Especially given his/her privilege of qualified immunity, it seems troubling that any public servant would be concerned with the requirement that he/she honestly answer for their behavior,” the memo stated. “What might be revealed in an interview that should not be heard by the public?”
The board ultimately voted to keep its current provision, which allows it to operate in closed session to interview witnesses with a two-thirds majority vote.
Another recommendation made by the board was to require CPD to provide it with monthly and annual reports on complaints, including internal complaints, external complaints, inquiries and mandatory reviews.
“We are oversight,” board member Carroll Highbarger said. “We need to look at all the information we can. The only way to have good oversight is to see what’s going on, what the problem was and how it was resolved.”
Keep Columbia Free’s memo to the board and the City Council echoed many of the concerns heard from the general public at the board’s Aug. 24 meeting.
“The ordinance at its outset hints that both actual and perceived problems can have very real consequences,” the memo stated. “If the chief’s recommendations are implemented, not only will the actual ability of the board to fulfill its mission be greatly hampered, but the perception that the board functions as little more than a public relations arm of the police department will be strengthened. We strongly encourage the CPRB and the Council to do its best to avoid such an outcome.”
Wilson said she wants the City Council’s decision to mark a new start for the review board.
“We’ve been praised by some and nullified by some, which must mean we’re doing a good job,” she said. “I hope we can put all this to rest and get on with the business originally appointed to us. I hope this is a beginning and we’ll be stronger and be able to do more for the community.”
Pending approval, the board’s recommendations will be sent to City Council for a final decision on the proposed amendments.
