To improve relationships between the community-at-large and the Birmingham Police Department. Mavor Randall Woodfin established the Civilian Review Board for the primary purpose of providing transparency and an independent assessment on police operations. The Board creates space for accountability of the City and the police department for its operations, and will review community complaints or alleged officer misconduct
The Civilian Review Board will investigate complaints submitted by Birmingham residents in response to allegations of police misconduct so long as the underlying issue has not been previously referred to the District Attorney and/or the Jefferson County Personnel Board and/or the Birmingham Police Department’s Internal Affairs.As such,the Civilian Review Board will have general investigative and subpoena authority as allowed under Alabama law.
•The Civilian Review Board will consist of five(5) members
•Each member wil serve at the wil of the Mayor,and any member maybe removed for cause or at the direction of the Mayor.
•The Board shall becomprisedofone(1)representativefrom each of the following groups:(1) a former judge and/or prosecutor;(2) a Birmingham resident; (3)a retired Birmingham Police Department officer designated by the current Chief of Police;(4)a criminal defense Attorney
•Over the age of 19
•Must be a resident of the city of birmingham the Mayor.
•Agree to submit a background check
•Not have any pending criminal cases
• Concerned about police and community relations
•Sensitive to community needs
•Committed to seeking input from the community and applying that input to further the purposes of the review board and
•Committee members may not be employed by the city of birmingham
• Community members may make complaints directly to the Civilian Review Board or the Office of Peace and Policy.
• Upon receipt of a community complaint,the Ofice of Peace and Policy shall conduct a review and appropriate investigation.
•The date of referral shall trigger a 30-day review period,and unless the Office of Peace and Policy is granted an extension from the Review Board to complete their review,a report to the Review Board from the office of peace and policy shall be transmitted to the review board for a public hearing if necessary.
•Citizens are given an independent venue to voice concerns.
•Citizen-led oversight gives police departments an independent line of sight into officer misconduct and provides a venue for holding officers accountable.
•Citizen-led oversight boards can help improve the quality of the department’s internal investigations of alleged misconduct by serving as a supplemental resource on police misconduct and an independent body for developing recommendations on departmental policy based on misconduct complaints.
•Citizen-led oversight can help increase the public’s understanding of the Department’s policies and procedures.
•Citizen-led oversight agencies can improve Department al operations by making policy policy recommendations stemming from citizen complaints regarding misconduct that identify areas of concern and subsequently offer recommendations to improve policing
•Citizen-led oversight can assist a jurisdiction in liability management and reduce the likelihood of costly litigation by identifying problems and proposing non binding corrective measures before a lawsuit is filed.
(FILE FOR PDF VIEWING -Civilian Review Board_Executive Order_Press Release 4.19.21)
(FILE FOR PDF VIEWING -Civilian Review Board Executive Order 4.19.21 )