- Following the dissolution of the Citizens Police Review Board, the Tallahassee Chief of Police says they did take some of the recommendations made by the group.
- Chief Revell says a Citizens Advisory Council is still available for neighbors who want to get involved.
- Watch the video to learn more about the role of the Citizens Advisory Council.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A day after the move to dissolve the Citizens Police Review Board, we're hearing from the Chief.
I’m Kendall Brandt in the midtown Tallahassee neighborhood.
I sat down with the Chief Lawrence Revell Thursday who told me the board served its purpose but there’s still a way for neighbors to get involved.
“We worked hand in hand with the board," Revell said. "They made several recommendations, most of them we accepted.”
That’s how Chief Lawrence Revell responded to my question following Mayor Dailey's statement Wednesday night that the board has served its purpose.
City leaders voted to dissolve the board Thursday.
It follows House Bill 601 becoming state law in July, banning "...civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies' investigations of complaints of misconduct by law enforcement officers.”
The law prohibits any board created by government ordinance, like Tallahassee’s.
Some neighbors like Delilah Pierre came out Thursday to urge city leaders to keep the board in place.
“As an activist who saw thousands of people come out in support of police accountability and civilian oversight in 2020 for George Floyd, the reason why I care so much about the Citizens Police Review Board is because I believe the community has a say in how they’re policed," Pierre said. "I believe police accountability is a necessity."
While neighbors like her are concerned about transparency, Revell said there are ways for people to get involved through the Citizens Advisory Council.
“They serve that same purpose. They review the stuff that we do. They look at our policies. They can certainly look at any officer involved in the use of force if they choose to," Revell said. "They’re that liaison between the community and my office."
There are 26 people on the advisory council, each of them serving two years.
