Last Updated on February 15, 2024, 9:31 AM | Published: February 15, 2024
The City of Oklahoma City sends this information as posted below:
At this week’s City Council meeting, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt appointed and the City Council confirmed eight of nine people to serve on the newly formed Community Public Safety Advisory Board.
The board is a permanent and independent committee that reviews the complaint investigative process and reviews results from completed investigations involving Oklahoma City Police officers.
“I am grateful to those willing to serve our community in this important role,” Mayor David Holt said. “The creation of this Advisory Board is an important step as we work to follow through on the goals this community set in 2020 to have a law enforcement structure that meets the needs of all residents. Specifically, this Board provides essential accountability back to our residents and provides a platform for residents to share concerns and work with our police department to address them. I also want to commend City Manager Craig Freeman and his team and Chief Gourley and his department for working so hard these last three years to build trust and consider new ways to approach these issues. The effort is apparent, and the results are real.”
The board is made up of nine voting members, eight of whom are recommended to the Mayor by the Councilperson from each ward. One at-large member is selected by the Mayor and serves as Chair. The board also includes a non-voting Police Department representative selected by the Chief of Police.
Members:Dianna Berry, At-Large Member and Chair
Gregory Grimaud, Ward 1
Nicole Maldonado, Ward 2
Kenny Liles, Ward 3
Jason Brown, Ward 4
Christopher Foshee, Ward 5
Richard Sturt, Ward 6
Nomination Pending, Ward 7
William Teater, Ward 8
The primary mission of the Community Public Safety Advisory Board is to establish and maintain a partnership with Oklahoma City residents by enhancing community trust and confidence through transparency, education, and communication.
Responsibilities
The Community Public Safety Advisory Board’s primary responsibilities includes:
- Reviewing the investigative process and results of completed departmental investigations of formal resident complaints.
- Reviewing the investigative process and results of completed administrative investigations of complaints alleging excessive use of force.
- Reviewing the investigative process and results of any other incidents deemed to be of public concern involving department employees.
- Providing comments, suggestions, and recommendations to the department regarding procedures and rules.
- Providing comments, suggestions, and recommendations to the department chief regarding the department’s procedure for receiving, investigating, and reviewing citizen complaints.
- Convening or attending periodic public forums to establish an exchange with the community.
The creation of the board is considered a best practice in public safety accountability and resident engagement in the U.S.
The Community Public Safety Advisory Board is a product of the Public Safety Partnership and will succeed and build on the work of the former Citizens Advisory Board, which was dissolved in May 2023. The need to transform the Citizens Advisory Board was one of 39 recommendations included in the report received by City Council in March 2022 to enhance public safety for all OKC residents.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your interaction with a police officer, you may file a formal complaint with the Oklahoma City Police Department by completing a Formal Resident Complaint Form.
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