RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond city leaders unanimously approved a plan to establish a civilian review board during their meeting Monday night that will investigate police misconduct in the city.
The plan includes a makeup of eight members who will focus on misconduct, in-custody abuse, injuries and death and cases where officers shoot civilians. They will also handle citizen appeals of Richmond Police decisions.
Four of the board members will be appointed by the city council and four members will be appointed by the mayor.
Several speakers at the meeting Monday night said the proposal lacks appropriate oversight power and authority.
"I am honestly surprised I would ever speak in opposition to a CRB, but unfortunately, based on the lack of disciplinary measures that have been put forth with the proposed paper, I am urging you all to take this back just for like one more month," said one citizen. "It's been almost two years. I think it's time to be able to listen to more community input."
Another citizen said, "If the police were capable of policing themselves, then they would have already rooted out patterns of racial abuse. Ordinance 2022-261 is a failure from the start because it does not give ordinary people the power to fundamentally change police policies and procedures."
Only one man spoke in support of the ordinance. Charles Willis, a community activist who founded the nonprofit United Communities Against Crime, said, "I respect the other speakers that feel there are concerns. Please include those concerns, but don't put this paper off another time. Lets move forward with this civilian review board. Time is of the essence and the time is now."
