Policy Panel: Strengthening Law Enforcement through Police Oversight

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

Over the last twenty-five years it has been increasingly common for local governments to respond to tension between the local community and law enforcement by implementing high-profile police oversight agencies, such as citizen review boards, police auditors, and police monitors. While the organizational structure and legal authority of police oversight can vary considerably by jurisdiction, it is commonly assumed that implementing oversight can help reform police organizations and rehabilitate community trust damaged by high profile critical incidents, such as officer-involved shootings or racially biased police practices. Unfortunately, very little social scientific or policy evaluation work has examined the impact of citizen oversight. There is also often very little interchange between academics who study organizational strategies for reducing police misconduct and oversight practitioners who are responsible for implementing/managing police accountability mechanisms. As a result, this panel will bring together both academics and practitioners to discuss the issue of what works in citizen oversight of police. More specifically, the panelists will explore the strengths and weaknesses of different models of citizen oversight, consider the role of independence in effective oversight, and discuss how local policies relating to citizen oversight of police can be enhanced.

Sub Unit

• Policy Panels

Individual Presentations

• Comparing Organizational Goals, Structure, and Legal Authority between Canadian and U.S. Police Oversight Agencies - Richard Rosenthal, Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia

• The Importance of Independence for Effective Police Oversight - Susan Hutson, City of New Orleans

• Key Policy Strategies for Strengthening Law Enforcement Organizations through the Use of Citizen Oversight - Brian Buchner, National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement

• Organizational Structure and Forms of Independence in Citizen Oversight of Police - Joseph De Angelis, University of Idaho

Chair

• Joseph De Angelis, University of Idaho