NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk City Council postponed a vote for a Citizen Review Board, the next step in a nearly two-year journey that started after the killing of George Floyd and a summer of racial justice protests across the nation.
"There is nothing to be scared of if you have nothing to hide," Norfolk City Manager Larry Filer said.
If adopted, the ordinance would give a panel of Norfolk residents the power to oversee citizen claims and allegations of police misconduct, abuse of authority, excessive force and more.
The board would be made up of seven citizens representing each of the seven wards and super wards that make up the city. Members must also be at least 21 years old.
But not everyone would be eligible to serve on the board.
According to the ordinance, as written, members cannot have prior law enforcement experience or have been convicted of a serious crime within the past ten years.
The official criminal history description is as follows: "...not been convicted within the prior ten years for a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for more than one year or a crime that involved proof or admission of a dishonest act or false statement."
"Two most controversial items in determining the board," Filer said.
Other cities like Williamsburg and Virginia Beach have forged ahead with similar programs of their own. Last year, the City of Virginia Beach adopted an independent citizen review panel and granted the body subpoena power.
Filer said this board would serve more as an advisory role and not have that exact legal power, but that members would still have access to every single document and piece of evidence they needed to review cases.
“We don’t feel subpoena power is necessary for this board to see all the evidence. The chief and I have said from day one, every single piece of evidence will be seen by this group. In many ways it makes this point mute," Filer said.
While the board could make a recommendation for actions to be taken in a particular case or allegation, ultimately, the police chief would make the final decision.
Filer also said the intent of the board is to become a community resource for individuals who don't feel like they can take complaints directly to the police department's internal affairs division.
“Hiring practices, training, community engagement, it's much broader than disciplinary actions," Filer said.
While a cost is incurred to staff and maintain the board, an exact dollar amount is unclear at this time, according to Filer.
The City Council ultimately moved the vote to a later date.