VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach is taking the final step to installing a new level of police accountability in Virginia Beach.
That next move happened during Tuesday night's city council meeting — dissolve the existing Investigation Review Panel (IRP) to make way for an 11-person board that will look at investigations of misconduct and abuses of authority within law enforcement agencies.
"We’re excited that we’re doing something and we’re not sitting still," said NAACP Virginia Beach Branch President Dr. Eric Majette.
The IRP has been working in Virginia Beach since the early 90s and was kept in place until the Independent Citizen Review Board (ICRB) was fully ready to go.
In 2020 and 2021, conversations of increased accountability were reignited, paving the way for the creation of the ICRB in 2021.
Sean Monteiro acted as the Citizen’s Review Panel Task Force chair as that team worked out the details of what this board would be and who should serve.
"I know it took a bit of time to occur, but honestly things of this nature need to be done right, and not be done 'right now,' so it’s gratifying almost two and a half years later to see the fruits of our labor," he said.
City staff say the members selected represent the demographic diversity of the city and have undergone more than 50 hours in police operations and review board operations. They also hired a Board Liaison at the beginning of January.
Monterio said he’s impressed with the board members he met, but he also knows the work does not stop here.
"It was not going to be the perfect solution. It was going to something that is going to have to evolve as it goes along, but instantly what it goes and brings is transparency, the ability to communicate with the citizens and then a very clear pathway for somebody to engage on any sort of complaints that they may have with the police department."
The new board also has subpoena power, something the IRP did not have.
Majette said he’s looking forward to seeing what the ICRB will accomplish.
"I hope it will be able to identify some of those areas in the local police department that needs to be identified that needs to change and number two I hope that it will also allow the system to not allow police officers to abuse the system with their rights and their power when it comes to arresting citizens."
He said this change is all about transparency and engaging citizens.
"Put police officers in a position where they will protect and serve our citizens, everyone with dignity and respect without violating their moral and civil rights," he said. "But also give recognition to those police officers that are doing their job."
A spokesperson for the Virginia Beach Police Department says this change will have no impact on their operations.
With the move to dissolve the former panel Tuesday night, the city said they are ready to implement the Independent Citizen Review Board by Feb. 1.