The Durham Civilian Police Review Board, which was involved in the city’s tightening of the police department and protocol, is looking for new members.
There are nine members on the board; the terms of five expire this year.
Applicants must be 21 and have lived inside the Durham City limits for the past three years. Applicants should also be up-to-date on any property taxes, including those assessed on cars. People who have been convicted of a felony, or pleaded no contest to a felony charge, are not eligible; neither are those who have been convicted of a A1, 1 or 2 level misdemeanor within the last three years.
Board members serve a four-year term. The city manager appoints the members, who, under a new policy, are then confirmed by the City Council.
Community members, particularly in minority neighborhoods, and social justice advocates have criticized CPRB for its lack of enforcement and investigatory powers. The board is limited to scrutinizing how the DPD’s Professional Standards Division investigates citizen complaints against officers; it cannot investigate the complaints themselves.
Applications are available online or at City Hall. [pdf-2]
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