VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The City of Virginia Beach's Citizen Review Panel Task Force wants additional public input on the city's police department.
City council appointed the task force to study and provide recommendations about civilian oversight of police. The group has held two public comment meetings so far, hearing from nearly 25 citizens, and hopes to get more feedback through an online survey.
"The City Council appointed this task force to help it make decisions on serious issues involving police accountability and oversight, and we want to include as many voices as possible to help us formulate the recommendations that are best for Virginia Beach," said task force chair Sean Monteiro.
The survey focuses on the following primary issues the task force is charged with assessing:
- The difference between investigatory power and subpoena power, and whether investigatory power can be utilized without subpoena power;
- The purpose and designation of a budget for the citizen's review panel;
- The impact of a citizen's review panel on the Police Department;
- Identifying the best model that the City of Virginia Beach should adopt, and;
- Other pertinent topics regarding the development of the citizens review panel.
Recommendations will then be given to the city council.
Virginia Beach has had a civilian Investigation Review Panel (IRP) since 1991. The task force is studying whether and to what extent a different model would better serve the city, its citizens and the Virginia Beach Police Department. It expects to submit recommendations by the end of the month.
You can take the survey here.
