Citizens Complaint Review Board

Whereas, citizens of Greensboro want, need, and will support a police department that provides for public safety, crime prevention, and acts within the rule of law; and

Whereas, citizens of Greensboro want and expect police department employees to be racially and ethnically diverse and to be well trained to ensure equal protection of the law for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, immigration status, sexual orientation, or religious orientation; and

Whereas, allegations of Greensboro police unaccountability, unprofessionalism, discrimination, abuse of power, and excessive use of force have been raised for decades and such allegations are currently reflected in the existence of 45 pending lawsuits, several Title VI federal discrimination complaints, and the termination under questionable circumstances of five upstanding police officers; and

Whereas, our State Constitution reads: “All political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government of right originates from the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole;” and

Whereas, citizen police oversight bodies exist in approximately 80% of the large cities in the U.S., including Charlotte, Durham, and Winston-Salem; and

Whereas, it is in the best interest of our city and all people for there to be public confidence in the independence and integrity of investigations and resolution of complaints against employees of the police department;