Mayor Martin Walsh last week announced the appointment of professor Natashia Tidwell, J. Larry Mayes and Judge Regina Quinlan to the Community Ombudsman Oversight Panel and Complaint Mediation Program. The appointed three-member civilian board reviews Boston Police Department internal investigations of alleged police misconduct. The appointments are for a three-year term.
“Police-community relations are the backbone of public safety in our neighborhoods, where trust drives outcomes. The CO-OP board creates a mechanism for external review of complaints against police,” Walsh said in a Mayor’s Office press release. “Professor Tidwell, Mr. Mayes, and Judge Quinlan, have proven track records in law enforcement, criminal justice, and community leadership, and will be reliable assets to this review process.”
The CO-OP’s function is to be an outside, unbiased party that reviews completed BPD Internal Affairs investigations and appealed investigations for thoroughness and fairness. The members have access to all investigation materials related to the case they are reviewing, but do not have the power to subpoena police officials or witnesses. If a case requires clarification, the panel can send an inquiry to Internal Affairs to request additional investigation.
If after taking that step the CO-OP disagrees with an Internal Affairs decision, a recommendation is made to the Police Commissioner, who then makes a decision. The CO-OP reviews a random sampling of cases and appeals that are non-sustained, exonerated, or unfounded, including those involving allegations of serious misconduct and justified use of force, according to the Mayor’s office. Complainants can seek a CO-OP review up to 14 days after receiving a decision from Internal Affairs.
The panel also periodically reviews policies and procedures of the internal affairs process and its integrity, and produces an annual report to the mayor and the police commissioner documenting cases reviewed and outcomes. The CO-OP panel was established by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in 2007.
Last year, there were 500 complaints against officers filed with IAD. The CO-OP board reviewed 30 of the Internal Affairs decisions.
