By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The city may establish a seven-member commission of residents to review instances of police use of force and internal investigations into complaints against officers.
The City Council’s Code and Regulation Committee voted on Monday to approve an ordinance that would establish a Civilian Oversight Board. The measure heads to the full City Council in one week.
Aside from its review of complaints filed by residents, the board would be tasked with working with the Rockford Police Department to identify areas of needed improvement.
City officials say the board is part of a continued effort to build trust and transparency around policing. Its one of several changes spurred by conversations around social and racial justice after the May 2020 killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, which led to protests here and across the country.
Those conversations already led to the use of body cameras for all Rockford police officers, increased training and changes to the department’s use-of-force policy, city officials said.
“We asked our community for ways we could improve. They told us and we listened,” Mayor Tom McNamara said in a news release. “The Citizen Oversight Board will help the RPD improve transparency and build trust by demonstrating to the community how well they review their own officers, which includes automatic internal investigations of all serious uses of force.”
If approved by City Council, McNamara would be responsible for appointing the seven members to the board. His selections would require approval by the City Council.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.