‘Our citizens can be objective’: How McNamara will select new Civilian Oversight Board members

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our newsletter

ROCKFORD — Mayor Tom McNamara said it will be a monthslong process to select, vet and train the seven members of the city’s new Civilian Oversight Board.

The board, which City Council members voted along party lines last week to create, is intended to provide additional public oversight to police uses of force and complaints against officers. It would release its findings to the public in written reports intended to bolster transparency and accountability for police.

Before that work begins, it will be the mayor’s role to pick the board members and present them to the City Council for approval. He said the city will put a call out for applications in roughly 20 days.

“We believe we’ll get a large response,” McNamara said Friday.

More City Council news: Summer youth program aims to help kids affected by trauma, violence

One of the criticisms of the board by the four Republicans who voted against its formation was that McNamara would be hard-pressed to find truly objective members.

McNamara said he will review candidates social media for potential bias. After an initial slate of candidates is pared down, city administration, Police Chief Carla Redd and council members would have follow up conversations to vet the potential members.

“Our citizens can be objective,” McNamara said. “I have a lot of faith in Rockfordians and I have a lot of faith in 14 council members. The four that had concerns will also have that opportunity to review them and call them.”

The application period is expected to last 30 to 60 days, and the council would have 30 days after McNamara makes his selections to decide whether to confirm the appointments.

More city news: Industrial site on Broadway, 8 residential properties to be razed in Rockford

Once the board members are selected, they’ll undergo extensive training before they initiate any reviews, McNamara said.

That training will include Rockford Police Department policy and procedures, laws related to use of force, deescalation techniques, scenario based observation training, ridealongs and other training on laws related to interactions between police and the public, according to the ordinance council members approved.

It’s unclear how often the group could be called into duty.

“We want people who are professional people who can handle themselves in a thoughtful and meaningful manner to help improve us as an organization, not play gotcha on either side,” McNamara said.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.