The Alexandria City Council voted unanimously on Saturday to approve an ordinance to create an independent community policing review board, which will go into effect July 1.
According to a press release, the board will be able to receive complaints about the Alexandria Police Department from the community, review the police department’s investigations of incidents and complaints and conduct its own independent investigations of incidents and more serious complaints.
It will also be able to make recommendations on policing procedures and policies.
Additionally, the newly adopted ordinance will create an appointed position in the city council, the independent policing auditor/investigator, to staff the review board.
“Today’s adoption of this ordinance is an effort to enhance the trust between our Police Department and our community,” said Mayor Justin Wilson. “This review board will work to provide enhanced citizen oversight and policy input to address racial and social equity in community policing as part of our commitment to ensuring the protection of all Alexandrians.”
The approved ordinance follows a resolution that was adopted last June which expressed the council’s desire to create a community policing review board.
