WASHINGTON — After six months of meetings and testimony, a panel tasked with reviewing the practices of the Fairfax County Police Department has made 142 recommendations, including the use of police body cameras and the establishment of a Citizens Review Panel.
The Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission was created by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova in March, and released its final report Tuesday.
Among the recommendations by the five subcommittees:
- The Communications Subcommittee called for quicker and fuller release of information on cases — what it termed “a predisposition to disclose rather than withhold information” — as well as an overhaul of the department’s public information office.
- An emphasis on diversity in recruiting and stronger vetting of police officers, which the Diversity, Recruitment and Vetting Subcommittee called “a key component to embracing a mindset in building communities or trust and legitimacy.” Key recommendations include a referral incentive and reimbursement of educational expenses for police cadets who won’t become full-time officers. The subcommittee also recommended a longer process for vetting new officers, as well as maintaining salary and benefits levels to keep a diverse workforce.
- The Mental Health and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Subcommittee recommended establishing the Memphis Model for CIT training, which trains officers to act as first responders in a mental-health crisis. The subcommittee also recommended the establishment of dedicated mental health units and a mental-health docket in the courts.
- The Use of Force Subcommittee’s recommendations include the required use of body cameras by the police; a policy on vehicle pursuits based on the crime involved and the threat to the public, and public reporting on all uses of force and in-custody deaths, including demographic information. It added that officers have “a duty to intervene if an officer sees another officer using excessive force.”
- The Independent Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, along with the civilian review panel, called for the establishment of an Office of Independent Auditor. It recommended that the Board of Supervisors ask for reports from the commonwealth’s attorney when an investigation of an officer results in no charges.
The 40-member commission “was formed because of … frustrations with the Police Department,” the report says. “An urgent call for change was expressed and heard. This report contains recommendations that, if implemented, will bring needed change to Fairfax County and the Fairfax County Police Department and eliminate the current crisis of confidence.”
The full report is here:
The final report of the Ad Hoc Committee
