Enhanced authority sought for board
Lawyers want inactive police oversight panel revitalized
By Maria Cramer Globe Staff / June 22, 2011
A panel established by Mayor Thomas M. Menino four years ago to review allegations of police misconduct has lapsed into inactivity, with no meetings since November and members’ terms expired at least a year. “We have not been doing any work with the program for a number of months,’’ said Ruth Atkins-Suber, one of three original members of the independent oversight body created amid pressure from community groups.
Yesterday, a coalition of civil rights groups called on Menino to increase the authority of the panel, known as the Community Ombudsman Oversight Panel, which they called a failure.
“The public should not be misled into believing Boston has a meaningful process of civilian review, when it does not,’’ according to a letter to Menino signed by four different lawyers’ groups in the city, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. “The city of Boston appears to be content with an agency that exists only on paper.’’
READ THE FULL LETTER HERE:
FULL GLOBE STORY HERE:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/06/22/lawyers_seek_to_revitalize_boston_police_board/
