Mount Vernon — The Virginia Citizens Coalition for Police Accountability, Inc. is a statewide pro-police citizens advocacy group with its primary goal being to make Virginia a better and safer place for all its citizens. In Fairfax County, the CCPA has proposed that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appoint a Citizen Complaint Oversight Board to investigate citizen allegations of police abuse, misconduct, negligence and civil rights violations and report its findings and recommendations to the Chief of Police.
In August 2010, Supervisor Gerald “Gerry” Hyland appointed a Mount Vernon District Visioning Task Force to develop a 25-year vision of the district by taking stock of what we have, what we need, what we should preserve, and what we should change. I was privileged to be appointed to the Public Safety Committee of the task force with others which included members of the Fairfax County Police Department. Among the recommendations made to Gerry was “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in consultation with the Chief of Police should study whether or not it is necessary to create an independent review board to address any citizen allegations of police misconduct. The board, if implemented, would report its findings to the Chief of Police for consideration.” Unfortunately, he ignored his committee’s recommendation.
In the U.S. today, there are nearly 150 such independent Citizen Complaint Oversight Boards in cities and counties with a population similar to Fairfax County including our nearby neighbors of Prince George’s County, Md., and Washington, D.C. Time has proven these boards have contributed to a better community/police relationship. The voice of the people has been heard in the existing bards and this has added to a greater respect for their law enforcement agencies — and has led to more accountability and transparency from the police.
In a recent poll taken in the Mount Vernon District by a local newspaper, citizens overwhelmingly favored giving people a voice. One respondent stated: “It is definitely a very American idea allowing the people to have more of a voice.”
It was probably best said by RADM USN (Retired) Ronald E. Narmi in his letter to the editor of the Mount Vernon Gazette which said: “Failure to implement such a citizen oversight board will continue to fester and seriously erode public confidence in the police.”
It is interesting to note there are 85 boards, authorities and commissions that have been appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. They address nearly every aspect of community living with the exception of public safety.
The question is: “Why does Gerry, the chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee not promote and support a Citizen Complaint Oversight Board appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to investigate citizen allegations of police abuse, misconduct, negligence, civil rights violations and report its findings and recommendations to the Chief of Police?”
The time has come to put an end to “The Police Policing the Police.”
The citizens of the Mount Vernon District and all of Fairfax County deserve an answer from Gerry.
Nicholas R. Beltrante
Executive Director
Citizens Coalition for Police Accountability, Inc.