Presented on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 09:00A

During the recent 2020 election cycle, voters throughout the nation authorized measures on Election Day toughening civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies, including some that took years to reach the ballot but grew in urgency after global protests over racial injustice and police brutality. Taking aim at a chronic sore point in many communities, particularly among Black residents, that police departments traditionally have little oversight outside their own internal review systems, which often clear officers of wrongdoing in fatal civilian shootings, many communities have now begun to implement so-called Civilian Review and Accountability Boards that are enabled to review police disciplinary matters, initiate investigations into police complaints and have the power to review reports and investigations into police killings.

But the question remains, are these oversight agencies actually holding police accountable? Are agencies with stronger enforcement abilities more effective than those without? What role should oversight agencies play in decisions related to incidents of excessive force, police hiring, and criminal charging of officers? What mix of expertise and independence can best support a civilian oversight agency?

Civilian oversight agencies help communities have a say in how they are policed, but we need to know more about them and variations in their structure, reach, and effectiveness to enhance law enforcement accountability and reduce police misconduct.