Monessen eyes accountability policy for police
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
Monessen city council could consider a police accountability and internal affairs policy at next week’s meeting.
“Given the violence everywhere at the moment,” Mayor Matt Shorraw said in a work session last night, “it’s better to be proactive with this. We want to make sure we do cover ourselves.”
Shorraw said police Chief Jim Smith brought the idea up last year and wanted to institute it then.
“I thought now is probably a good time to do this,” Shorraw said.
Solicitor Tim Witt said there will be a police review board that will serve two functions.
“If there is a citizen complaint, it creates a separate board that would investigate it and would give a recommendation to council,” Witt said. “The second function is that it enables an independent committee to review policies and procedures in place. It provides another set of eyes … a chance to get another perspective.”
Witt said most municipalities have three people on such a board. In many cases, one of those people is a citizen appointee and one may be a council member. He does not advise putting any member of the police department on the board.
“It’s up to you who gets appointed,” Witt said. “You could have someone from council on it, I would recommend it. They could serve as a liaison. Oftentimes you want citizen participation.”
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