Columbia Citizens Police Review Board picks new chair, vice chair at meeting
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Citizens Police Review Board elected Reece Ellis as its new chair, and Charyl Miller as its new vice-chair during its Wednesday night meeting.
State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) also addressed the board during the meeting.
The Board was scheduled to have an official discussion about the Columbia Police Department's use-of-force policy during its last meeting. The Board did not review the policies during Wednesday's meeting, though they did hear from CPRB founder Tyson Smith.
Tyson Smith spoke to board members about the board's history, its purpose, and what changes he would like to see.
"People were angry, they were upset, and that was it," Smith said. "People were like done, we're going to do something about it, and that kinda started the notion for the police review board, because what was happening again was people were filling complaints and they were getting tossed."
"So many people worked very hard, people marched. It took years to bring this into existence, and really that the purpose is the bottom line the purpose is to hold the police accountable. And I just wanted to stress that the purpose is not to be friends with the police. The purpose is not to make the police comfortable. If the police are really comfortable, then the board is not doing its job," said Smith.
Board member Rhonda Carlson said that the policies the board was expected to review will continue to be a discussion among board members, but the board wanted to give the public the chance to speak.
The board was also expected to discuss items including police training, discharging guns, chokeholds, weapons, and medical aid. Carlson said these policies are an ongoing agenda item that the board plans to continue to review.
This is the boards first meeting since Chief Geoff Jones announced his retirement.
