Third Columbia police review board member resigns this summer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -

A third member of the Columbia Citizens Police Review Board resigned on Monday, delaying the Columbia City Council's attempt to fill two other vacancies.

Mayor Barbara Buffaloe announced at Monday night's council meeting that member Michael Williams had resigned that afternoon. Buffaloe did not mention a reason for the resignation. Williams had served less than a year on the board.

Williams's resignation makes him the third board member to leave the body tasked with giving civilian oversight of the city's police department this summer. Delsie Bonaparte and William Adkins both resigned in July following contentious board meetings between police officials and board members and between board members themselves. Adkins' resignation letter, obtained by ABC 17 News through an open records request, said he hoped his leaving would "spark conversation amongst the City Council on what this board should be and how it should function."

The council agreed to delay a vote on the three vacancies until its Oct. 7 meeting. The council had 12 applicants to consider at its meeting Monday night. Buffaloe said she wanted to address the tension on the board at a later date.

Just two members of the nine-member board, Cheryl Miller and Rhonda Carlson, have a year or more of experience serving on it. Carlson is the most tenured member having been appointed in Feb. 2021, according to previous review board reports.