DeKalb Citizen Police Review Board to change how police participate in meetings

DeKALB – The DeKalb Citizen Police Review Board has decided to limit the involvement of police officers while the panel meets in closed session during its public meetings moving forward.

New recommendations were made at its most recent board meeting, during which no police officers were in attendance.

It came on the heels of remarks made by the board’s chairman, Maurice McDavid, earlier this year, prompted by a recent review of a complaint made by a Georgia man who alleged he’d been mistreated because of his race by DeKalb police.

McDavid said the Feb. 22 board meeting went according to how he expected.

“We still need the expertise of police in terms of understanding the wide variety of policy that exists,” McDavid said. “I think it makes sense that we would still have access to police officers if we need to be able to ask them questions. … I was just excited that we were willing to move forward to not having them as a constant regular part of our closed session. We were able to make some adjustments.”

The complainant, a Black man, filmed a portion of an encounter with DeKalb police Jan. 2 and posted it to YouTube, which later gained traction in local online circles and social media groups. The man later alleged a white DeKalb police officer had mistreated him with racial prejudice.

The Board reviewed the complaint, as it is tasked to do, which included a portion of a public meeting closed to the public. Those sessions are meant to address personnel matters, policy, security procedures and training. Officers who are alleged to have violated police department conduct are not allowed in closed sessions, McDavid said. Rather, a third party police officer sits in to address questions should the Review Board have any. Police officers do not get to offer verbal testimony to the panel in closed session, McDavid said.

McDavid previously told Shaw Local News Network that that discussion spurred him to want to change the way police officers engage with the Review Board during meetings.

[ Chair of DeKalb’s Citizens’ Police Review Board wants less cop involvement ]

McDavid had said he wanted the board to open up discussion on the role of police officers in the board’s deliberations following the review of the Georgia man’s complaint and video.

McDavid said he and Police Chief David Byrd talked logistics prior to board meeting about what the panel needs from members of the police department to best operate.

He said there was a prior-made arrangement not to have police officers around for the meeting.

“Maybe there was an assumption while we were engaged in that discussion,” McDavid said.

Because the Board’s decision concerns how the panel operates, it did not require a formal vote on the matter, officials said.

Board Member Kate Noreiko said she stands behind the board and the decision it ultimately makes.

“I think that the [DeKalb police] commander who has been present has always been careful to just address the question and not intrude in the proceedings but I will also say that I will go with the will of the committee,” Noreiko said. “This is not a line in the sand issue.”

Board member Andre Powell said he supports the board’s new recommendations. Powell also serves on the DeKalb School District 428 school board.

“I think this will eliminate any doubt or any suspicion,” Powell said. “I think [police] just should wait outside if we need them, if we call them in. But for all fairness, it’s not even questionable if you’re on the outside looking in. But we know there’s nothing questionable going on. But I mean, in all fairness, you probably should wait on the outside but still be here accessible if we have a question.”