Ask the Candidates: Police Review

The question of whether a citizen review board should be created to investigate complaints against the Columbia Police Department has been debated frequently over the years. The department has hired a consultant to review its internal review policies and make recommendations. Here are the council candidates’ stances on whether a citizen review board is a good idea.

Mayoral candidates

Darwin Hindman said he believes civilian input is necessary, but he is unsure what form it should take. A police review board is a loosely defined term, Hindman said. He thinks the consultant’s review of police procedures is a good step.

“The police are a public safety, just like the fire department,” he said. “You don’t want a politicized fire department where they go out and try to make decisions on what fires to put out based on political decisions. You want it done on a purely professional basis.”

John Clark “strongly” supports establishing a citizens review board to investigate complaints about police and to make recommendations about department policies and procedures, according to a March 12 news release. He recommends adopting a proposal offered last year by the Boone County Concerned Citizens, which he said would move the city back toward “real community policing.” The department’s internal reviews of complaints, he said, “will not suffice to provide public confidence.”

Third Ward candidates

Karl Skala said that although he doesn’t suspect any wrongdoing within the police department, he supports the creation of an objective board that would look into possible problems.

“A civilian review board, just like the military has, is a good idea,” he said.

Gary Kespohl supports a limited citizen review board. The proposal offered to the council would grant a citizen review of every complaint, but Kespohl would limit citizen reviews to complaints of inappropriate behavior by officers.

“I am not sure the police have the time or staff to sit with every citizen over every complaint,” Kespohl said. “The difference is a matter of policy. I am not opposed to the idea, but I don’t like the way it is written.”

Fourth Ward candidates

Mike Holden said he has one question: “How well does our police department handle investigation of its own officers?” That’s why he’ll wait for the consultant’s report before making a decision.

“If our city police department is doing an above-average job investigating and handling police misconduct complaints, then I would not be in favor of a citizen review board being established,” he said. But if the report indicates the police department is not sufficiently investigating officers, “then of course the review board makes much more sense for our community.”

Jerry Wade said the matter is one that should have been dealt with years ago. Although he has no specific stance, he said he believes “there should be fair and clear methods of redress for people who believe they have been unjustly treated.”

Whatever is done needs to be done right the first time, Wade said.