Civilian Review of the Police: A National Survey of the 50 Largest Cities, 1991

• NCJ Number: 131582
• Author(s): S Walker; V W Bumphus
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 16 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Nebraska-Omaha
• Sale Source: University of Nebraska - Omaha
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A telephone and mail survey of police departments in the 50 largest cities in the U.S. was used to examine the use of civilian review procedures to handle citizen complaints against the police.

Abstract

The survey found that procedures for civilian review existed in 60 percent of the cities; the response seems to represent a new national consensus on civilian review as an appropriate way of handling complaints. The three classes of civilian review are categorized according to who does the initial investigation of a complaint and who reviews the investigative report and makes a recommendation for action. Most of the current civilian review procedures were established through local ordinance; none of them have any power to impose discipline but can only make recommendations. Unanswered questions for future research include the effectiveness of civilian review, the administration of procedures, and the politics of civilian review. 5 notes and 2 tables