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Fairfax County, Virginia <br />Participants from the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department (FCPD) were eager to learn from the <br />round table discussions because they represent an agency in the early stages of setting up civilian review <br />based on recommendations from the Fairfax County Oversight Commission and approved by the Fairfax <br />County Board of Supervisors. Although the FCPD is just getting started, it will be blending the review and <br />auditor models. The auditor will review all investigations related to death and serious injury cases, use of <br />force, and internal affairs investigations and will advise the chief of police and Board of Supervisors of any <br />disagreement with findings in these investigations. <br />Members of the newly appointed Civilian Review Panel will serve three-year terms with a two -term limit. <br />They will review abuse of authority complaints and serious misconduct. Both the auditor and the Civilian <br />Review Panel will issue annual reports to the public concerning their activities and will provide public <br />recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and chief of police on proposed revisions to Fairfax County <br />policies, training, and practice. Further, they will create an online matrix that will list all the items being <br />accomplished based on the oversight commission's 202 recommendations and will show the progress made <br />toward implementation. The matrix will be used as a report card after the first year of operation is completed. <br />Civilian oversight issues <br />The second half of the round table focused on a series of questions about civilian oversight aimed at helping <br />to understand how it worked in communities: objectives, advantages and disadvantages, measures of <br />effectiveness, research gaps, and key points participants thought should be emphasized in the paper. <br />Civilian oversight objectives <br />Round table participants identified what they believed to be important objectives for civilian oversight. <br />• Transparency <br />• Independent investigations <br />• Improving accountability <br />• Improving public trust and legitimacy <br />• Engaging the community <br />• Demystifying police internal affairs investigations <br />Civilian Oversight of the Police in Major Cities 65A-35 <br />