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Police Review Board <br />Police Review Board <br />2019 ANNUAL REPORT <br />WELCOME MESSAGE <br />Issues relating to law enforcement, and the interaction between the police and those they serve, is in a <br />state of evaluation and evolution across our country, in California, and here in Anaheim. <br />New laws, increased media and public scrutiny, coupled with the persistence of weapons, drugs, gangs <br />and other social challenges on our streets and around our homes, have combined to create a pivotal <br />moment for public safety agencies like the Anaheim Police Department ("APD"). More than ever, the <br />police are being held to high standards of accountability, and community members are seeking more of a <br />voice in police operations. <br />Anaheim's new Police Review Board, or "PRB", is a response to these developments. It reflects the City of <br />Anaheim's commitment to civilian oversight and community involvement. Its formation was the product of <br />considerable study and discussion by the Mayor, City Council, APD, and residents about how an effective <br />review model could and should be formed. <br />The PRB model that resulted from that process is an expansion of an earlier civilian oversight pilot <br />project, the Anaheim Public Safety Board, which met on a quarterly basis from 2014 to 2017. That <br />group of volunteers gave generously of their time and paved the way for the new Board — in part by <br />showing the need for more concrete ways of influencing APD. <br />The new PRB features those increased responsibilities, including timely review of officer -involved <br />shootings and other major incidents, hearing community concerns, and recommending policy changes for <br />consideration by the Anaheim Police Department. By giving Board members increased training on police <br />practices and procedure, and by having them do ride-alongs with APD officers, the City worked to give <br />the new Board a solid foundation to begin its work. And its meetings, which are monthly instead of just <br />four times a year, are designed to provide the public with substantive information about APD while also <br />serving as a forum for direct feedback from residents. <br />Other key features of the PRB include the following: <br />• Board members are drawn by lottery from Anaheim's resident community, and just like our <br />neighbors, we are also served by the Anaheim Police Department. <br />• Board members seek to bring the community closer to its police department by timely <br />reviewing major incidents, hearing from residents, and making recommendations to <br />improve policing in Anaheim. <br />• Board member's views reflect a diversity of perspectives on policing in Anaheim, resulting <br />in frank dialogue and robust sharing of ideas about the future of public safety in <br />Anaheim. The result of our work, discussion and deliberation is reflected in this annual <br />report. <br />Page 5 <br />65D-55 <br />