Bill No. 2012-0402

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize the Citizen Police Review Board for 15 years of responsible and professional service and thanks the members, staff, Executive Director, and solicitor for their commitment to a safe, just, and equitable City; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare May 15, 2012 to be “Citizen Police Review Board Day” in the City of Pittsburgh. SPONSOR(S): WILLIAM PEDUTO AND ALL MEMBERS. A motion was made that this matter be Adopted. The motion carried.

Text of the Proclamation

WHEREAS, Pittsburgh’s Citizen Police Review Board marks its 15 year anniversary in 2012; and

WHEREAS, on May 20, 1997, City voters, via popular referendum, overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the Home Rule Charter creating the independent Citizen Police Review Board and putting in place a new system for investigating complaints related to police conduct; and

WHEREAS, comprised of seven unpaid members, including several law enforcement professionals, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, the Board is designed to serve as an independent arbiter of citizen complaints and a voice for valuable guidance and advice related to police conduct, practices, and policies; and

WHEREAS, the Board provides a voice to members of the community who feel they have been mistreated by police and seeks to be a forum for healing old wounds and rebuilding trust on both sides – between the community and the police and between the police and the community; and

WHEREAS, since the Board’s creation, it has held 141 meetings and taken 2,192 actions on over 10,000 allegations of misconduct.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize the Citizen Police Review Board for 15 years of responsible and professional service and thanks the members, staff, Executive Director, and solicitor for their commitment to a safe, just, and equitable City; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare May 15, 2012 to be “Citizen Police Review Board Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.

Sponsored by Councilman William Peduto
Co-sponsored by Council President Darlene M. Harris and Councilmembers Theresa Kail-Smith, Natalia Rudiak, Bruce A. Kraus, Corey O’Connor, R. Daniel Lavelle, Patrick Dowd, and Rev. Ricky V. Burgess