Community Review Board reaches agreement with MNPD following lengthy negotiations
The board says the agreement will allow them to get through cases quicker.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake signed an agreement between MNPD and The Nashville Community Review Board on Wednesday afternoon.
The memorandum of understanding details how the two agencies will work together.
The Community Review Board gets and reviews complaints of alleged police misconduct. To fully review a case, the board says they need records and footage from MNPD. Prior to this agreement, the board said it would take months to get some of those items.
The executive director of the Board, Jill Fitcheard, said, “The agreement encompasses how we receive records, what a complaint process looks like, the time frames, the timelines, notifications to each party.”
Fitcherd adds, “Before this MOU agreement, it was taking months, I mean months on top of months to get basic body worn camera footage.”
She says that translates to it taking months for the board to review a single case. But now, the board’s requests to MNPD will be prioritized instead of being lumped in with the general public.
“We’ve made some agreements on what we ask for and how we ask for it. We at least get that part and if we need anything additional, we’ll get that and it’ll also be prioritized,” Fitcherd said.
She hopes that will help them get through cases much quicker.
“The reason why we’re here is because people wanted to have some accountability and transparency within the police department, and I think that this process allows them to do that,” She said.
Fitcherd also hopes it will give the general public more options.
“They can file a complaint with us, they can file a complaint with a police department, or they can file it with the precincts or they can go to the Human Relations Commission, so there’s multiple ways,” said Fitcherd. “I think what that does, it gives people options they determine what makes them feel safe.”
This comes after the Community Review Board was restructured, due to state law. The board was previously the Community Oversight Board.
The board approved the MOU at their Monday night meeting.
Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.
