Cleveland voters approve new civilian police review board

CLEVELAND (AP) — Voters in Cleveland, whose police department is already under federal court control, has approved a new civilian police review board with powers independent of the mayor’s office.

The vote created a Community Police Commission to oversee the board, which has authority to investigate complaints from the public against officers and to order disciplinary action. Cleveland.com reports that the commission will have broad policy making powers and will operate independently from the mayor’s office.

Supporters say the board approved Tuesday will hold officers accountable for wrongdoing, while opponents say the system runs afoul of labor contracts and other parts of Cleveland’s charter.

The vote came as Cleveland remains under a federal consent decree after the U.S. Justice Department found a pattern of officers using excessive force and violating people’s civil rights.

In approving the board, Cleveland joins Columbus and a number of communities nationally that have created similar civilian review boards in recent years as part of the country’s racial injustice reckoning.