Such systems are great improvements over Portland's. Civilians are more willing to file complaints. Investigations are independently conducted, inspiring public confidence in the outcome. Civilians are better able to provide feedback to police, achieving Community Policing goals. Police are held accountable for their actions. In the next section, we explain how and why these changes result from the improvements in the system we recommend.
III. The Benefits of Effective Civilian Review
a. Better Government
Our system of government is based on the concept of checks and balances. Nationally, there are
three branches of government, independent of one another, each with the power to curtail the
activities of the other. On the state and local levels, similar models are used in order to ensure that
those who represent the interests of
the people do so in accordance with the laws and without abusing the authority they have been
granted.
Police officers, like other government employees, are hired and paid by the citizens of a community. Furthermore, law enforcement officers are given the exclusive right in our society to exercise physical force in requiring citizens to comply with the laws and with their commands. Police establish policies which affect everyone in the community. Yet there are few checks within law enforcement to protect the interests and rights of civilians.
A properly conceived civilian review system acts as a check and balance to the police force. A truly independent body which has the power to review police policies as well as the behavior of individual officers is fundamental to
