The Oakland Citizens Police Review Board has received official complaints by citizens regarding the events of October 25th and has now opened a formal investigation into what happened. It is very important for us to remain engaged and following this review closely.
The last meeting of the OCPRB was on November 5th, and they were slated to do the following:
9:50 AM CPRB Missions discussion and Commitment to CPRB
10:10 AM CPRB Group Team Building Exercise
10:40 AM T-Shirt Deisgn Review
I kid you not.
Ok that is a bit of a tease it was a Board Retreat on the 5th.
Their next full meeting will be on 11/17. I suggest that members of this community write to the Board constructively with their own personal history if you were actually there as a way to augment their research into the events. Offer to testify if you feel so inclined, or to have sworn affidavits sent if requested, or to share any photos and video you personally have taken. It is very important that we attend these meetings as many as possible to keep the visible presence on the Board. They only meet monthly so this first meeting is critical.
It is equally viable to write to them and express respectfully your desired outcome of their investigations if you weren't there. Blanket assertions about what assholes the cops are will not help the process whatsoever and in fact may make us look less credible.
If our public interactions with the staff and the Board of the OPRB are as reasoned and non violent in their rhetoric as most of us have been on the streets, it will reflect better on us as the investigations and determinations of fact move forward.
I have conducted a review of 5 years of minutes of the CPRB, and in almost every single complaint brought to them the complainant was denied and the complaint was administratively closed.
We must be prepared for some "muddy waters" as this review proceeds. A recent complaint thrown out by the CPRB was resolved this way:
Rational for Administrative Closure - The alleged acts did not involve sworn members of the Oakland Police Department and therefore the CPRB lacks jurisdiction.
This will be the fig leaf to expect, which is why submitting anything you send to the CPRB must also be sent to the local ACLU chapter as well as a CC copy to certify not only that you sent something to the CPRB but also to let the CPRB know you are alerting the ACLU as well that you did so.
There will also be an opportunity for public comment prior to any evidentiary hearing on the complaint. It is imperative that we make a strong showing in chambers at that hearing.
I will conduct a research overview and backgrounders on the current Board members and continue to follow and update this community on matters involving the OPRB in the weeks to come and as this proceeds.
For now, please address correspondence to:
Citizens Police Review Board
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 11th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:21 AM PT: Just contacted the CPRB. Although the scheduled meeting is still set for 11/17, given the latest incidents on the day of the General Strike they may move that up to 11/10 to get things rolling on the investigation side. Will check again tomorrow and update for confirmation of when the full Board will be meeting, agenda, time for public comments, etc.