Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement in Portland

The Police Citizen Review Subcommittee (PCRS) is soliciting feedback from the public on its proposed recommendations for a revised structure for a police oversight body.

For further questions, contact pcrs@portlandmaine.gov

Background of Current Structure:

● The structure of Portland’s Police Citizen Review Subcommittee only allows review of completed Internal Affairs (IA) investigations of complaints brought by citizens.
● The Subcommittee’s voting is limited to whether the investigation by the IA sergeant was done in a thorough, timely, objective, and fair manner.
● The Subcommittee does not have any say in the result of the investigation (ex: the Committee does not have the power to say whether the officer involved was found to have done something outside of the standard operating procedures and if so, what type of discipline should be imposed).

The Subcommittee is currently considering proposing the creation of a new oversight body that includes best practices of other police oversight committees around the nation.

The survey below includes a set of possible changes for a new oversight body that the Subcommittee has been discussing. The PCRS would like to hear from the community members on these proposals. Please limit your responses to the space provided. Please know that your response may be considered a public record.