Montgomery could vote on police review board by June

For nearly three years, Montgomery leaders have been divided over the idea of a civilian review board that would investigate police actions. Now, a city council vote on the proposal could be weeks away and people are speaking out.

Six Montgomery residents at last week's council meeting spoke in favor of instating such a board. Another public hearing was scheduled for the May 16 council meeting.

Tabitha Isner, the vice chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Alabama, said several events have caused Montgomery residents to lose trust in the police. She named the killing of Greg Gunn in 2016, the decision to move Officer Aaron Cody Smith's trial to Ozark and the killing of Bernard Whitehurst in 1975. Isner said a move toward a civilian review board is a move toward trust.

“Trust happens when people speak honestly to one another," Isner said Tuesday. "... It takes a lot to rebuild trust."

Mayor Steven Reed first put forward the idea of creating a civilian review board after the George Floyd police protests of 2020. But Montgomery City Councilman Glen Pruitt said he wanted to "get to the other side of (the pandemic) and get back to normal" first. It never reached the agenda for discussion.

Reed announced at his state of the city address Jan. 31 that he would bring the proposal back to the city council this month.

“I think it’s important that we have it," he said. "I thought so then, and I think so now."

At Tuesday's city council meeting, members chose to push the issue to the next meeting, but President Pro Tem CC Calhoun does not expect to have a vote on the issue until June.

Council President Charles Jinright noted that City Attorney Stacy Bellinger has asked some legitimate questions about how the legality of the board will work, and Jinright said he will need time to review those. He further added that the public hearing May 16 will likely bring up more issues that the council will need to evaluate.

Calhoun is tweaking the part of the proposal that governs whether the civilian review board will have open meetings. He said the issue is that the board will be discussing the name and good character of officers, who may have done no wrong.

City Councilman Oronde Mitchell is in favor of the issue. “I support what my constituents support," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said he has gotten numerous calls from District 6 residents in favor of a civilian review board.

At Tuesday's public hearing on the civilian review board, community member Zack Buckner said that having the board would add credibility to police investigations. The board could also keep the public informed about the police department, he said.

“They can defend the police," Buckner said. "They can support the police at the same time."

South Alliance President Angela Exford also supported the idea and voiced her respect for police officers.

"To the men and women in blue I appreciate everyday that you put that uniform on to protect and serve the citizens of Montgomery," Exford said.

Joe Pernell said the civilian review board help could undo missteps that the police department has taken.

"The history of this department is not one that we all relish," Pernell said. "For generations it has been said that the police department only serve one part of the community even with the change in mayors, the change in leadership, even with the change in gender or the people wearing the uniform. Superficial change is good but core change is even better. This citizen review board would be an opportunity to garner and to try to reestablish the trust of the community within the police department."

Frederick Spight, the police director for Alabama Appleseed, said he thinks the civilian review board would create transparency.

William Boyd applauded the mayor for the proposal but said that Black people need something in place to assure them of their safety with police, as Reed will not always be mayor.

The idea should be "to let Black people know, to those who have been beaten, those who have been killed," to offer them some comfort in their trust in the police, Boyd said.

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Montgomery could vote on police review board by June