The first meeting of East Lansing’s newly-created Independent Police Oversight Commission — created thanks to the hard work of the Study Committee on Independent Police Oversight Commission, which I chaired — was held in November 2021, with the commission meeting monthly. My role concluded with the delivery of the Task Force’s final recommendations to City Council and the successful transition from study and design to enacted city policy.

As described on the Commission’s website: “The purpose of the Commission is to increase accountability of the East Lansing Police Department and strengthen conditions leading to trust in the police department by the community that it is pledged to serve. Because the East Lansing City Council is committed to the goal of racial equity, the Commission will give priority to addressing racial inequities as well as use of force in policing. The Commission will enable members of the community to participate in reviewing and making recommendations about police department policies, practices and procedures, and it will provide means for prompt, impartial and fair review of complaints brought by individuals against police officers or the police department.”

Information about the meetings and commission members can be found here.