KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The City of Kalamazoo is granting more oversight to its Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeals Board (CPSRAB), MLive reported Wednesday.
During a closed session Tuesday, the board discussed changes that could be made to its practices, voting to expand how it handles complaints filed against the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS).
The move comes following protests in Kalamazoo over the death of George Floyd, which drew criticism over police use of tear gas against demonstrators. Because of those incidents, an outside investigator has been brought in to review the tactics deployed.
According to MLive, the board will now be able to perform the following tasks:
- Monthly review of all citizen complaint investigations
- Monthly review of KDPS use of force incident report
- Quarterly review of benchmark analytics – officer behavior indicators
- Assist in independent review of KDPS policies and procedures
- Receive citizen complaints at CPSRAB Public Meetings
Representatives told MLive that the changes had been approved by the City Manager’s office.
Going forward, the board will review all complaints filed against the department, as well as any instances involving the use of force, to help determine whether policing policies can be improved.
The board will also be able to review questionable behavior patterns by each officer and whether or not any need to be addressed.
Officials add that this is only one step to improving community policing, and further structural changes may happen later.
