The city is now accepting nominations from residents who want to serve as civilian members of the Police Disciplinary Review Board.
This is the first time civilians have been part of the board. “I made this a priority as we worked out a collective bargaining contract with our police. Now the police and administration are taking a big step forward to improve police accountability and transparency,” Mayor Linda Gorton said
Placing civilians on the board was a “high priority for the members of the Mayor’s Commission for Racial Justice and Equality, a high priority for me, and it is a change our police support,” Gorton said.
The Review Board considers substantiated complaints made against officers: cases where the Police Chief has declined to propose sanction(s); or cases where an officer has rejected the Chief's recommended discipline charge(s) and proposed sanction(s). The board’s recommendations are forwarded to the Chief for further action.
Gorton will appoint the two citizen members to the Review Board to two-year terms. She will select a third person to act as an alternate.
To qualify for membership residents must be 21, live in Fayette County throughout their term, and have no felony convictions. They also must have no misdemeanor convictions within the past five years.
Gorton hopes to make those appointments in the next few weeks. Residents interested in serving should go to lexingtonky.gov/joinboards and click on the blue “apply” button, then fill out the form.
