Cedar Rapids review board replacement must maintain trust

A majority of Cedar Rapids City Council members voted this week to eliminate the city’s citizen police review board.

The council’s decision came in response to a new state law banning such boards in cities across the state, including Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Ames, Dubuque and Iowa City, where a board was formed in 1997 in response to the police shooting of Eric Shaw.

The misguided, shortsighted abolition of review boards was pushed to passage by Republicans who argued the boards stir up trouble for police and attract media attention to officers’ conduct.

So, the question for Cedar Rapids is, “Now what?”

“We do want to assure the council and the public that we are actively exploring alternatives which meet the needs of the community and the police department,” Community Development Director Jennifer Pratt told the council.

What that alternative will be is, for now, unknown. City leaders must take the time to get it right and not break faith with racial justice advocates who pushed for a board in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.

The review board facilitated important communication between police and citizens while providing input on policies and handling resident complaints. The Cedar Rapids committee lacked the authority to discipline officers.

A significant amount of work and tough negotiations led to the creation of the committee in 2021, ensuring that both police and civilians had a say in the structure of the review board.

Now, Cedar Rapids faces the task of devising an alternative that still informs citizens and allows them to provide input.

Advocates for Social Justice, who pushed for the creation of the review board, believe parts of the city code that set out the board structure and duties could be salvaged, according to ASJ’s president and state Rep. Angel Ramirez.

For instance, pieces of the policy that allow citizens to review police department policies and data released quarterly could be salvaged.

Ramirez argues that deleting the whole review board city code chapter would “over-comply” with the law. However, ASJ is committed to developing new policies that promote community policing.

The city should take some time to figure out what communities across the state and country are doing to move forward. This isn't a situation unique to Cedar Rapids and cooperation is possible.

In Iowa City, the police review board voted unanimously to establish a “Chief Advisory Board,” which its backers hope will foster greater community involvement not barred by law. That could be a model for Cedar Rapids to consider.

“Regardless of the approach Cedar Rapids takes, building meaningful community connections and maintaining trust remain essential. Saying the state has tied your hands won’t be enough. City leaders must urgently and transparently devise a new model — one that preserves community input, oversight and trust.”

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette. com