Title: Promoting accountability - Transforming the System Transforming the System
Headings: Promoting accountability
Promoting accountability
Community-based accountability
Political accountability
Civil lawsuits
Criminal Prosecutions
To promote accountability, local, state, and county legislatures should pass legislation that calls for the following:
Civil society, activists, and concerned community members should:

Content: Community-based accountability
Creating an accountable police force starts by implementing policies that make them directly responsible to the people they serve. There are a variety of practices that can increase the collaboration between police and the community. Civilian oversight, both on a policy level and for specific review of complaints and disciplinary measures, creates direct accountability that also provides the opportunity for police to learn from and build a relationship with those they serve. In Berkeley, California, the Police Review Commission holds bi-monthly meetings that are open to the public where representatives of community organizations “voice criticisms, make proposals and introduce resolutions to review or reform specific police policies”. Civilian review boards also keep police accountable when used in a disciplinary fashion. However, communities must work to overcome the practical obstacles to the creation and effective implementation of civilian review boards, namely resistance from police departments. Community representatives and municipalities should work together to create civilian review boards that are independent, transparent, and representative with adequate resources and outreach. Ideally, they should have the power to conduct investigations and hearings, compel police cooperation, determine appropriate disciplinary action, and conduct statistical analysis of infractions. An important aspect of building community trust and keeping police accountable is transparency. Creating clear procedures by which police officers provide information to and are transparent about their practices with the community creates the basis for mutual respect.