Jax Daily

GOP Chairman weighs in on civilian review board proposal

Fri, Jan 30, 2009 by Austin Cassidy

Earlier this week, Times-Union columnist Ron Littlepage wrote a column calling for the creation of a civilian review board for office involved shootings. Littlepage argues that a civilian review board is the only way to ensure that the process isn’t “tainted” by the notion that the police would unfairly protect other police officers during these investigations.

Littlepage writes…

It would be better to already have in place a review process that’s not tainted with the idea - fairly or unfairly - that the police are protecting fellow officers.

If not a civilian review board, what?

Would adding one or two civilians to the current review process work?

Would it be better to involve the U.S. Department of Justice in questionable shootings?

Is there something else that would be better?

The Times-Union reported that of the 28 people police shot last year, 23 were black.

Understandably that has raised concerns among some African-Americans.

Eddie Staton, one of the founders of the anticrime group MAD DADS, said during the TV-7 program that something needs to be done to instill trust in the police in many African-American neighborhoods.

Once again, if not a civilian review board, what?

Today, Lenny Curry, the Chairman of the Duval Republican Party, published the following letter in response to Mr. Littlepage’s column…

The public is frustrated by the violence that is plaguing the streets of our city. Every day, innocent citizens are targeted by a vicious criminal element that has no regard for human life.

Officer-involved shootings are an unfortunate byproduct of the lawless actions perpetrated by these criminal thugs.

The role of the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office is to provide protection for our children, our families and our property. They stand alone against violent criminals.

Creating a civilian review board, as suggested in Ron Littlepage’s recent column, will not help to curb the violence.

Duval County’s existing review process, which is already open to the public, is significantly more transparent than the process adopted by most other counties.

Ultimately, it is up to all of us to do our part in this fight to protect our families and preserve our communities. Education must be our most urgent priority and will be a key issue in local elections until the Jacksonville crime rate is contained.

Each of us should work to assist our elected officials and law enforcement in educating young men as to the personal dangers of getting involved with gangs and carrying weapons illegally.

Littlepage’s proposal would needlessly and irresponsibly inject politics into a system that is working. Members of the Republican Party of Duval County believe in the ability of our elected officials to determine fair public policy.

We wholeheartedly support our sheriff and the JSO as they work to make Jacksonville’s neighborhoods safe for all of our children.

LENNY CURRY,
chairman,
Republican Party
of Duval County