To the Editor:
I am a member and participant with the UU Church in Reston’s Social Justice Committee who has been closely watching the activities of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors as it adopts provisions for the establishment of an “Independent Police Auditor”.
On Sept. 8, Supervisor Cathy Hudgins held a Community Forum at the Church in Reston where we heard how the Ad Hoc Commission Oversight Recommendation established an Independent Auditor. The purpose of establishing an independent auditor was to review death or serious injury cases and use of force cases that are subject to a citizen’s complaint. The Auditor was to participate and monitor IAB investigations of such cases and determine the thoroughness, completeness, accuracy, objectivity and impartiality of each investigation and issue a public report. During each investigation the Auditor has the authority to request additional investigation or conduct its own investigation.
As you may know, the BOS staff put out a draft Action for the Sept. 20 Board Agenda Item just before the Sept. 13 BOS meeting of the Public Safety Committee. After the meeting, the staff put out a revised Action-15 document that included a few more amendments not in the draft action.
After reading the revised Action-15 document, the UU CR SJC put together this letter to Supervisor John Cook and the rest of the BOS. The UUCR SJC expressed our concern and we do not agree with the amendments that severely limit the powers and the independence of the “Independent Police Auditor.” It will constitute a significant departure from the intended purpose of the Commission’s recommendations for the independence of the Office of Independent Police Auditor. The revised Action–15 document has excised key revisions to the Commission’s recommendations that essentially guts the independence and the effective administration of the IA. The Letter concludes that the BOS should adopt the unanimous recommendations of the Ad Hoc Commission without amendment.
The UUCR Social Justice Committee spent time in the text of the letter to assessing the deficiencies of the amendments of the revised Action–15 document before this response letter was signed by Lee Norrgard, the Chair of the UUCR SJC.
Steve Ewart, UUCR SJC
Reston