After weeks of talks, the Decatur City Council approved an independent third-party review of the city’s police department.
The council approved hiring Green Research and Technology to conduct that review of the department’s policies and procedures at Monday night’s meeting. Decatur City Council President Jacob Ladner proposed the effort back in May.
The review looks to provide transparency and improve the effectiveness of the Decatur Police Department. More specifically, the company will observe the overall culture inside the police department and look into the creation of a citizen review board. The company plans to review body camera footage and internal affairs procedures. Based on these, the company will offer suggestions on how the department can improve operations, responses, and its relationship with the community.
The police review is expected to take about 750 hours with a completion by Jan. 1.
The signing of the contract by the city council is expected sometime Tuesday.
