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1. What is the difference between the Independent Police Auditor and the Civilian Review Board?

The City’s hybrid police oversight system establishes distinct roles for the independent police auditor and the civilian review board.  In short, the Independent Police Auditor is a fully staffed office that is the main intake point for complaints against EPD; the Auditor also participates in and monitors the investigations to ensure the process is fair and thorough. The Civilian Review Board is a group of seven volunteers who meet monthly to review closed investigations and to assess how the Independent Police Auditor and Internal Affairs handled the complaint.

2. What are the qualifications for serving on the CRB?

Members of the civilian review board shall be volunteers appointed by the city council, who immediately prior to appointment shall be:

1. A resident of the city;
2. Of the age of 18 years or older; and
3. Able to pass a background investigation consistent with investigations conducted for other city

   volunteers who have similar access to police records and/or facilities. 

The following characteristics shall be considered by the city council when appointing members to the

civilian review board:

1. A demonstrated ability to be fair, impartial and unbiased;
2. An absence of any real or perceived bias, prejudice or conflict of interest;
3. A record of community involvement;
4. An ability to build working relationships and communicate effectively with diverse groups; and
5. A demonstrated commitment to the purpose of sections 2.240 through 2.246 and 2.450 through 2.456.

3. Where can I apply to serve on the CRB?

The City of Eugene Boards and Commissions recruitment usually opens in March every year. Once applications are received, the Mayor and Independent Police Auditor convene a subcommittee to review applications and make recommendations to City Council. Council meets in June to appoint new members for all COE boards and commissions. 

Applications can be submitted here: https://www.eugene-or.gov/86/Boards-and-Commissions

4. Are CRB meetings open to the public?

Yes! We encourage anyone interested in the civilian oversight process to attend our meetings whether in person or virtually. There is a public comment period at the start of each meeting should you wish to share an experience, question, or concern. 

5. How can I attend CRB meetings?

The CRB meets on the second Tuesday of most months from 5:30-8pm. The hybrid public meetings can be attended in person at 101 East Broadway, Suite 230, or virtually via Zoom. Please check our website every month, follow our social media, or sign up through City of Eugene's Stay Connected and subscribe to the Civilian Review Board to receive details about the next scheduled meeting.

6. How does the CRB choose which cases to review?

CRB members receive a report every month listing all the closed investigations completed the previous month. CRB members can share their interest to review a particular case with the Chair and Vice-Chair, who meet regularly with IPA staff to identify which cases and training topics to select for future meetings. 

7. How can I request that CRB review my case during one of their meetings?

People who have been involved in closed cases may request review of their case by: (1) emailing Auditor staff – Auditor staff will forward the request to CRB leadership, or (2) requesting review in the public comment portion of a CRB meeting.

8. Why can't CRB members disclose the names of officers and complainants during their case reviews?

Oregon Public Records Laws prohibit us from disclosing the names of involved individuals. Despite this limitation, we strive to be as transparent as possible about the process.  We include a case summary prior to discussion of the investigation, and we will refer to involved individuals as Officer A, Supervisor B, Reporting Party (RP), etc…

9. Why don’t CRB members discuss discipline received by the officer(s) when reviewing a case?

The central reason for this is that Eugene’s oversight system was not set up for civilian input or oversight over disciplinary decisions.  Our oversight system does not have a mechanism for Auditor input into disciplinary decisions.  As the CRB is intended to review the work of the Auditor and Internal Affairs, that review does not include disciplinary decisions.