Cambridge City Council Considers Overhauling Police Review Board After Police Murder of Sayed Faisal
The Cambridge City Council’s Public Safety Committee is considering overhauling the Police Review and Advisory Board (PRB) in the wake of the recent police murder of Sayed Faisal.
Faisal, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by police on January 4th, 2023. Police said that they were responding to a call about a man who may be harming himself, and witnesses say that Faisal was unarmed and running away from police when he was shot.
The murder of Faisal has led to protests and calls for justice from the community. City Councilor Quinton Zondervan has proposed that the PRB be given more power to investigate police misconduct and to discipline officers. He has also proposed that the board be elected by the public instead of appointed by the city manager.
The PRB’s current structure was created in 1992. The board is made up of 11 members, who are appointed by the city manager. The board meets quarterly to discuss police-community relations and to review complaints against police officers. However, the board has no power to investigate police misconduct or to discipline officers.
Zondervan’s proposal has been met with mixed reactions. Some community activists have welcomed the proposal, saying that it would give the PRB more power to hold police accountable. Others have expressed concerns that the board would become too politicized if it were elected by the public.
The Public Safety Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Zondervan’s proposal on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023. The committee is expected to vote on the proposal at a later date.
The debate over the PRB is part of a larger conversation about police accountability in Cambridge. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of police misconduct in the city. These cases have led to calls for reform, including the creation of a civilian review board with more power to investigate police misconduct.
The Public Safety Committee’s hearing on Zondervan’s proposal is an opportunity for the city to discuss how to improve police accountability. The committee’s vote on the proposal will be a significant step in determining the future of the PRB and the city’s approach to police reform.
The murder of Sayed Faisal is a tragedy that has shaken the Cambridge community. The city is now at a crossroads, and it must decide how to respond to this tragedy. The Public Safety Committee’s hearing on Zondervan’s proposal is an important step in the city’s journey towards justice for Sayed Faisal and his family.
