§ 2-2201. Establishment of the Atlanta Citizen Review Board.

(a)

The Atlanta Citizen Review Board (the "board") is established to provide a permanent agency in the City of Atlanta through which:

(1)

Complaints lodged by members of the public regarding alleged abuse of authority, abusive language, appropriate action required, conduct, discrimination, discriminatory reference, failing to provide identification, false arrest, false imprisonment, harassment, retaliation, use of excessive force, serious bodily injury, death and violation of department standard operating procedures which is alleged to be the result of the actions of a sworn employee of the police department or department of corrections, shall be processed, investigated under section 2-2213 of this chapter, and evaluated; and policies of a law enforcement unit may be reviewed.

(2)

The board shall have the jurisdiction to investigate and mediate citizen's complaints with regard to the above described matters.

(3)

Complaints shall be filed in writing and under oath with the board no later than 180 days following the date of the alleged infraction. All complaints filed with the board will be submitted to OPS by the board for their review. There shall be no filing fee and complainants shall be provided any necessary assistance in completing a complaint form.

(4)

Anonymous sources, professing first-hand knowledge of alleged police misconduct. shall be allowed to file complaints anonymously when the complainant requests anonymity based upon a credible belief that the complainant will face prosecution or harassment. The determination of whether the request for anonymity is based upon a credible belief of prosecution or harassment shall be within the reasonable discretion of the executive director. However, all information provided to the board is subject to the Georgia Open Records Act as codified in O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.

(b)

Jurisdiction of the board shall extend only to complaints against police and/or corrections officers with respect to abuse of authority, abusive language, appropriate action required, conduct, discrimination, discriminatory reference, failing to provide identification, false arrest, false imprisonment, harassment, retaliation, use of excessive force, serious bodily injury, death and violation of department standard operating procedures which is alleged to be the result of the actions of employee of the police department or department of corrections defined in section 2-2202 of this chapter and by the law enforcement unit's rules and regulations.

(c)

An explanation of the board's complaint procedures shall be made to all police and corrections officers in a general order to be included in the manual of rules and procedures of a law enforcement unit, and shall be included in the training program for new corrections and police officers.

(d)

Each member of the board shall receive training on the issues of abuse of authority, abusive language, appropriate action required, conduct, discrimination, discriminatory reference, failing to provide identification, false arrest, false imprisonment, harassment, retaliation, use of excessive force, serious bodily injury, death and violation of department standard operating procedures which is alleged to be the result of the actions of an employee of the police department or corrections.

(e)

Board shall be composed of 13 members who represent the diversity of this community, and who reside within the City of Atlanta and who shall be appointed as provided in section 2-2203.

( Ord. No. 2016-05(16-O-1072), § 1, 3-30-16 )