Who's watching the cops?
Durham and Chapel Hill wrestle with how to monitor police
Alleged misdeeds at two local police departments raise the issue: Whose job is it to hold police accountable? Citizens in Durham and Chapel Hill have long been calling for better public oversight of the police in their towns, but the best way to do that is up for debate.
In Durham, reporter Samiha Khanna examines the failures of the Durham Police Department and its lack of responsiveness to the Civilian Police Review Board, charged with monitoring it. DPD investigations have been lost, forgotten or only partially investigated, yet the board has little power to improve the department it's charged with monitoring.
In Chapel Hill, Joe Schwartz reports that many citizens are calling for an external, independent review board to monitor the town's police force. Earlier this year, police stopped Charles Brown—who is African-American—while he was walking home from work and detained him even after officers determined they had the wrong man.
Who's watching the cops? |
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 Power failures: Durham's Civilian Police Review Board |
 Durham Police Department complaints and complaint process |
 Documents and audio related to Durham's Civilian Police Review Board |
 Durham's Civilian Police Review Board members |
 No secrets: Seeking a Chapel Hill Civilian Police Review Board |
 Chapel Hill Police Department complaints and complaint process |
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