The City of Spokane and the Spokane Police Department have launched a process to determine the best citizen review model for the SPD. Two public forums on the topic have been set for February to seek input from Spokane citizens.

"The need for a new way to provide for citizen review of complaints against the Police Department has been an issue since I started as chief last fall," says Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick. "Through this process, we expect to develop a proposal that is the best fit for Spokane."

The City has hired Sam Pailca, who has served as the Director of the Office of Professional Accountability for the Seattle Police Department for the last six years, to facilitate the process and make a recommendation. In addition to overseeing the classification and investigation of almost 1,000 misconduct complaints annually, Pailca also advises the Seattle Police Chief, Mayor, and City Council on accountability reforms and conducts community outreach.

The public forums will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the lower level of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., and on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook. The Feb. 7 meeting also will be taped for replay on CityCable 5, the City of Spokane's government access cable station found on Channel 5 on the Comcast cable system.

In addition to those forums, Pailca will meet with the City Council's Public Safety Committee, members of the Police Advisory Committee and the current Citizens Review Commission, Police employee representatives, and others interested in this issue.

Chief Kirkpatrick says she expects a proposal to be developed for consideration by the City Council in March.