Tallahassee commission votes 3-2 to repeal Citizens Police Review Board amid protests and legal questions

Tallahassee — The Tallahassee City Commission voted 3‑2 Wednesday to adopt Ordinance 24‑O‑40, repealing the city’s Citizens Police Review Board, after a contentious public hearing that drew more than a dozen speakers and split the commission along political lines.

Supporters of keeping the board and residents who addressed the commission argued the board provided civilian oversight and helped build community trust; supporters of repeal and city staff said recent state legislation had preempted local boards and created legal risk.

The board’s repeal was presented to the commission by staff as a compliance step after passage of state House Bill 601. “Since the passage and signing of the bill several municipalities have repealed their boards,” staff told commissioners, citing other Florida cities that have taken similar steps. The city attorney and staff recommended repeal to clear an ordinance that city officials said is no longer enforceable.

Opponents of repeal said HB 601 does not compel Tallahassee to abolish the board. “There is nothing in HB 601 that prohibits boards like the CPRB from conducting any of the activities that it did when it was active,” said Adam Flannery, a Tallahassee resident. Madeline Bowman, identifying herself as a staffer for the ACLU but speaking in a personal capacity, said the board’s limited duties — reviewing closed Internal Affairs reports and police policies and making recommendations — were reasonable transparency measures. “Disbanding the CPRB would send a message to our community that law enforcement either has something to hide or that it does not value the input of our constituents,” Bowman said.

Speakers representing community organizations pressed the commission to retain civilian oversight. Delilah Pierre, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, called the vote “a political choice” and said repealing the board would be an abandonment of Black and Brown residents who experience policing disparities. “This is not about what the law is. It is a political choice of our city commission,” Pierre said.

Those urging repeal pointed to a recent court decision from Miami and to the city attorney’s reading of HB 601. Staff described the Miami Civilian Investigative Panel litigation as precedent showing broad board powers can conflict with the new state statute; staff recommended repeal to eliminate confusion between a law on the books and a board the city was not using.

After an extended discussion among commissioners about statutory intent, local authority and free‑speech implications for advisory bodies, Commissioner Porter moved a substitute motion to not adopt the repeal ordinance; that motion failed on a 3‑2 vote. The commission then voted to adopt Ordinance 24‑O‑40. The final roll call on the adoption was three in favor and two opposed: Mayor John Evans Daley, Mayor Pro Tem (mover of the original motion), and Commissioner Richardson voted to adopt; Commissioner Matlow and Commissioner Porter voted in opposition. The ordinance was adopted as read.

City staff and the city attorney discussed the point that Tallahassee’s CPRB had limited duties — review of closed files and recommendations rather than independent investigative powers — and noted that Miami’s panel differed from Tallahassee’s board. The city attorney read portions of the Miami opinion into the record, saying the court there found that a panel’s functions relating to investigation or oversight of police misconduct were preempted by HB 601. Staff said removing the ordinance would avoid a written rule on the books that the city could not or would not enforce.

The public hearing and vote ended with residents urging the commission to find alternative ways to preserve civilian input on policing policy; some said they would continue organizing to seek accountability. The commission did not adopt a substitute measure to preserve a board in a different form at the meeting.

What happens next: Ordinance 24‑O‑40 was adopted and will be codified as repealing the city’s Citizens Police Review Board. Commissioners and community members signaled they may continue seeking avenues for civilian input and review, but no new mechanism was created at the Jan. 15 meeting.

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Votes at a glance: Adoption of Ordinance 24‑O‑40 (repeal of Citizens Police Review Board). Motion: conduct public hearing and adopt Ordinance 24‑O‑40. Mover: Mayor Pro Tem. Second: Commissioner Richardson. Vote: adopted 3‑2 (Yes: Mayor John Evans Daley; Mayor Pro Tem; Commissioner Richardson. No: Commissioner Matlow; Commissioner Porter).