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CRB drafts officer-involved-shooting resolution, seeks notification protocol and expert access
Summary
Board counsel circulated a draft resolution authorizing independent expert review of officer-involved shootings; staff will seek ECC notification and pursue MOUs with the TBI and the district attorney's office.
Board legal counsel presented a draft resolution on officer-involved shootings that would authorize the Community Review Board to request independent expert assessments in addition to existing investigations by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Office of Professional Accountability (OPA).
Attorney Clark and Executive Director Pitcher said the draft sets procedures for after-the-fact review and clarifies the board's limited authority. Clark said the resolution is intended to provide a mechanism for the board to "seek to hear testimony or hear an opinion by an independent expert" when technical questions arise about forensics, use-of-force analysis or toxicology.
Pitcher said notification of critical incidents should follow the MOU's intent and that ECC (East Emergency Communication Center) text or call alerts and formal notice through DBI or other channels could serve as triggers. She said she would set up a notification channel with ECC so the board receives rapid alerts in incidents that meet the MOU's criteria.
On resources, Pitcher reviewed the board's line for outside professional services: the account had been budgeted for professional services and consultants; during the meeting she referenced approximately $76,000 budgeted for professional services and said roughly $70,000 remained. She also said the board had sought $150,000 in a prior budget cycle but received $50,000; Metro Legal covered some outside counsel costs previously.
Board members asked about a prequalified list of experts and options for sourcing them. Attorney Clark said expert needs are case specific (forensic science, toxicology, accident reconstruction, police policy experts) and recommended university contacts and national subject-matter organizations as sources for balanced, independent reviewers.
On interagency agreements, staff said they have begun contact with TBI counsel to draft an MOU addressing officer-involved shootings and expect to meet in the coming weeks. The board also reported the MOU with the district attorney's office remains "in process" and that staff would follow up.
No formal vote was taken at the Jan. 15 meeting; staff and counsel will revise the resolution language to remove unnecessary legal jargon and circulate a final draft for board review and a future vote.
