Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civilian Review Board topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Aurora committee reviews Civilian Review Board map, seeks more applicants
Summary
City staff presented a map showing Civilian Review Board member distribution and explained the ordinance limits appointments to two-to-four members per county-based area; the committee discussed outreach and will consider one prospective appointment at a future meeting.
City staff presented a map of Civilian Review Board membership and described how the board’s appointments are allocated across the portions of Aurora that lie in Kane, Kendall, DuPage and Will counties, the Rules and Administration Procedure Committee heard Feb. 3.
Nicholas Richard Thompson, deputy chief of staff, told the committee that red dots on the map mark current board members and that “at least 2, no more than 4” members may be appointed from each of the three county-based areas defined by the ordinance. He said one applicant has withdrawn, one prospective commissioner lives in Ward 3 (Kendall County) and staff will bring that candidate forward at a future meeting.
Thompson described the Civilian Review Board’s duties and requirements: it meets monthly on the third Thursday, reviews department policies and community complaints, requires background checks, and asks members to complete mandatory training and ride-alongs to better understand police operations. “We want residents to learn more about public safety,” he said, explaining the board grew out of a 2020 initiative to improve police accountability.
Committee members said the map will help with neighborhood outreach and recruiting. One alderman said having the map in advance will allow them to announce vacancies at upcoming community meetings; Thompson said the city’s communications team will publish callouts for boards and commissions and will share those notices with aldermanic offices. He also flagged an upcoming push for the World Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board, which staff said currently has six vacancies and helps oversee the city’s Fiestas Patrias event.
Chairperson Edward J. Bogue thanked staff for the materials, saying, “This map is exactly what we needed,” and the committee agreed the map should spell out “Civilian Review Board (CRB)” before wider distribution. Thompson credited Tim Shields in GIS for preparing the map and said staff will send copies to aldermanic offices so members can begin recruiting from their neighborhoods.
Votes at a glance: The committee approved minutes for file 26-0047 (motion by Alderman Daniel Barreiro; second by Alderman Will White; vote recorded as unanimous, 4–0). Later the committee voted to adjourn (motion by Alderman Will White; second by Alderman Daniel Barreiro; ayes have it).
The committee received the map and discussed recruitment and outreach but took no formal action on appointments; staff said the pending Ward 3 (Kendall County) candidate will be returned to the committee for consideration at the next meeting.
