City of Kalamazoo - October 13, 2026 Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeal Board

Updated about 2 hours ago

Inspector Charles Mason, with the Kalamazoo Public Safety Office of Professional Standards, presents the PCR report, noting that most complaints were unfounded or exonerated, with only mishandling of prisoner property sustained. There is a significant discussion on how bias is determined in investigations and the diversity of the investigation team. Chief Victor Green emphasizes the importance of the Citizens Review Board in ensuring thorough investigations and announces upcoming implicit bias training. Additionally, the board reviews the audit of the license plate reader system, discussing the flagged searches and the measures in place to prevent misuse. The meeting also covers updates on police recruitment and community engagement initiatives.

Chapters

Call to Order (00:00:45)
The meeting of the Kalamazoo Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeal Board is officially called to order at 6:00 PM.

The chairperson officially starts the meeting of the Kalamazoo Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeal Review Board by calling it to order at 6:00 PM.
Roll Call (00:00:56)
Roll call is conducted, noting members present and excused. Members include Jason Allen, Ashley Huber, Ebony Hemphill, Barbara Hamilton-Miller, Regina Miller, Teresa Thrash, and Tamara Sturdivant.

Roll call is conducted to establish the presence of members. Jason Allen, Ashley Huber, Ebony Hemphill, Barbara Hamilton-Miller, Regina Miller, Teresa Thrash, and Tamara Sturdivant are present. Christopher Caldwell and Susan Stapleton are excused.
Approval of Minutes (00:01:53)
The minutes from the previous meeting are reviewed and approved by the board members.

A motion is made to adopt the minutes from the last month's meeting. The motion is seconded and carried with a unanimous 'aye' from the board members. The minutes are officially accepted.
Office of Professional Standards Report (00:02:17)
KDPS Inspector Charles Mason presents the PCR report and discusses the progress of investigations into complaints, including issues of racial profiling and harassment.

KDPS Inspector Charles Mason presents the PCR report to the board, detailing the number of complaints received and their resolutions. He explains the thorough investigation process, including the review of body-worn camera footage and incident reports. The discussion includes questions about racial profiling and bias, with Inspector Mason explaining the criteria for determining the outcome of complaints.
License Plate Reader Audit (00:06:35)
Inspector Mason reports on the audit of the license plate reader system, detailing the number of searches conducted and the agencies that shared access to the system.

Inspector Mason provides a detailed report on the license plate reader audit, covering the period of July to September. He lists the agencies that have access to the system and explains the criteria for flagging searches for potential abuse. The report includes statistics on the number of searches and addresses issues with search reason entries being blank.
Chief's Update (00:12:12)
Chief Green gives updates on department activities, including recruitment, training, and victim advocacy efforts.

Chief Green provides updates on various department activities. He discusses the recruitment process for new officers and the involvement of the board in interviews. He mentions the upcoming implicit bias training and the role of victim advocates in recent homicide cases. Chief Green invites the board to participate in the training sessions and offers a tour of the renovated facilities.
Public Comments (00:21:03)
The floor is opened for public comments, but no calls or in-person comments are recorded during this session.

The chair opens the floor for public comments, inviting speakers both in-person and via phone to provide input. Despite the opportunity, no public comments are recorded during this session. The board encourages those with concerns to provide contact information for follow-up.
Adjournment (00:31:18)
The meeting is adjourned following a motion and vote by the board members.

A motion is made to adjourn the meeting, which is seconded and carried by the board members. The meeting is officially adjourned following a unanimous vote in favor.