Here are the members of DeKalb’s first police citizens’ review board

DeKALB - A former city alderman, former DeKalb School District 428 administrator and former member of the city’s Human Relations Commission are among those selected to join the city’s first Citizens’ Review Board, tasked with deliberating over police misconduct cases.

Five DeKalb residents were chosen Monday by an unanimous city council vote, after appointment recommendations were made by DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes. The board will review misconduct cases, including instances of use of force, for officers in the DeKalb Police Department.

The members will be: Justin Carlson, who will serve a one-year term; Maurice McDavid, former Dean of Students at DeKalb High School and former Cortland Elementary School assistant principal, will serve a one-year term. Former fifth ward alderman Kate Noreiko will serve a two-year term; Veronica Origel will serve a two-year term. And John Walker, who formerly sat on the City of DeKalb’s Human Relations Commission and resigned recently to pursue an appointment to the review board, will serve a two-year term.

Ward 3 Alderman Tracy Smith and Ward 6 Alderman Mike Verbic were absent from the meeting.

“Thanks for choosing to serve,” said Barnes to Carlson, who was in the audience during the vote Monday. “That’s fantastic.”

[ It’s official: DeKalb approves citizens’ review board to deliberate over police misconduct cases ]

The review board will have access to police reports, field notes, body and squad car camera footage and more to determine a case.

While the board won’t have policy-making power or final say over disciplinary decisions, city officials reiterated earlier this month that the new Citizens’ Review Board for the DeKalb Police Department is a step in the right direction to public accountability amid a nationwide reckoning on law enforcement rekindled in 2020.

The board will meet at least six times per year, and will be tasked with deliberating over claims that an officer violated the DeKalb Police Department’s “use of force” policies. The board will recommend steps for disciplinary action if necessary, or changes to the department’s training or other relevant procedures. It will be the police chief’s final say whether disciplinary actions are imposed, documents state.