YOU CAN'T REGULATE
A PUNK ATTITUDE
Fairfax County Civilian Review
Panel Sworn in
Inaugural meeting of the Civilian
Review Panel
The nine members of the Civilian
Review Panel marked with *: Gerarda Culipher, Deputy Clerk of the Circuit
Court; Randy Sayles,* Oak Hill; Rhonda VanLowe,* Reston; Kathleen
Davis-Siudut,* Springfield; Adrian Steel,* McLean, chairman of the panel;
Sharon Bulova, chairman of the Board of Supervisors; Judge William Webster;
Supervisor John Cook, chairman of Public Safety Committee; Jean Senseman,*
Lorton; Douglas Kay,* Fairfax; Hollye Doane,* Oakton; Steve Descano,*
Springfield; and Hansel Aguilar,* Fairfax. Photo by Mary Kimm.
Former director of the FBI and
CIA, Judge William Webster addressed inaugural meeting of the Civilian Review
Panel on Monday, March 20 about the importance of civilian oversight.
Judge William Webster and Adrian Steel,
chairman of the inaugural Civilian Review Panel. Steel was special assistant to
Webster at the FBI.
#The nine members of the Fairfax
County Civilian Review Panel were sworn in at the panel’s inaugural meeting on
Monday, March 20.
#Judge William Webster, former
director of the FBI and CIA, spoke on the importance of civilian oversight of
law enforcement. “Civilian oversight is important in a country where we want
people to feel safe,” Webster said. He urged panel members to consider the
promise he made when he joined the FBI: To do what the citizens expect in the
way that the Constitution allows.
#The nine members appointed by
the Board of Supervisors are: Hansel Aguilar, Fairfax; Kathleen Davis-Siudut,
Springfield; Steve Descano, Springfield; Hollye Doane, Oakton; Douglas Kay,
Fairfax; Randy Sayles, Oak Hill; Jean Senseman, Lorton; Adrian Steel, McLean,
chairman; and Rhonda VanLowe, Reston. They were among more than 140 applicants for
the volunteer positions.
#“This is historic,” said Sharon
Bulova, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “The creation of this panel and
the creation of the independent auditor position were two of the primary
recommendations of the Ad Hoc Commission.”
#Bulova appointed the 30-member
Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission in October 2015 in the wake of public
concern after the police shooting death of John Geer in August 2013. The
commission, which included full participation of the Fairfax County Police
Department, made 140 recommendations, most either already implemented or in
process.
#FCPD Police Chief Edwin Roessler
pledged his support to the panel on Monday, saying that it would help “build
upon the trust the public gives us.”
#The Civilian Review Panel will
act as an independent avenue for residents to submit complaints concerning
allegations of abuse of authority or misconduct by a FCPD officer. The panel
will have the authority to request and review completed Police Department
internal administrative investigations regarding a civilian complaint against
an officer. The panel may hold public meetings to review police administrative
investigations and walk through with members of the community how the
investigation was conducted, including findings of fact, evidence collected and
witness statements.
#The Civilian Review Panel will
not address use of force by police that results in serious injury or death;
those will be monitored by the newly hired Police Auditor, Richard G. Schott.