The group that has lead recent protests and issued calls for change against racism and racial inequity in Cedar Rapids say they want to be included in the decision-making process for the establishment of a Citizen Review Board.
The Advocates for Social Justice outlined it's specifications Monday for the citizen review board. The group has eleven of them, including giving the board the power to hire and fire the city's police chief and the power to reprimand police misconduct.
The City of Cedar Rapids decided earlier this month to stop hearing recommendations from the group. However, the city council will meet Tuesday to discuss the public engagement process in creating a citizen review board.
One member of the Advocates for Social Justice says the City is losing valuable time with this process.
“Black Americans in this country cannot afford to wait any longer for the kind of police reforms that we need because this could be the difference between life and death,” said Advocates for Social Justice member Stacey Walker, who also serves as a Linn County supervisor, tells KCRG-TV 9.
As part of their recommendations, the Advocates for Social Justice say the citizen review board should be gender-balanced and made up of 11 members, at least half of whom are people of color and all of whom are residents of Cedar Rapids. Board members would serve three-year terms, with a two-term limit.