The Bemidji City Council will hold a listening session this evening on a police advisory board.
According to a memo in the city packet, state law indicates that a “civilian review board, commission, or other oversight body shall not have the authority to make a finding of fact or determination regarding a complaint against an officer or impose discipline on an officer.”
The council would like to hear from the public on who should serve on a police advisory board, what its function should be, and the public’s thoughts on an equity committee.
The meeting stems from civil unrest related to the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police Custody. The council set this meeting months ago, with plans to hold the event in person at the Sanford Event Center. Due to rising COVID-19 numbers in Beltrami County, the meeting was moved to be held only online through Cisco WebEx.
More information on the meeting is available on the city’s website, with the city packet here.
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