“The public should not be misled into believing Boston has a meaningful process of civilian review, when it does not,’’ according to a letter to Menino signed by four different lawyers’ groups in the city, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. “The city of Boston appears to be content with an agency that exists only on paper.’’
William Sinnott, the mayor’s chief lawyer, said the board plays a crucial role in the relationship between the police and the community.
He said Menino has approved two new candidates to sit on the panel; a third person was approved but dropped out because of work conflicts.
The mayor’s spokeswoman did not provide the names of the new candidates.
“The COOP is in no way defunct . It is expected that the new panel will begin training in the near future,’’ Sinnott said in a statement. “The COOP panel has provided many positive recommendations to the Boston Police Department in the course of its important work.’’
For years, Menino was reluctant to create the board, saying he worried about lawsuits, opposition from police unions, and overly aggressive oversight of officers.
But he reversed course in 2004, after an Emerson College student, Victoria Snelgrove, was shot and killed by an officer who fired a pepper-pellet gun he was not trained to use during a Red Sox celebration.
In March 2007, the mayor formed the panel, but community leaders were skeptical that the group would be effective.
According to his executive order, the panel would review cases but would not have subpoena powers or be able to interview witnesses or those who complained. Panelists were paid $100 an hour, but their pay could not exceed $50,000 a year.
Atkins-Suber, a former state Parole Board member, said she was disappointed with how the board was shaped and had hoped that it would eventually have the same authority as police review boards in other large cities.
“I was hoping just to restore some confidence and some transparency in the process, but there was none of that,’’ she said.
Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said he believes that the internal affairs process did become more transparent.
