RTM Meeting: 2021 Brings Police Department Review Board; Zoom Culture Growing Pains

Tonight’s Representative Town Meeting, RTM, was riddled with Zoom etiquette questions amidst a discussion about a proposed Police Department Review Board Ordinance, which brought “more public comments than we usually see” according to RTM Moderator Velma Heller, District 9.

The sole item on the first meeting of 2021’s agenda was the first reading of the Police Department Review Board Ordinance, which comes after a year of national public outcry for police reform, Connecticut’s passing of the Police Accountability Bill, and a requested of the RTM by at least 20 resident electors.

According to RTM documents, the new Police Department Review Board will consist of five elected members, and will review, investigate, and give recommendations regarding complaints of Westport police officer misconduct, in addition to reviewing all commendations for annual awards, and assisting in the hiring process for new officers.

When investigating a complaint from the public, the board will be permitted to take testimony from witnesses, issue subpoenas, and is permitted to request a police officer’s presence at meetings of which they are the subject of a complaint, “provided that no such WPD officer shall be compelled to testify in the event his or her Fifth Amendment right is implicated.”

The Review Board will aim to make all recommendations to the Chief within 60 days of receiving a complaint, at which point the Chief has two weeks to make a decision regarding actions to be taken against the employee in question, including a written description of the action taken, and the rationale for such actions. The Review Board process does not prevent the Chief from terminating or suspending an officer, if warranted. All complaints will be filed contemporaneously to both the Westport Police Department and the Westport Police Department Review Board.

Westport resident Jason Stiber, who was speaking live in the Zoom meeting, publicly commented on the current review panel, describing his displeasure with the structure - being a panel of citizens appointed by First Selectman Jim Marpe - amongst other concerns. Stiber cited national movements that claim that these types of review boards should not be connected to the municipality’s Mayor or First Selectman, and should instead be independent in order to allow transparency and the ability to out-live the selectman’s term.

Stiber has been a leader in organizing an independent Westport Police Department review system, with his point echoed by three others during the public comment period. Stiber gained national attention when he fought the Westport Police Department over a $300 citation that claimed he had been driving while talking on a phone. After 10 months in court, spending more money than the original $300, headlines read “Justice is served: deep-fried and in a paper sleeve” as the Washington Post reported his winning the case.

Later on in the meeting, Stiber claimed that a specific public comment was not being read aloud, as required, which was ultimately found to be caused by the sender using an incorrect email address, and rectified by Deputy Moderator Jeff Wieser, District 4. Wieser did his best to efficiently read all public comments aloud while being timed for the regulatory 3 minutes by Seth Braunstein, District 6.

Kristan Hamlin, District 4, made her opinion clear that no member of the public should have their comments ignored due to a technical difficulty, a sentiment echoed by both the Moderator and Deputy Moderator. However the frustration and confusion over the public commenting system was evident in both RTM members and the public, with Assistant Westport Town Attorney Eileen Flug often lending guidance on how to navigate the uncharted virtual waters.

RTM members ended the meeting by discussing better ways to share information with the public, including District 8 member Wendy Batteau’s suggestion of a website to store information regarding certain agenda items like the new Police Department Review Board, and District 7 member Jack Klinge’s offer to read all letters slower and off-record so they can be better understood by members.

While celebrating the first meeting of 2021 socially-distant in their own homes, the 36 RTM members, who represent 9 districts, continued to adapt to and overcome the challenges transcending the new year throughout their virtual testament to local democracy.

Next month’s meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 2nd, virtually.