Community Representation and Police Accountability

Representatives Provide Link Between Independent Investigation Team and Community
Posted on 05/18/2021
Independent Investigation Team Community Representative. Picture of police car.

The City of Burien and Burien Police Department are seeking people to serve as Community Representatives on an Independent Investigation Team for Burien.

The goal of an IIT is to improve accountability and increase trust between law enforcement and the community when investigating police use of deadly force. IITs conduct investigations in the same manner as a criminal investigation. They work completely independently of any involved agency's administrative investigation.

The non-law enforcement Community Representatives are vital links between the IIT, the community, and the investigation. Community Representatives will take part in the vetting, interviewing, and selection of the IIT investigators that will be part of the team. Community Representatives will also review conflict of interest statements, are present at briefings for the involved agency’s chief or sheriff, have access to the completed investigation file, and review all proposed media press releases.

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