COMMUNITY POLICE ADVISORY REVIEW BOARD

Tucson Code ch. 10A, art. VIII

in effect

Tucson Code § 10A-86 Declaration of policy.

Sec. 10A-86. Declaration of policy. It is the policy of the city to foster and encourage a citizen police partnership in the prevention of crime and to develop and maintain positive communications and mutual understanding and trust between the police and the community. The mayor and council find that the partnership between police and citizens is strongest when citizens are confident that the internal investigation of citizen complaints against the police department is fair and just. The mayor and council further find that such confidence is best achieved by opening the internal investigative process to public review and comment. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97)

Tucson Code § 10A-87 Creation.

Sec. 10A-87. Creation. In order to promote the goals and objectives of the above-stated policy, there is hereby established an entity to be called the “community police advisory review board.” (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-88 Citizen complaints and concerns: powers and duties.

Sec. 10A-88. Citizen complaints and concerns: powers and duties. The community police advisory review board is authorized to: (a) Refer citizens who wish to file complaints against the city police department to the department's office of professional standards or to the office of the independent police auditor. (b) Conduct public outreach to educate the community of the role of the office of professional standards and the office of the independent police auditor in the investigation of complaints against the city police department or one of its officers. (c) Request that the independent police auditor monitor a particular citizen complaint being investigated by the city police department. (d) Request from the city police department a review of completed action taken by the department on a citizen complaint or a review of incidents which create community concern or controversy. (e) Request from the independent police auditor a review of completed action taken by the independent police auditor on a citizen complaint. (f) Review completed investigations of citizen complaints alleging police officer misconduct in order to comment on the fairness and thoroughness of an investigation and to report any concerns regarding the investigation to the chief of police, the independent police auditor, the city manager and/or the mayor and council. (g) Provide comments and recommendations to the chief of police, the independent police auditor, the city manager and/or the mayor and council on the citizen complaint review process. (h) Provide comments and recommendations to the chief of police, the independent police auditor, the city manager and/or mayor and council on police department policy, procedure, and practice. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-89 Community-police partnership: powers and duties.

Sec. 10A-89. Community-police partnership: powers and duties. The community police advisory review board shall have the authority to: (a) Consult with the governing body from time to time as may be required by the mayor and council. (b) Assist the police in achieving a greater understanding of the nature and causes of complex community problems in the area of human relations, with special emphasis on the advancement and improvement of relations between police and community minority groups. (c) Study, examine, and recommend methods, approaches, and techniques to encourage and develop an active citizen police partnership in the prevention of crime. (d) Promote cooperative citizen-police programs and approaches to the solutions of community crime problems, emphasizing the principle that the administration of justice is a responsibility which requires total community involvement. (e) Recommend procedures, programs, and/or legislation to enhance cooperation among citizens of the community and police. (f) Strive to strengthen and ensure, throughout the community, the application of the principle of equal protection under the law for all persons. (g) Consult and cooperate with federal,state, city, and other public agencies, commissions, and committees on matters within the board's charge. (h) At the discretion and express direction of the mayor and council, assume and undertake such other tasks or duties as will facilitate the accomplishment of these goals and objectives, except as hereinafter provided. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-90 Composition, appointment, terms, and attendance.

Sec. 10A-90. Composition, appointment, terms, and attendance. (a) Composition and qualifications. The community police advisory review board shall be composed of ten (10) members. All voting members shall be residents of the city and shall not have ever been convicted of a felony. No voting member shall currently be a peace officer. (b) Appointment. The mayor and each councilmember shall appoint one (1) voting member of the board. Should an appointment not be made within thirty (30) days of when the position becomes available, the appointment can be made by a majority vote of the mayor and council. The city manager, the chief of police, and the police employee's labor representation group, recognized by the city, shall each designate a representative to serve on the board as a continuing ex-officio, nonvoting member. In the event that there is no police employee's labor representation group recognized by the city, the chief of police shall designate one (1) commissioned officer within the department who holds a rank no greater than sergeant to serve on the board as a continuing ex-officio, nonvoting member. (c) Diversity of advisory members. As provided in section 10A-137 the board may appoint up to four (4) additional nonvoting advisory members. The appointment of advisory members shall be made so as to enhance the diversity of the board. Advisory members are required to meet the same qualifications as appointed, voting members. (d) Term. All appointments shall be for four-year terms, except that members appointed by the mayor and each councilmember shall not serve beyond the term of the mayor or councilmember making such appointment. Ex-officio members serve at the pleasure of the individual or group they represent. As per Tucson Code, section 10A-137, the term of advisory members is not to exceed two (2) years. (e) Attendance. A member (to include advisory members) of the board who misses four (4) consecutive meetings for any reason or who fails to attend for any reason at least forty (40) percent of the meetings called in a calendar year is automatically removed as a member of the board. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 9928, § 1, 1-26-04; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-91 Board organization.

Sec. 10A-91. Board organization. The community police advisory review board chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be selected by a majority of those members appointed by the mayor and council. The board shall adopt rules and regulations relating to its powers and duties, may appoint from its members such standing or special committees as determined necessary, and shall meet at such times and places throughout the city as determined by the board. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-92 Reports.

Sec. 10A-92. Reports. The community police advisory review board shall report to the mayor and council annually and shall report to the mayor and council annually and shall submit such additional reports as it deems necessary or as requested by the mayor and council. The board’s annual report shall be filed on or before February 1. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 9928, § 1, 1-26-04; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-93 Limitations of powers.

Sec. 10A-93. Limitations of powers. Neither the community police advisory review board nor any member thereof, except as otherwise authorized by law, shall: (a) Incur city expense or obligate the city in any way without prior authorization of the mayor and council. (b) Except for the chairperson who is the official spokesperson for the board, make any written or oral report of any committee activity to any individual or body other than to the mayor and council. (c) Independently investigate citizen complaints against the police department or individual police officers by questioning witnesses or otherwise. (d) Conduct any activity which might constitute or be construed as a quasi-judicial review of police actions. (e) Conduct any activity which might constitute or be construed as establishment of city policy. (f) Violate the confidentiality of any information related to matters involving pending or forthcoming civil or criminal litigation. (g) Review or comment on the investigation of a citizen complaint where criminal charges are under investigation or pending until the case has reached a final disposition, except in those instances where the police department has determined that the citizen complaint is not related to the investigation or prosecution of the criminal charge against the citizen and has completed action on the citizen complaint and any other criminal charges have reached a final disposition. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 9928, § 1, 1-26-04; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Tucson Code § 10A-94 Training.

Sec. 10A-94. Training. (a) Initial comprehensive training shall be provided to each voting and advisory board member prior to reviewing any cases. Such training shall be mandatory and shall be designed and implemented by the board's training committee, the independent police auditor and the police department. Such training should include, but shall not be limited to, familiarization with: (1) City police department operations; (2) Police review structures and issues; (3) Surveys of citizen concerns; (4) Police training programs; (5) Confidentiality; (6) Citizen participation; (7) History of citizen-police oversight in the United States and Tucson; (8) Race, community relations, and law enforcement; and (9) Police employee organization issues and concerns. (b) After appointment to the board, voting and advisory members are required to pursue forty-eight (48) hours of educational opportunities annually and report these to the chairperson. For purposes of this section, educational opportunities shall be defined as: (1) Ride-alongs (recommended): One (1) ride-along per quarter for a minimum of four (4) hours; (2) Police department's citizen academy; (3) Work on board committees; and (4) Other training directed toward becoming knowledgeable with the procedures and practices of the city police department or otherwise designed to increase the board member's skills in reviewing and evaluating citizen complaints. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 9928, § 1, 1-26-04)

Tucson Code § 10A-95 Cooperation.

Sec. 10A-95. Cooperation. The various city officers and employees are hereby authorized and directed to perform all acts necessary or desirable to give effect to this article. The city manager is hereby authorized and directed to provide or make provisions for such services as are reasonably needed to support the community police advisory review board’s activities. (Ord. No. 8843, § 1, 3-24-97; Ord. No. 11537, § 2, 4-3-18)

Source: City of Tucson, Tucson Code (Charter and General Ordinances) and Unified Development Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tucson/latest/tucson_az/0-0-0-8386Fetched: 10/28/2026