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Applications available for proposed Citizens Review Board

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Washington residents interested in sitting on a proposed Citizens Review Board for the Washington City Police Department are now able to fill out an application, which is posted on the city’s website.

Those interested must live within the city, be 18 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalency, and have no felonies pending or on their record. The deadline to apply is April 8, according to Mayor Scott Putnam.

“If you don’t give people a date, people will wait and not get these in,” Putnam said. “At this point we’re just gauging interest, so we will review those applications that come in late. We don’t have to, but we’re just gauging interest.”

A review board has been discussed among city officials since last summer, when NAACP chapter President Andrew Goudy approached council with concerns and a proposal for a police oversight committee. He said he believes two weeks will be enough time to find enough applicants.

“I told the mayor we should have a minimum of about two weeks,” he said. “If it seems like time is going to be an issue, I can reach out to the mayor to see if they can extend that a little bit.”

Goudy, Putnam, Washington police Chief Robert Wilson, and the Fraternal Order of Police union president would sit on the board along with seven Washington residents, whom they hope to find through the application process. According to the proposal, residents would serve a four-year, unpaid term.

Board members will need to attend 15 weeks of training in a civilian academy operated through the Pittsburgh Police Academy, which educates the public on police training and tactics. Putnam said the training would educate committee members on how police are trained to conduct arrests, and thus could assist the committee should they receive related complaints.

The application states that any 2021 classes would be virtual, but that travel to Pittsburgh may be required for members of the proposed board.

“Are you willing to travel up to 15 weeks, certain nights of the week to Pittsburgh, for schooling to serve on this Board?” the application asks.

The application includes questions like how long the applicant has lived in the city, employment and whether they’ve ever worked for a law enforcement agency, as an officer or civilian. It also asks if the applicant is involved in any community volunteerism, what their interests and hobbies are and why they are interested in being on the board.

Other questions on the application pertain to potential conflicts of interest, such as whether the applicant or a family member owns a company doing business with the city or if the applicant has any “contract or matter pending” with the city.

Goudy said Monday that he plans to share the application with the executive committee of the NAACP to assist in the search for applicants.

“I know the members of our executive committee are in contact with a lot of people in our community,” he said. “We’re busy trying to get the word out to everybody.”

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