The Board of Police Commissioners has launched a new dashboard to provide information about complaints filed against Detroit police officers between 2012 and the present.
The dashboard is intended to provide greater transparency to the public about the board’s investigations into police misconduct after years of intense public scrutiny and confusion over the process and policies that authorize the board to take action against police officers accused of wrongdoing.
There have been 16,377 citizen complaints filed since 2012 and 2,358 remain open today, the dashboard shows.
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Prior to the dashboard’s launch, the BOPC received monthly and weekly reports from the Office of the Chief Investigator providing updates about citizen complaints. Now, the information is readily available to not only the civilian oversight board tasked with holding law enforcement accountable but also the public.
The dashboard tool is “monumental” for the board, according to BOPC Chair Darryl Woods.
“Transparency is the cornerstone of building trust between the community and our public safety institutions,” Woods said. “This tool reflects our commitment to making data accessible and understandable.”
The BOPC demonstrated Wednesday during a press conference how to navigate the dashboard and data portal. The dashboard does not provide details about specific complaints but provides an analysis of all complaints. For example, the public can review the number of citizen complaints that have been filed since 2012, the number of open complaints today, and data related to the allegations as well as the findings of complaint investigations.
It also provides demographic data for both the citizen who filed the complaint and the officer(s) involved, as well as the specific precinct an officer is assigned, which BOPC Civilian Oversight Analyst Mary Barber said “allows a more nuanced analysis of patterns and disparities that may exist.”
After a complaint is submitted and the BOPC determines the allegations are substantiated, the complaint and any relevant information is sent to DPD’s disciplinary division for further action. The board is working with the Detroit Police Department to obtain an update on all sustained allegations and disciplinary actions taken as a result of the board’s oversight, according to Board Member QuanTez Pressley who said the board wants to know what the outcomes of the investigation are.
“I think that’s of utmost importance to our community, to know what was the consequence of the misconduct that we found was sustained through the investigation,” he said.
In conjunction with the new dashboard, the public can also review case-specific information using the city’s open data portal, including the status of their complaint by using the filter option and entering their complaint report number (CCR).
Information provided via the dashboard is collected and updated in near-real-time, while the data available on the city’s data portal will be refreshed every 26 days.
The new dashboard is “a sign that we have listened to the community who have been asking for increased transparency as it relates to civilian oversight,” Pressley said Wednesday. By making the information readily available, Pressley said the board now exceeds national standards in terms of transparency and civilian oversight.
Pressley said the dashboard allows citizens to look at trends, understand outcomes, and engage in the civilian oversight process on a deeper level.
“Our hope is that this dashboard will foster a greater sense of trust between the board and the community, as well as to encourage constructive dialogue,” Pressley said.
The nonprofit Organization of Exonerees, which raises awareness of wrongful convictions, praised the board for the dashboard resource.
“Transparency must be the foundation of any institution entrusted with public safety. By making complaints and investigations accessible, Detroit is raising the standard for accountability and working to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the community. This decision is a significant move toward creating a system that not only upholds justice but actively earns the confidence of the people it serves,” the nonprofit said in a statement Wednesday.
“As exonerees, we know the devastating impact of flawed systems and the urgent need for accountability. Transparency is essential to fostering a safer, fairer, and more equitable justice system. We applaud the Board of Police Commissioners for their commitment to building a better future for Detroit. Together, we can ensure a system that protects, serves, and prioritizes justice for every member of the community.”
The dashboard is a “work in progress,” Barber said, adding that improvements, such as the ability to search for a specific case, are forthcoming. The board welcomes the public’s feedback about the dashboard through the Citizen Complaint Committee, which is chaired by Pressley.
Residents can file a citizen complaint online, in person at any Detroit police department precinct, or by phone at (313) 596-2499.