Police Board Steering Unit Established

A five-member steering I mittee was chosen last night to I meet with Mayor Robert J. I ris on the establishment of a I civilian pólice review board. It was the first line of positive I action to come from a four-hour I meeting of about 50 citizens at I Canterbury House. The meeting I was called by Dennis Sinclair who said he became concerned with the structure of pólice investigatory procedures after the May 9 arrest and striking of Human Relations Commission staff member Raymond Chauncey by an Ann Arbor Pólice officer. The officer has since resigned from the force. The steering committee will consist of Prof. Robert Beyer of the University zoology department, Prof. Joseph FalkI son of the school of public health, Art Knighton, Connie Jansens and Elizabeth Converse. , The civilian pólice review I 1 board appeared to be the most I popular suggestion made during I last night's discussion. Other I ideas included intense human relations training and tighter I screening of pólice department I applicants, and the short-term I hiring of citizens by HRC to be posted in key bars or neighborhoods to observe pólice acüons toward black people. HRC Director David Cowley told those attending that studies have shown that no citizens review board for pólice in other I cities has satisfied the black I community. In almost all ïnI stances they support the pólice. I "This could depend largely on I who gets appointed to them of I course," he said. Cowley personally supports I the hiring of two or three black I attorneys to be stationed full I time at the pólice station, free I to go anywhere ia the departI ment to determine mistreatment I to black arrestees. The attorI neys also would screen pólice I charges against citizens to de, termine if they are valid, and A be involved in any subsequent r investigations.