Citizen Police Review Board Meeting Summary for November 12, 2025
Citizen Police Review Board Meeting Summary for November 12, 2025
The Citizen Police Review Board convened to welcome new and returning members, review the draft annual report, and discuss significant shifts in the Board's authority compared to other Missouri jurisdictions. Key topics included a comparative analysis of oversight powers in Kansas City and Ferguson following the September 2024 state law changes, a response to a Columbia Police Officers Association request regarding a board member's social media activity, and logistical planning for an upcoming closed-session appeal involving accessibility issues.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the agenda as written via motion and second.
- Approved the draft open session minutes from the October 8th meeting via motion and second.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Richard Haram (Assistant Chief, Professional Standards Bureau): Joined the board introductions and confirmed his role overseeing the Professional Standards Bureau.
- Peyton: Expressed strong support for the importance of the board in providing a community voice, emphasizing the value of citizens having a say in police department operations, complaint handling, and interactions with other city boards and utilities.
- Stephanie Coleman: Expressed a position of commitment to ensuring "good policing" and maintaining community trust, highlighting her background in both law enforcement and education.
- Doug Hunt: Outlined his motivation as stemming from long-standing interest in race and justice issues, validated by his participation in the Citizens Police Academy 15 years prior.
- Ed Robinson: Stated his position is to provide a unique perspective due to his 30+ years of law enforcement experience.
- Harry Hastillow: Expressed full alignment with activism and a position seeking a police force that is cooperative, trustworthy, and works seamlessly with the public.
- Steph Yochum (Human Rights Commission Liaison): Expressed an honor in serving, linking her role to her passion for running a free medical clinic and homeless outreach.
Discussion Items
- Annual Report Review: The board reviewed a draft report highlighting board member activities, including class presentations, tours of the Boone County Joint Communications Center, and attendance at the NACOL conference. A question was raised regarding whether the board could include a recommendation to the City Council to restore its previous powers in the annual report.
- Missouri Round Table on Community and Law Enforcement: A discussion followed a review of a round table hosted by the St. Louis Division of Civilian Oversight.
- Speaker Position (Board Member): Expressed significant frustration that the Columbia Board appears to be the only one in Missouri to have voluntarily or involuntarily restricted its powers following the September 3, 2024, state law amendments, specifically regarding the authority to review broad policies and host public meetings on those topics.
- Comparison of Models: The speaker noted that the Kansas City Board (50 years old) and Ferguson Board retain powers to investigate racially biased policing, publish general complaint summaries without names, and maintain informal, off-the-record quarterly meetings with police chiefs. In contrast, the Columbia Chief has expressed discomfort with such informal discussions.
- Community Perspective: Another member agreed that the Kansas City and Ferguson models appear legally sound and functional, suggesting the Columbia Board may have "overstepped" or penalized itself unnecessarily by changing rules that other jurisdictions did not change.
- Response to CPOA Request: The board discussed a letter from the Columbia Police Officers Association requesting the removal of a member who posted about an officer's alleged misconduct on social media.
- Speaker Position (Board Member/Appeal): Expressed the position that the board would be exceeding its authority by recommending removal. The speaker argued that the ordinance requires "persistent failure to perform duties" to justify removal, and a single social media post does not meet this threshold, nor does it violate the specific duties listed in Section 2149 of the ordinance.
- Ethical Guidelines: The speaker noted that the NACOL code of ethics referenced in the letter consists of "aspirational guidelines" rather than specific prohibitions that would justify expulsion.
- Decision Position: The board agreed to take no official action on the removal request and decided to formally communicate this position to the CPOA, with the recusing member's statement included in the public record response.
- Human Rights Commission & NACOL Conference: The liaison reported on insights from the NACOL conference, emphasizing "continuous improvement" over punitive measures. She proposed sharing training documents on investigative practices and use of force with the board. She also discussed a current ordinance interpretation requiring complaintants to attempt mediation before appeal, noting the board plans to rewrite the ordinance to reflect the original intent of the process.
- Future Powers and Restoration: Members discussed the possibility of asking the City Council to rescind the September 2024 motion that stripped the board's powers.
- Speaker Position (Board Member): Expressed belief that the board should formally propose to the City Council to "reconsider" the restrictions, noting that the original vote to restrict powers was close (5-4 against a table motion) and that the council may be more receptive now with new insights from other jurisdictions.
- Strategic Approach: The board considered using the annual report as a vehicle to suggest that a workgroup be formed to evaluate other models before formally requesting power restoration.
- Access to Appeal Materials: Staff reported technical difficulties accessing video and audio evidence for an upcoming appeal via flash drives.
- Logistical Resolution: The board agreed to request an extension for the appeal to allow time to distribute new flash drives or improve the access system (Axios). Plans were made to hold a briefing or work session for members who could not access the materials to ensure a quorum for the December 10th review.
Key Outcomes
- No Motion on Removal: The board collectively decided not to pursue the removal of the board member requested by the CPOA, citing a lack of authority under the current ordinance to remove a member for a single incident. The response to the CPOA will be drafted to reflect this position.
- Annual Report Content: The board agreed to consider including language in the annual report recommending that the City Council reconsider the September 2024 restrictions on the Board's powers and to explore other oversight models.
- Appeal Extension: The board accepted the need to request an extension for the appeal process to resolve technical access issues with evidence materials.
- Special Meeting Contingency: Staff was directed to coordinate with members regarding attendance for the December 10th meeting to ensure a quorum, with the potential for a special meeting if attendance drops.
- Information Access Plan: Staff committed to organizing a proper onboarding and training step for new members to better understand appeal materials and jurisdictional boundaries.
Meeting Transcript
Twenty five meeting of the citizen police review board to order. Um as we have done in the past, we're going to begin with interductions, although I thought this time we might because we've got new members. Um and we in a sense haven't had great opportunities to get to know who we are. Uh begin by as we do the as we do our introduction just explain not just what your position is, but what brought you to the board, perhaps uh what what field you've been working in up till now and and things like that. So Peyton, we'll start with you and we'll just come around the table this way. Um, but to work with this board because I thought ought it'd be a great opportunity for me, and I wholeheartedly agree. I think it's important that people have like a say and how their police department is run and like any complaints that they might have. Uh along with uh the utilities department and sustainability and Sunshine Law and Boards and Commissions and other sorted things. Uh I teach at Mizoo political science, I'm in the Truman School, and I'm happy to be here. This is very exciting. Um my background is in finance and accounting. And I'm I decided to join the board because I was looking for opportunities to volunteer. And I saw this and then I signed up for it. Um not really knowing too much about that's how I do things. So totally understand. Stephanie Coleman, board member. I have been here longer than anyone so far that's on that's here today. I think Steven's the only other one that's been here longer than me. And it was a few months, so what are we, three or four years in, not sure. Um kind of runs together after a while. Uh prior law enforcement background. Uh currently for the last 19 years I've been a teacher here in Columbia Public Schools, and I joined the board uh just because I I want to make sure that we have good policing. That's important. So uh Doug Hunt. Um I'm a retired uh English professor from the university, uh administrator as well to some degree, and I've been interested in policing for some time, partly because I got interested in the sort of race and justice issues in town historically, which were kind of interesting going back very far. Um then um about 15 years ago I went to the Citizens Police Academy and uh spent a little time actually getting a sample of the training that the police officer were given, but also just learning about the department. So that interested me. So when there was a board opening, I think it was back in March of 2023, um, I decided to apply, and that's how I got involved. My name is Ed Robinson. I have uh approximately 30 plus years of law enforcement experience. I worked here at Columbia PD. I'm here because I think I'll get a bit a different thing. Thanks. Uh police officers do. Uh my name's Harry Hastillow. Uh lived in Columbia about 50 years now. Um what brought me to the board essentially is I'm I I like activism. And I thought this would kind of go hand in hand with with what I believe in. Uh and again, trying to make sure that we have a good police force, police force that's uh works with the with the public and uh is cooperative and uh can be trusted and feel trusted. My name is Steph Yochum. I am the human rights commission liaison to this board, so I did not actually apply to be on this board, but I do consider it an honor. Um day job and my passion is I run a small free medical clinic and I do some homeless outreach. And I before that was in the insurance industry, um underwriting and brokering. Um I've been doing homeless outreach and like food activism though for a long time. So that was good and interesting. Um next item uh is approval. Oh, I'm sorry, Richard. I you're so far down there. I didn't even see unintentional. I'm I'm Richard Haram, uh assist in chief with the Columbia Police Department, and I'm over the Professional Standards Bureau.
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