American lawyer and Aurora University Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Marcia K. Thompson, is eager to impart her decades-long experience in civilian oversight of law enforcement.
Scheduled as one of the presenters for the inaugural Oliver Clarke Memorial Lecture on 'Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement' set for March 26, Thompson --- who began her career as a federal hearing officer
for the Department of Justice in the United States --- said she's most "looking forward to learning and sharing best practices that we all can integrate and replicate as appropriate with others in our respective countries."
The lecture, which is organised by the Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA), will be held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. Regional oversight bodies, as well as local law enforcement representatives are expected to be in attendance.
In lauding the relevance of law enforcement oversight in maintaining accountability for police forces, the North American legal eagle proffered: "when an oversight agency is integrated into the accountability mechanisms with independent, consistent and accurate data sharing, there is a more positive perception of transparency, which in turn, helps with trust building between communities and the police."
The Illinois-based academic was a former Ombudsperson on Capitol Hill (Washington DC) and collaborated with human resources, legal, compliance, and organisational leaders across the Capitol to address and resolve concerns with policies, process, and procedures.
Speaking in an interview last week, Thompson pinpointed the measurable impact that leads to improved policing service where oversight is in place."Cities such as Washington, D.C, Denver in Colorado and New Orleans in Louisiana that have integrated mediation programs for community complaints have shown improvement with police and community perceptions of oversight, one another and trust building," she explained. Of other trickle-down benefits in relation to policing oversight, Thompson added: "in some states or cities where there are statutes around sharing and data access, it helps to outline expectations on information sharing and can contribute to more harmonious workflows, output and community/police expectations."
With just a week to go until her flight touches down on the Jamaican tarmac, Thompson shared that high on her to-do list "working with the Jamaican people in the justice and community spaces, and enjoying delicious food."
Joining Thompson on stage as the Memorial Lecture's second presenter is the Chief of Police for Seattle, Washington, Dr. Shon Barnes.
A recognised leader in the United States in crime reduction and community-police relations, Chief Barnes previously served in Madison, Wisconsin as that city's police chief. He was the director of training and professional development for the Civilian Office of Accountability in Chicago, Illinois. A champion of neighbourhood-oriented policing with an emphasis on smaller police beat responses and community engagement, Barnes' introduction to the police force came in 2000 as a patrol officer in Greensboro Police Department in North Carolina. He is also a council member on the National Police Institute’s Council on Policing Reforms and Race, a nonpartisan initiative dedicated to using research and evidence to address pressing issues in police reform.
Both Thompson and Barnes are expected to provide recommendations on strengthening oversight mechanisms to enhance public trust and national security.
