Resource Center

Stories

The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast.

These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need.

Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:



Search results for "police review board" ...

  • Who's Watching the Cops?

    This article looks into the usefulness of civilian oversight of the police and allegations against them due to excessive force are handled by two towns in the area of coverage. Additionally, everyone agrees public oversight of the police is necessary, but not sure if it the most effective. Further, the public oversight group only has so much power and is often left without taking corrective action.

    Tags: law enforcement; civilian; Durham; Chapel Hill; Police Review Board; volunteers; police department

    By Samiha Khanna; Joe Schwartz

    Independent Weekly (Durham, N.C.)

    2009

  • Panel lacks bite, critics say

    Gross reports that "communities nationwide are demanding greater police accountability and are forming oversight or review boards, which provide an independent, citizen perspective on complaints against police." One of those boards that had been created is the one in Canton, but according to the report this board may not be successful for lack of professional staff to do the work.

    Tags: Police; Review Board; Internal Affairs; antidiscrimination agreement; Justice Department

    By Andale Gross

    Beacon Journal (Akron

    2001

  • Policing the Police

    Southern Exposure looks at the issue of police brutality and looks at two reports from Tennessee. It asks "as reports of abuse skyrocket, how do we hold the authorities accountable?"

    Tags: police; police abuse; police brutality; police review board; Tennesse; Knoxville; Chattanooga

    By Rick Held

    Southern Exposure Magazine

    2000

  • Fatal Fire: Flawed Justice

    A Miami Herald investigation "found Miami police have engaged in dozens of shootings over the last 12 years that may have violated department policy, raising serious questions about how diligently top commanders moved to curb a pattern of potentially unwarranted gunfire."

    Tags: Miami police; police shootings; unwarranted gunfire; Firearms review board

    By Joseph Tanfani;David Kidwell;Jason Corotto;Jacquee Petchel

    Miami Herald

    2002

  • The Blue Wall

    Davis reports on how independent community oversight could make police more accountable, as this has been done in Canada, Britain and South Africa. The story discusses optional types of citizen review boards that could restrain the use of excessive police force.

    Tags: brutality; violence; accountability; government; criminal justice; public interest; human rights

    By Marcia Davis

    Emerge Magazine

    1997

  • Crossing the thin blue line

    Washington City Paper investigates cases of excessive use of police force on civilians, and exposes cops with credibility problems. The story focuses on Lt. Keith Perry of the D.C. Police, known "as an overly aggressive cop who sometimes tiptoed on the line between a clean arrest and a shitkicking." The reporter reveals an incident, in which Perry has beaten a drug deal suspect in the head with a baton. Two police officers under Perry reported their superior for alleged brutality. He only took sick leave and continued to get his salary after the incident, the City Paper reports. The article includes statistics on excessive force use from 1994 to 1999.

    Tags: 6th district; crack; drugs; heroin; cocain; alcohol; arrests; investigation; litigation; attorneys; violence; Civil Complaint Review Board; abuse

    By Jason Cherkis

    City Paper (Washington, D.C.)

    2001

  • Don't Talk to the Humans: The Crackdown on Social Science Research

    Lingua Franca investigates a problem spreading across universities across the country: "the unwarranted and intrusive policing of social science research by human-subject committees." Christopher Shea outlines the problems social scientists have getting their research proposals passed by university review boards. Historians, anthropologists, even journalists are required to present their proposals to these review boards. These review boards were originally set up to prevent researchers from performing disturbing experiments like Stanley Milgram's famous "fatal shock" experiment in the mid-1970s. However, Shea points out, the concerns of the review boards often do not make sense in the context of historical or media research.

    Tags: research; social sciences; institutional review boards; IRBs; human-subject

    By Christopher Shea

    Lingua Franca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.)

    2000

  • NYPD Strip Searches

    WNYC-AM/FM reports that "Despite a court ruling outlawing the practice, there is evidence that the New York City Police Department is continuing to illegally strip search New Yorkers who are arrested for misdemeanors. ... Four Fordham University students who were strip searched after jumping a subway turnstile, and ... dozens of lawsuits for illegal strip searches. "

    Tags: AUDIO TAPE TRANSCRIPT reasonable suspicion probable cause internal affairs Civil Complaints Review Board

    By Andrea Bernstein

    WNYC

    1999

  • No title (id: 8624)

    City Paper (Washington, D.C.) details the tribulations of the woman in charge of the Washington, D.C. Civilian Complaint Review Board, the agency charged with handling complaints of police brutality and misconduct; tells of her battles with Mayor Marion Barry and her dismissal by new Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, March 27, 1992.

    Tags: None

    By None

    City Paper (Washington, D.C.)

    1992

  • No title (id: 7971)

    City Paper (Washington, D.C.) reports on the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which is designed to address complaints against the D.C. police department; finds that the system is meant to fail, with no police officers being disciplined, June 28, 1991.

    Tags: None

    By None

    City Paper (Washington, D.C.)

    1991