INDIANAPOLIS — Next week, Indianapolis' Citizen Police Complaint Board will launch their transparency portal, making it accessible for everyone to see which IMPD officers have had complaints against them.
Right now, to access information from the CPCB you would have to file a public records request but starting on October 1, that information will be available at the click of a button.
"We are a civilian participating board which also does include that of members of IMPD where we actually go in and review various filed complaints from citizens here within the city," said Ashley Gurvitz, a member of the CCPB.
Gurvitz said they review about six to eight complaints a month.
"Our overall objective altogether is to make sure we are fair and impartial so that way no matter what, we feel wholeheartedly assuring that there is no wrongdoing with either party," said Gurvitz.
To access the information, if an officer has any sustained complaints against them, you currently have to file a public records request.
On October 1, the information will be available on the IMPD Transparency Portal, something councilor Paul Annee the minority whip has concerns about.
Annee's grandfather served as the police chief in the late 80s and created the board nearly 30 years ago. He says he isn't opposed to change, but members need to keep officer safety in mind.
"One of my biggest concerns was are officers going to be outed, if you will, are their names and badge numbers on this portal if you know it, it's not adjudicated if the complaint is not sustained," said Annee.
As of August 10, according to the City-County Council, the director of the board will provide a monthly report of all citizen complaints against IMPD officers on the city and county website. The information will include the officer's name, rank, and whether the complaint was not sustained, sustained, exonerated, or withdrawn.
"This is not at all means of trying to heighten or make any security concerns for officers it is simply a way of assuring while there are a number of FOIA so those are the freedom of information act requests that are filed monthly this is just one step of providing extra transparency as to what officers currently have the complaints if it's been sustained not sustained or exonerated and this is something that I believe is a good step again for helping provide that transparency that we are really trying to buy for as a city," said Gurvitz.
The IMPD Transparency Portal will go live on October 1 and will be accessible on the city and county websites.
