City revives police oversight board after more than a decade

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Rhode Island police oversight board has been revived after more than 10 years of being inactive.

WPRI-TV reports the Providence External Review Authority met Tuesday in City Hall for the first time since it was established in 2002. The board was revived due to a police reform ordinance called the Providence Community-Police Relations Act that went into effect Jan. 1.

The board will have the authority to investigate complaints in relation to the ordinance, review union contracts and decide if people should be removed from the police department’s gang database.

The board Tuesday elected Alison Eichler as chairwoman and Nick Figueroa as vice chair.

The board will soon start searching for an executive director who will serve a two-year term.

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Information from: WPRI-TV, http://www.wpri.com