Fredericksburg Hires Consultant To Review City Police Practices

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The Fredericksburg City Council voted Tuesday to hire a third-party consultant to conduct an independent review of the city’s law enforcement practices and instances of use of force and arrests during demonstrations between May 31 and June 2.

Police Executive Research Forum, based in Washington, D.C., was hired to conduct the review. Fredericksburg worked with Cynthia E. Hudson, a Richmond attorney who is the chair of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s Commission to Examine Racial Inequity in Virginia Law and a former Virginia chief deputy attorney general, to find an independent consult to conduct the review.

The Fredericksburg City Council "has wisely called for a response to address circumstances that are not business as usual,” Hudson said Thursday in a statement.

“They recognize that these unprecedented circumstances require specific and actionable attention," she said. "The community should be proud of the transparent steps the City has taken.”

Police Executive Research Forum was selected to help the Fredericksburg Police Department evaluate its policies, procedures, practices, tactics and training on mass demonstrations and less-lethal force, according to the city.

The consultant's work is expected to cost $125,000, according to scope of work document released by the city. The review is scheduled to take between six and eight months.

The public document approved by the city council states that Fredericksburg is "a close-knit community that was collectively startled by the extraordinary events" that occurred in the city from May 31 through June 2.

"The use of tear gas to disperse the demonstrations on May 31 and the large number of curfew-related arrests on the days that followed were significant actions that have had an impact on the relationships between the City and the public at large," the document says. "An independent, third party review of these events is necessary to enhance public trust, provide transparency, objectively evaluate the City’s response, and identify opportunities for improvement."

On June 23, the city council adopted a three-phase plan for community response to the demonstrations that included, among other action items, a commitment to obtain a third-party review.

The review will be handled by a six-member team from Police Executive Research Forum selected specifically for Fredericksburg that includes two law enforcement professionals, including a certified training expert, and four civilian members specializing in criminology, use of force, research and data analysis, and public policy.

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