FORT MYERS | Citizen’s Police Review Board looking to fill seats

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Citizen’s Police Review Board is looking for volunteers.

“We help police the police,” board chair, Steven Cestero-Brown said.

He calls the council the “eyes and ears” of people living in Fort Myers.

“We look at all of those cases that may have cause for distress among the community,” Cestero-Brown said.

The board investigates the Fort Myers Police Department. Cases pass through internal affairs, to the police chief, and then to the Citizen’s Police Review Board. Its members look at evidence like body camera footage and review police reports.

“If we don’t have quorum which is 5 people, we can’t have a meeting. We then have to reschedule it, and that has caused for us to have 40 or 50 cases to look at in one day,” Cestero-Brown said.

With 9 seats total and 6 currently filled, 3 chairs are open, and some have been for a while.

One of them has been vacant for two years, one of them for three years, and one of them for one.

“The council person vets them and brings them forward to the city council and they can be appointed,” Cestero-Brown said.

The board is working to fill these spots so it can manage case load faster.

“We’re that line of defense, to work with the police to ensure that any issues of concern to the people or citizens of Fort Myers, were able potentially to look at them,” he said.

If you’re looking to apply, you can email your ward’s council person to begin the process.