Detroit’s Police Oversight Board Launches Dashboard to Boost Transparency and Accountability

Transparency has often been a cornerstone demand from communities seeking accountability in law enforcement. Detroit’s Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) has taken a step forward with the launch of a new dashboard aimed at illuminating complaints filed against Detroit police officers from 2012 to the present. This move signals a response to years of public scrutiny and a recognition of the need for clear and accessible oversight data. Since 2012, a total of 16,377 citizen complaints have been filed against Detroit police officers. As of now, 2,358 of those complaints remain open. Before the dashboard’s creation, information about complaints was shared through monthly and weekly reports to the BOPC by the Office of the Chief Investigator. This limited access left many community members questioning the transparency and efficiency of the oversight process. With this new tool, the public gains direct access to data previously confined to internal board reports, marking a significant shift in how information is shared. BOPC Chair Darryl Woods describes the dashboard as a monumental development for building trust between Detroit’s residents and its public safety institutions. Woods emphasizes that the dashboard reflects a broader commitment to transparency, stating, “Transparency is the cornerstone of building trust between...