Join the City of Boston's Civilian Review Board

UPDATE: The application deadline has been extended to September 20, 2021.

The Boston City Council President Pro Tempore and the Council's Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice have announced the application process for recruitment of individuals to apply to be a nominee for the Civilian Review Board. Residents can now apply to be one of the nine nominees to be submitted by the Boston City Council, of which three will be appointed to serve on the Board. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, September 20, 2021.

The Civilian Review Board, which was created under the Ordinance establishing an Office of Police Accountability and Transparency, is a board consisting of nine total members. The OPAT Ordinance was the result of a robust legislative process combining proposals sponsored by Councilors Andrea Campbell, Ricardo Arroyo, and Julia Mejia, the Martin J. Walsh Administration, and the Boston Police Reform Task Force. The Civilian Review Board’s primary responsibilities include reviewing and investigating certain complaints against the Boston Police Department and its employees. 

Six members, by statute, are appointed by the Mayor from a pool of applicants recommended by civil rights advocacy groups, youth organizations, neighborhood associations, and members of the Boston community with knowledge of law enforcement. The remaining three members are appointed by the Mayor from a pool of nine nominees submitted by the Boston City Council.  

• be Boston residents
• not be current members of law enforcement, and 
• have at least one member between the ages of 18-21.

Board members shall each serve a term of three years, provided however that of the members first appointed, three shall be appointed for a term of one year, three shall be appointed to a term of two years, and three shall be appointed for a term of three years. 

Thereafter, the Mayor shall appoint each successor for a term of three years. Any vacancy occurring otherwise than by the expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the position was originally filled. Board members shall not serve more than two consecutive three-year terms. 

Each member will be paid one hundred dollars per hour for their service, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars per year. Members of the Civilian Review Board are hereby designated special municipal employees.

• Conduct an independent inquiry or investigation where necessary, into complaints made against the Boston Police Department
• Resolve complaints or matters not within the scope of review of the Internal Affairs Oversight Panel
• At the Board's discretion, review, investigate and make recommendations with regard to allegations of disparate treatment by BPD in recruiting, hiring, promotion, discipline and termination of members of BPD
• Periodically evaluate alternative options and/or improvements to the civil service examination process
• Make recommendations to the Police Commissioner regarding reviewed complaints or other matters before the Board
• Convene all Board members at least once per quarter, but more often at the discretion of the Board

Please follow the link below to complete the online application:

Civilian Review Board application

If you have any questions, contact the Boston City Council's President Pro Tempore's office at 617-635-4220 or by emailing matthew.omalley@boston.gov. The deadline to submit your application is Friday, August 20, 2021.

Paper Application

Having trouble with the online form? You can download our paper application, complete it by hand, and mail it to: