The review board will serve as a liaison between community members and the Columbia Police Department.

Board member Ellen LoCurto-Martinez says the board will be non-biased and transparent. "We want to make this a process so that the community and the citizens and the police all know what we - what the board - is doing, how we're doing it, and that we've got fresh eyes, looking at it thoroughly and we're looking at it totally impartial," LoCurto-Martinez said.

Forty-nine Columbia residents submitted applications to be members of the board.

Board member John McClure said there is mistrust between Columbia residents and the Columbia Police Department.  "In terms of how I view it, I think that we are going to be a bridge between the police force and the community at large, which hopefully will be a collaborative kind of effort," McClure says. 

The following are the nine board members selected by the Columbia City Council:

Stephen Alexander - Alexander is a biological sciences professor at University of Missouri.

Carroll Highbarger - Highbarger is a Columbia College adjunct online instructor and the former Deputy Chief of Police in Columbia.  According to Highbarger's application, he has no current ties to the Columbia Police Department.

Ellen LoCurto-Martinez - Martinez is a student at Columbia College.

John McClure - McClure is the coordinator for Adult Education and Literacy through Columbia Public Schools.

Susan Smith - Smith is an adjunct education professor at Columbia College.

Steve Weinberg - Weinber is an author and part-time faculty at University of Missouri.

Betty Wilson - Wilson is a practicing attorney and partner at Oliver Walker Wilson, LLC.

James Martin - Martin is a retired attorney.

Mary Bigby-She will be a one year member on the new board. She's also a commissioner on the Human Rights Commission.

"It's going to be transparent to the community," LoCurto-Martinez said.

Tonight at 5:30, the Human Rights Commission met to discuss who will be its commissioner for the Citizens Police Review Board. The commisssion decided its ninth member, Mary Bigby.

The representative from the Human Rights Commissioner will serve a one year term. Three will serve two year terms. Three other members will serve a three year term and two members will serve a four year term.

The chairman for the HRC says he is happy the city council is letting the commission play this important role with the Citizens Police Review Board.