Nearly 90 applicants on first day of selection process for police accountability advisory board in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Dozens of citizens expressed interest Wednesday in joining the proposed police accountability advisory board that the City Council is presently considering.

As of late afternoon, 87 people had submitted online applications and resumes, said Michael Montgomery, the deputy City Council administrator overseeing the city's 50 boards, committees and commissions.

"That's what we've received since applications started at noon," he said. "I think we expected that. There's been a lot of interest and people wanting to be involved. The Council wants to move quickly on this."

During a Tuesday work session, the Council directed Montgomery to begin taking applications to get ahead in the process. The proposed board could be approved by the Council as early as its next regular meeting on Tuesday.

On the Monday before, however, the Council will hold its third work session in two weeks to discuss the matter before voting.

City Council President Richard Skorman said the Council members would select members of the board, and how that would be done is part of Monday's agenda.

"I'd like to see us receive applications for a week, maybe two," he said. "We're off to a good start with nearly 90 candidates. We haven't decided yet how many members would be on the board, but we want to appoint people who are most affected by police issues, as well as community leaders and people who are familiar with the law enforcement profession and how it works."

Skorman said if the Council isn't ready to vote on the matter next week, it will come up again at its first regular meeting in July.

"But I think we're ready to vote the board into being," he said. "Police support it, too. They understand the need for it."

To apply for a position on the board, visit: https://coloradosprings.gov/city-council/page/police-accountability-advisory-board.