Article I – Establishment and Purpose
The Duty Performance Review Committee (“Committee”) is hereby established as a private, independent review body operating under Crime Trackers Massachusetts.
The Committee exists to:
- Review publicly available information regarding on-duty law enforcement conduct.
- Evaluate performance against established professional standards.
- Promote transparency, accountability, and public trust.
- Issue policy-based findings and recommendations.
- Encourage continuous improvement in law enforcement practices.
The Committee is not a governmental entity and possesses no disciplinary, subpoena, investigative, or enforcement authority.
Article II – Scope of Review
The Committee may review matters involving on-duty conduct of law enforcement officers, including but not limited to:
• Use of force
• Professionalism and demeanor
• Compliance with departmental policies
• Constitutional policing standards
• Arrest procedures
• Search and seizure conduct
• De-escalation practices
• Supervisory oversight concerns
• Training adequacy (when publicly documented)
The Committee shall not:
• Conduct criminal investigations
• Access confidential personnel records without lawful authorization
• Interfere with active criminal or internal affairs investigations
• Make determinations of criminal guilt
• Issue disciplinary orders
Article III – Sources of Information
The Committee shall limit its review to lawfully obtained information, including:
• Public records obtained pursuant to Massachusetts Public Records Law
• Court filings and transcripts
• Official department press releases
• Publicly released body-worn camera footage
• Public statements
• Voluntarily submitted materials
• Voluntary interviews
The Committee shall not misrepresent its authority to obtain information.
Article IV – Review Standards
Committee evaluations shall be based on objective professional standards, including:
- Applicable department policies and procedures.
- Certification and professional standards established by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.
- Relevant federal and Massachusetts case law governing police conduct.
- Constitutional standards under the United States Constitution and Massachusetts Declaration of Rights.
- Generally accepted policing best practices.
All findings shall distinguish between:
• Allegations
• Established facts
• Policy inconsistencies
• Legal determinations made by courts
The Committee shall not substitute its judgment for lawful judicial or administrative determinations.
Article V – Due Process Safeguards
To ensure fairness and integrity:
- The Committee shall clearly distinguish allegations from verified facts.
- Officers or departments subject to review shall be offered the opportunity to provide a written response prior to publication.
- Reports shall include any timely response received.
- Language used shall remain neutral, professional, and fact-based.
- The Committee shall avoid speculative statements regarding intent or motive unless supported by adjudicated findings.
- The Committee shall defer or limit review of matters involving ongoing criminal proceedings or active investigations where publication could interfere.
Article VI – Conflict of Interest Policy
Committee members shall:
- Disclose any personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest.
- Recuse themselves from matters where impartiality may reasonably be questioned.
- Avoid participation in reviews involving:
- Immediate family members
- Current or former employers (within the past 3 years)
- Personal adversarial relationships
- Document recusals in Committee records.
Failure to disclose a conflict may result in removal from the Committee.
Article VII – Confidentiality Policy
The Committee shall:
- Protect confidential information not lawfully subject to public disclosure.
- Refrain from publishing:
- Medical information
- Juvenile information
- Protected personnel data
- Sealed or expunged records
- Secure all documents obtained during review.
- Limit internal access to sensitive materials to Committee members only.
All members shall sign a confidentiality acknowledgment agreement.
Article VIII – Publication Procedures.
Prior to publication of any report:
- A draft report shall be reviewed internally by all Committee members.
- Findings must be supported by documented sources.
- The subject officer or agency shall be notified and given reasonable time to respond (recommended 7–14 days).
- The Committee shall include a disclaimer stating: “This report is based solely on publicly available and voluntarily provided information. The Duty Performance Review Committee has no disciplinary authority and does not make criminal determinations.”
- Final reports shall be approved the director of Crime Trackers Massachusetts.
- All published materials shall clearly indicate the date of issuance.
Article IX – Legal Review Requirement.
Prior to public release, all formal reports shall undergo review by qualified Massachusetts legal counsel with experience in:
• Defamation law
• Employment law
• Municipal law
• Public records law
No report shall be published without written confirmation that legal review has been completed.
Article X – Records Retention
The Committee shall:
• Maintain secure records of all reviews
• Retain published reports permanently
• Retain supporting documentation for a minimum of five (5) years
• Maintain a record of recusals and votes
Article XI – Amendments
This Charter may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Committee members, subject to legal review prior to adoption.
Article XII – Effective Date
This Charter shall take effect immediately upon adoption by majority vote of the Duty Performance Review Committee.
Crime Trackers Massachusetts 