Sheriff to convene citizens advisory board
The Oklahoma County sheriff's office will convene a board of citizens to advise the department on its relationship with the community, officials announced Wednesday. Community organizers hope the board will help the public better understand conditions at the Oklahoma County jail and improve communications between the sheriff's department and the public. Sundra Flansberg, of the community organizing group Voices Organized In Civic Engagement, or VOICE, praised Sheriff P.D. Taylor's decision to convene the board. “We see it as a very concrete first step to work towards better engagement with the public,” Flansberg said. “We feel like this is a win for everyone, and we wanted to congratulate and thank him for that.” VOICE has advocated for the formation of a citizens advisory board for more than a year. The group developed the idea after hearing stories from people incarcerated at the jail over the past few years, Flansberg said. The group presented the idea to candidates for sheriff in 2017, and every candidate committed to implementing it. Since then, the group has met several times with Taylor and Oklahoma County commissioners. The board will work closely with Oklahoma County Commissioner Carrie Blumert, who represents District 1. Blumert was instrumental in starting the process to form the board, sheriff's officials said. Blumert said she hoped the board would help focus public attention on conditions at the jail and give concerned residents a way to get involved. The board will be based on a model developed by the U.S. Department of Justice and implemented in communities across the country. Blumert said her office and the sheriff's department have been working with Justice Department officials on how to put the model in place. The sheriff's department will work with community groups to select county residents to serve on the board. The department plans to release more information about the application process soon. In a statement, Taylor said he looked forward to hearing the group's suggestions and ideas. “I have continually stated since I was elected, I am taking the (sheriff's office) in a new direction in an effort of total transparency,” Taylor said. “The ship is turning and this board will be a tremendous asset to us and the citizens of Oklahoma County.”