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City leaders announce first 10 appointees to Civilian Oversight Board


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MADISON, Wis. — City leaders announced Friday the first round of appointments to the city’s newly formed Civilian Oversight Board, a community board tasked with holding the Madison Police Department more accountable.

The appointees were chosen from a list of 27 people chosen by nine individual community organizations.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Council President Sheri Carter and Council Vice President Syed Abbas reviewed the organizations’ nominations and have recommended the following individuals for the Board:

Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores, nominated by the Community Response Team

Ananda Deacon, nominated by Freedom, Inc.

Joshua Hargrove, nominated by JustDane

Rachel Kincade, nominated by NAMI

Ankita Bharadwaj nominated by OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center

Yesenia Villalpando-Torres, nominated by UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence

Maia Pearson, nominated by Urban Triage

Jacquelyn Hunt, nominated by YWCA

“Community groups nominated an excellent slate of strong candidates,” Carter said. “We are so pleased to announce these finalists and look forward to working with the Board on its important work of hiring a monitor in the months to come.”

The mayor and Council also each get to appoint two people to the Board.

Rhodes-Conway chose Keetra Burnette and Keith Findley, according to a news release. Burnette runs United Way’s Law Enforcement and Leaders of Color Collaboration and is on the Executive Team of the Black Leadership Council. Findley co-founded the Wisconsin Innocence Project and is a former member of the Madison Police and Fire Commission.

“There were over 75 applicants interested in serving on the Civilian Oversight Board, making our decisions very difficult,” Rhodes-Conway said. “I am confident that both Ms. Burnette and Mr. Findley will bring experience, perspective and community connections that will help the Board succeed in its mission.”

The Council is expected to pick its appointees next week. Rhodes-Conway and Council leadership will meet next week to appoint one person nominated by the NAACP.

All 13 appointments will be submitted for confirmation at the Common Council meeting scheduled for Oct. 6.

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