BOULDER, Colo. – The city of Boulder named Joseph Lipari its first-ever Independent Police Monitor on Friday, who will be tasked with establishing and leading an office dedicated to overseeing the city police department’s conduct and policies.
Lipari most recently was the Chicago Office of the Inspector General’s Deputy Inspector General from Public Safety and previously worked in the New York City Office of Inspector General and Syracuse, New York’s Citizen Review Board, as well as the Chicago Coalition for Police Accountability.
He has also served on committees for the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement and lectured on African American and Urban History at the University of Illinois at Chicago, according to the city.
Boulder City Council unanimously approved installing a monitor position into the Independent Police Oversight Office in October 2019 to investigate complaints against officers.
“The City of Boulder has invested a great deal of time and effort into developing its new police oversight and accountability system – with a keen focus on racial equity. I’m eager to get to work with the community, city’s management team, the City Council, and the department to build the Office of the Independent Police Monitor,” Lipari said in a statement.
Lipari will establish and then lead the Independent Police Oversight Office and will be tasked with providing “independent oversight aimed at improving police policy and operations while ensuring the community receives efficient and lawful police services,” the city said in a news release.
The city says it expects Lipari and the new Boulder police chief, Maris Herold, to “work together closely in support of police reform initiatives and high-quality service to the community.”
“Joe has committed his career to understanding equity issues and championing policing reform, and I have tremendous confidence that he will help us shape a leading-edge program here in Boulder,” Boulder City Manager Jane Brautigam said in a statement.