Episode 25: Unapologetic with Guest DeWarren K. Langley

Episode 25: Unapologetic with Guest DeWarren K. Langley

We are grateful to be joined this week by DeWarren K. Langley - Chair of the Civilian Police Review Board for the City of Durham. Before diving in to discuss the board, DeWarren gives us a little background about the work he does with young Black males through his organization, The Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, where he serves as Executive Director. This organization supports young men of color and helps them secure socioeconomic success, while also looking at the systems that affect them and how they can create change on both sides of the issue. DeWarren then explains what the Civilian Police Review Board is, what it looks like for the Durham community, and why it’s important for communities to have one in place. He and BJ go through the complaint process, explaining how it works with the Review Board, and discuss ideas for how to make filing complaints easier for the community. They also talk about how the work that needs to be done regarding policing is a national conversation, but needs to be dealt with and discussed at a local level.

 

Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, Inc.

Civilian Police Review Board | Durham, NC

 

More about DeWarren K. Langley:
DeWarren K. Langley, JD, MPA, MHFA, is the Chair of the Civilian Police Review Board for the City of Durham. He is responsible for providing the overall leadership & management of the nine-member CPRB in evaluating requests for hearing appeals of complaints submitted by citizens claiming to be aggrieved by the results of an investigation of one or more officers and/or employees of the Police Department conducted by the Professional Standards Division of the Police Department. The Professional Standards Division of the Police Department initially investigates these complaints. If a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, he or she may file a request for a hearing with the Board. The CPRB’s mandate is to determine whether or not the investigation was conducted in an appropriate manner, specifically, whether the Police Department abused its discretion in how the investigation was conducted.

DeWarren recognizes and respects the bravery and great sacrifice police officers make to ensure the safety of our community  He is committed to making sure all complaints regarding police services are thoroughly and impartially investigated and when necessary, make corrective recommendations on police policy and procedure to the City Manager in each case based on well-reasoned evaluations of allegations.  DeWarren works to build a sense of trust and confidence in the community that police services in the City of Durham are professional, honest, transparent, and free of bias.  He believes citizen confidence in and respect for the Police Department is vital in the Department carrying out it’s mission to minimize crime, promote safety, and enhance the quality of life in partnership with our community.

Under DeWarren’s leadership, the Complaint Form can be completed and submitted online, the most recent general orders, policies and procedures of the Police Department are accessible online, the complainant has 30 days from receipt of the determination letter  from the Professional Standards Division of the Police Department to file an appeal with the Board; the Board receives quarterly Performance Review Reports from the Professional Standards Division of the Police Department; the Annual Report of the Board is posted on the City Manager’s website. In addition, the CPRB Procedure Manual was amended to require the Board to host one community forum per year to receive feedback from the public on the Durham Police Department complaint process and community-police relations. He also led the effort to eliminate all criteria that prohibited citizens with felony convictions and convictions of class A1, 1 or 2 misdemeanors for serving on the Board which was approved by the City Council.

DeWarren is also the Visionary & Executive Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, Inc. which is an academic, leadership and professional development 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization which provides a continuum of programs, service, and coaching to educate, engage, empower and equip boys and young men of color with the strategies they need to secure socioeconomic success by transforming academic policies and connecting them with professional opportunities to become high-results leaders in corporations, government, nonprofits and entrepreneurial ventures.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management & Economics with a minor in Leadership Studies from Hampton University, Juris Doctor with a concentration in Civil Rights & Constitutional Law from North Carolina Central University School of Law, Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Government Administration and Public Policy from North Carolina Central University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. He earned a Certificate in Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Behavioral Health.

DeWarren was first appointed to the CPRB by then-City Manager Thomas Bonfield on October 27, 2009 and reappointed August 29, 2011, June 24, 2015 and September 3, 2019. Prior to being elected Chair, Langley served two one-year terms as Vice Chair.