Now that almost every cellular phone has a camera, scrutiny of law enforcement is higher than ever before. Sites such as YouTube can broadcast the actions of law enforcement worldwide within minutes of a law enforcement contact.

Consistent with the public’s microscopic examination of law enforcement is the expectation that law enforcement agencies will police themselves to ensure that police officers perform in accordance with laws and with departmental policies and procedures.

One way that a law enforcement agency can meet the public’s expectation of effective self-policing is through the establishment of a Critical Incident Review Board (CIRB). The focus of this article is to draw attention to the benefits of a CIRB process and to provide practical tips and guidance to creating or refining one.