Which mechanism is described as an effort to control police behavior by establishing an external form of review for police misconduct?

• A. Early warning system (EWS)
• B. Civilian review board
• C. Proactive unit
• D. Reactive

Answer: (A)

External oversight for police misconduct means an independent body outside the police department reviews complaints and investigations. A civilian review board fits this description because it’s typically made up of community members who examine cases, assess how investigations were handled, and can make recommendations or require corrective actions. This setup provides transparency and public accountability by ensuring that community voices have a say in misconduct matters, beyond internal police processes.

In contrast, an early warning system is an internal program that flags concerning patterns in an officer’s behavior to trigger supervisory intervention before misconduct occurs; its aim is prevention within the department, not external review.