NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 23, 2025) — The City of New Rochelle has officially established the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), a significant step toward improving police accountability and community-police communication, according to a memorandum adopted on June 17, 2025, as Resolution 2025-102.
In October 2024, the City Council formally adopted the establishment of the CCRB, following an initiative spurred by a 2020 Executive Order from former Governor Cuomo. This order directed local governments to collaborate with police agencies to develop comprehensive reviews of practices and policies aimed at promoting fair and transparent community-oriented policing strategies to eliminate racism and racial disparities.
The New Rochelle City Council established the New Rochelle Community Police Partnership Board (CPPB) in 2021 as part of the city’s Police Reform and Collaborative Plan. The CPPB was tasked with researching and recommending a framework for the creation of the CCRB, which was formally adopted in October 2024.
The CCRB consists of seven members: six members, one selected by each City Council member serving that District, and one member from the City at large appointed by the Mayor. Members are appointed for three-year terms, with an initial setup where four members will serve three-year terms and three members will serve two-year terms. The City Council, with the Mayor’s approval, will select one member to serve as Chairperson for a one-year term.
City staff created an application process for City residents to apply for membership on the CCRB, receiving over 30 applications by the end of the period. Applications were sorted by City Council District and provided to the respective Council members for review and selection. The Mayor was also provided with applications received for her review as well.
The following individuals have been selected by the Mayor and Members of the City Council to serve on the inaugural CCRB, meeting all necessary requirements:
• Mayor: Julie L. Mercer (Term Start Date: July 01, 2025; Term End Date: June 30, 2027)
• District One: Luis Angel Ochoa (July 01, 2025; June 30, 2028)
• District Two: Donna O’Keeffe (July 01, 2025; June 30, 2028)
• District Three: Damon Maher (July 01, 2025; June 30, 2027)
• District Four: Natasha Fapohunda (July 01, 2025; June 30, 2028)
• District Five: Fabiola C Brito Briseno (July 01, 2025; June 30, 2028)
• District Six: Renee M Baron (July 01, 2025; June 30, 2027)
Natasha Fapohunda has been designated as Chairperson of the CCRB for a one-year term. The resolution appointing these members took effect immediately upon its adoption.
CCRB members are required to submit to a fingerprint check, sign a confidentiality oath, and be willing to receive civilian complaints. They must not be a present or former member of the New Rochelle Police Department or any other police organization, a current-elected official, City official, employee of the City, or a member of another City board (other than the Board of Education). No member may be a relative of a present or former member of the New Rochelle Police Department or any other police organization, including as a spouse, parent, stepparent, sibling, step-sibling, sibling’s spouse, child, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or first cousin. Members may not serve or remain on the CCRB if they have been convicted of a felony within the past five years (unless discharged or expunged), have been incarcerated in the past five years, or have been on probation or parole in the past five years. All members must be 18 years of age or older and reside in the City of New Rochelle.
City Staff recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution for the aforementioned selections, which was subsequently passed.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.