Harrisburg, PA - Governor Josh Shapiro has appointed Mrs. Christa Caceres as Chair and Mr. David Sonenshein as Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Citizen Law Enforcement Advisory and Review (CLEAR) Commission. The members of the Commission were officially sworn-in during a ceremony held today at the State Capitol, marking the Shapiro Administration’s latest step to ensure Pennsylvanians have the utmost faith in the law enforcement officers serving and protecting them every day.
The CLEAR Commission will bring together law enforcement experts and criminal justice reform advocates from across the Commonwealth to support public safety and ensure accountability for state law enforcement agencies who work hard to serve Pennsylvanians every day. The Commission will perform reviews of completed internal investigations, and ultimately make public recommendations based on those reviews, related to allegations or incidents within law enforcement agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor.
"I am proud to appoint Christa Caceres and David Sonenshein to lead the CLEAR Commission," said Governor Shapiro. "Their combined experience in law enforcement, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy will help ensure a wide range of perspectives are heard as we work to ensure every Pennsylvanian can be safe and feel safe in their community."
Caceres, recently elected to her first term as a Pike County Commissioner, brings over 20 years of experience in community advocacy and civil rights protection. She is the former president of the Monroe County branch of the NAACP and serves as the 1st Vice-President for the NAACP PA State Conference. She previously served as a Senior Constituent Advocate for U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright and is the founding chairperson of the Pike County Commission on Women.
Sonenshein is a retired law professor who taught at Temple University School of Law for 35 years. He is an expert in criminal procedure and evidence and has received numerous awards for his teaching and scholarship.
"I am honored to be appointed Chair of the CLEAR Commission," said Caceres. "I am committed to working with the Commission to improve policing practices in Pennsylvania and ensure that all communities are treated with fairness and respect."
"I am excited to serve as Vice-Chair of the CLEAR Commission," said Sonenshein. "I look forward to working with the Commission and covered law enforcement agencies to further improve policies, sustain and enhance state-of-the-art training, and make recommendations that will enhance accountability and transparency in law enforcement."
Established within the Office of State Inspector General (OSIG), the CLEAR Commission is part of Governor Shapiro's commitment to increasing transparency and accountability within law enforcement. As Attorney General, Governor Shapiro led the way on creating a database to guarantee misconduct records follow law enforcement officers throughout their careers. He also supported the Pennsylvania State Police pilot program for body-worn cameras.
"The CLEAR Commission’s oversight is critical to maintaining the integrity of our law enforcement agencies," said Inspector General Lucas M. Miller. "I am confident that Christa Caceres and David Sonenshein will lead the Commission with distinction."
OSIG provides administrative support and assistance to the CLEAR Commission. The Commission will review and make recommendations to multiple agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor, including the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the Department of General Services (DGS) Capitol Police, the Department of Corrections (DOC) Law Enforcement Sub-units, the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) Park Rangers, the Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) Bureau of Fraud Prevention and Prosecution, and the Department of Agriculture (PDA) Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.
For more information about the CLEAR Commission and its work, please visit the Office of State Inspector General's website.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan P. Hendrickson - 717-265-8396
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