The Community Oversight Board (COB) has appointed William Carlos Weeden to be its executive director after a thorough, nationwide selection process.
Weeden is the founder of the Law Office of William Carlos Weeden, a criminal law and civil rights firm in Chicago.
Before establishing his own law practice, he served as the Deputy Chief Administrator with the Independent Police Review Authority, a civilian oversight agency responsible for investigating allegations of police misconduct at the Chicago Police Department.
“Mr. Weeden is a highly accomplished attorney with decades of experience in civil rights, community activism and social justice,” said COB chair Ashlee Davis. “The importance of having a strong and capable executive director cannot be overstated, and the board is confident that we have found just that in Mr. Weeden. His prior leadership experience in civilian oversight will align well to the indispensable priorities and high expectations of the Community Oversight Board.”
“I am humbled and honored to return to Nashville as Executive Director of the Community Oversight Board,” said Weeden. “Nashville has always been on the frontline in the fight for civil rights, and this was exemplified by the strong political will of the community in its unyielding efforts to establish the Community Oversight Board. I believe that with the sustained commitment to the civilian oversight process from the community, grassroots organizations, and MNPD, we can develop a process that promotes the public trust by being fair, open, and transparent.”
“It’s heartening to see the COB select such a highly-qualified person to be its executive director,” said Mayor David Briley. “I know a lot of hard work went into his selection, and I’d like to thank the COB, my Public Safety and Justice Policy Advisor Marcus Floyd, and the Metro Human Resources Department (and HR Director Shannon Hall, in particular) for their efforts. I am glad Mr. Weeden is returning to Nashville to be a dedicated public servant.”
Weeden earned his Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Fisk University in Nashville.
He begins on April 22.
