Mayor Ravenstahl is replacing five of seven Citizen Police Review Board members.

Mayoral spokeswoman Joanna Doven confirmed that the mayor is naming new members to the board, which is seeking documents from the Pittsburgh Police Bureau regarding the 2009 G-20 Summit. The group is in court this afternoon, seeking a contempt of court ruling against Chief Nate Harper.

Ms. Doven said that the sudden action had nothing to do with the board's actions regarding the G-20. She said that all the members' terms had expired and some do not live in the city. The mayor had given City Council members the opportunity to nominate candidates for the board, she said. Some community groups also submitted names.

The people named by the mayor include two reappointments -- Richard Carrington and Deborah Walker -- and new members Eugene Downing Jr., Donna Kramer, Leshonda Roberts, Diana O'Brien Martini, and Deborah Whitfield.

The Citizen Police Review Board was created May 20, 1997. The purpose of the Citizen Police Review Board is "to receive, investigate and recommend appropriate action on complaints regarding police misconduct and to improve the relationship between the police department and the community," according to its website.

The board is composed of seven city residents, none of whom may be employed by the city or any of its authorities. The mayor directly appoints three members and selects the remaining four members for appointment from a list of nominees submitted by City Council.

The mayor said that given the fact that the members' terms had expired, he felt it was a good idea to change things around as he had with other boards. Asked if he is seeking a board more amenable to his agenda, he said, "I have no predictions about what the board will do. I haven't personally talked to any of the individuals to be appointed."

He said the reconstitution of the board was not related to the court hearing today.

"In no way were these people chosen because they were pro-police or anti-police. We think they're all level-headed," Mayor Ravenstahl said.

Councilman Patrick Dowd said that he agreed with the mayor that "it's good to take a look at" the composition of the board and to reappoint people from time to time.

Mr. Dowd said he still thinks there is a path between protecting citizens' rights and being fiscally responsible as a city. He said he nominated one person, a retired police officer, who turned out to be ineligible.

Elizabeth Pittinger, Review Board executive director, when informed of the change in appointments following a contempt hearing against Chief Harper, responded: "Who didn't know this was coming?"

She recognized changing the board could be a potential strategy to fight the ongoing court case involving G-20 documents.

"I think it's pretty transparent," Ms. Pittinger said, saying that it would be a "retaliatory act."

"If there's a presumption on the mayor's part that he can control the board, I think the public would find that reprehensible."

Ms. Pittinger said that she hopes the city council members, who must confirm all the appointments, will use due diligence to ensure the new board's integrity.

She said she is unsure how the change on the board will affect her.

Ms. O'Brien Martini is a former city police detective who left the force in 2009 after 26 years of service. She worked in a variety of areas, including homicide, auto theft and financial crimes.

Ms. Roberts is a 1995 graduate of Oliver High School and a student at Community College of Allegheny County who has been active in community groups such as Kiwanis and Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Downing Jr. has been pastor of Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist since 2000 and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Intelligence at Point Park University.

Ms. Whitfield is a financial counselor at the University of Pittsburgh's dental school.

Mr. Carrington is a disabled Army veteran who works with Youth Works in conflict resolution, mediation and crisis management.

Ms. Walker is a former University of Pittsburgh police officer who manages the Office of Student Conduct at the University of Pittsburgh.

The news of the change in the review board came just as a hearing was wrapping up on whether to hold Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper in contempt for failing to turn over requested documents to the board regarding the G-20 summit.

During the hearing before Allegheny County Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr., review board attorney Hugh McGough said the department had failed to follw the court's order of March 18 to turn over requested documents, including police incident and arrest reports, as well as operational reports.

The judge's order was supposed to be complied with within 20 days, however, Mr. McGough said all the board has received are heavily redacted police reports.

"The extreme redaction renders the documents meaningless," the lawyer said, "and therefore is not responsive to the order."

Paul Krepps, who represented the city at the hearing, said filing a motion to hold the police chief in contempt was "grossly inappropriate."

But Judge Wettick ignored that comment and instead repeatedly asked Mr. Krepps why the documents -- which generally contain public information like the name, date and date of birh of the subject -- were so heavily edited.

"Why would you redact something and then say you can't explain why it was redacted?" the judge asked.

Mr. Krepps said he was not prepared to address that.

Judge Wettick set argument on the contempt issue for Aug. 26.

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