At its October 27 legislative meeting, the Alexandria City Council appointed the nationally recognized OIR Group and Florence Finkle to operate the Office of the Independent Policing Auditor and serve as the interim Independent Police Auditor while a national recruitment is underway for a permanent Auditor. The Office of the Independent Policing Auditor was established in April 2021 as a mechanism for providing oversight and accountability of the Alexandria Police Department.

The OIR Group brings decades of experience evaluating public safety organizations from across the country, currently serving as the oversight entity for several jurisdictions throughout California and the United States. Aside from her role with OIR, Ms. Finkle is an attorney who has worked for 30 years to hold law enforcement officers accountable for committing crimes, violating internal departmental policies, and improving law enforcement practices and accountability systems.  Ms. Finkle has also served as a member of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) Board of Directors and currently serves as its President. 

Reflecting on the significance of this appointment, Mayor Gaskins stated: “The selection of OIR Group reflects the City Council’s commitment to ensuring transparency and building trust in our law enforcement. OIR Group’s track record in independent policing oversight makes them an excellent partner to lead the Office of the Independent Policing Auditor and work with the Independent Community Policing Review Board during this time.”  To learn more, visit OIR Group.

The OIR Group and Ms. Finkle will start their work on October 29, 2026, and will report directly to the City Council.