Portsmouth Police Commission

*Meeting notices for upcoming Police Commission meetings shall be posted on the municipal meetings calendar and on the bulletin board located at City Hall, just outside of the Council Chambers, and on the bulletin board located inside the lobby of the police department.

Police Commission Duties

By New Hampshire state statue the Portsmouth City Charter, the 3-member Police Commission is the policy making body of the Portsmouth Police Department and provides a civilian oversight to ensure:

1. The safety and security of the citizens and guests of Portsmouth;
2. The Police Department operates in an ethical manner;
3. The goals and objectives of the department are accomplished;
4. The department is operating in a manner that is responsible to the taxpayer; and
5. All department employees are accountable to the citizens of Portsmouth. 

The Commission Wants to Hear from you -- Whether a Commendation or a Complaint

To effectively perform its duties, the Police Commission encourages feedback from the public, whether commendations, complaints or other observations of importance. 

To contact an individual commissioner, click on the photo or name of the commissioner to acquire their cell phone number or email address. 

Please note:  Phone conversations with commissioners are not subject to right-to-know requests because they are not considered a "public record."  The contents of electronic messages (email, city server messages, and cell phone text messages) are considered public records and are subject to New Hampshire's right-to-know law and are available for public viewing.  

Chairperson Kate Coyle

Commissioner Buzz Scherr

Commissioner Francesca Fernald

Commission Role & Authority and By-Laws

*Meeting notices for upcoming Police Commission meetings shall be posted on the municipal meetings calendar.