The Independent Review Panel (IRP) consists of nine members, five appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) from nominations made by the Community Action Agency, Community Relations Board, Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police, Dade County Bar Association and Dade County League of Women Voters. The Panel itself selects the other four, taking into consideration ethno-cultural and gender community representation:

Julia Dawson, Esq., Chairperson, nominated by the League of Women Voters and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Ms. Dawson is a community activist working on issues of social, economic, political and legal justice, and committed to equality of rights for all people.

Michael R. Band, Esq., 1st Vice Chair, nominated by the Dade County Bar Association and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Band is a partner at Adorno & Yoss, P.A. His focus is white collar criminal defense. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Council for Jewish Elderly, Jewish Community Services and the Anti-Defamation League.

Jean-Robert Lafortune, 2nd Vice Chair, nominated by the Community Relations Board and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Lafortune is chairman of the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition, a Miami-based civil society group advocating for fair treatment and fair representation for Hatian nationals in the United States.

Glenn P. Falk, Esq., nominated by the Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Falk practices primarily in civil litigation. He is on the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Association.

Julie C. Ferguson, Esq., nominated and appointed by the Panel itself. Ms. Ferguson is the founding attorney of a firm specializing in immigration and nationality law. She is a volunteer with the Center for Justice & Accountablity and the Alternatives to Violence Project.

Tangier Scott, Ed.D., nominated by the Community Action Agency and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Dr. Scott has a wealth of experience in the areas of criminal justice systems and human/social services programming that assist the IRP in the accomplishments of its goals.

Josie Perez Velis, Esq., nominated by the Puerto Rican Bar Association and appointed by the Panel itself.  Ms. Velis is an attorney in private practice, specializing in Family and Probate Law.  She has experience as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the Unemployment Compensation Bureau of Appeals.

Jorge E. Reynardus, Esq.,  nominated by the Community Relations Board and appointed by the Panel itself.   Mr. Reynardus is Assistant General Counsel for Amadeus IT.  He is an attorney ad litem and works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Lawyers for Children America.

Moiez A. Tapia, Ph.D., nominated by Asian-American Advisory Board and appointed by the Panel itself.  Dr. Tapia is a professor in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department of the University of Miami. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Urban League of Miami and a member of the Jew Arab Dialogue Association (JADA).

Doris Shellow is a non-permanent member who was an active member for many years.  She now serves as a substitute as needed.  Mrs. Shellow was Executive Director of the South Florida Psychiatric Society for 27 years, until she retired in 2000.