Police Complaints Board Paul Ashton Confirmation Resolution of 2025

MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
January 24, 2025
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350Pennsy
lvania Avenue,NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142;
D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 5 of the Office of Citizen Complaint
Review
Establishment Act of 1998, effective March 26, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-208; D.C. Official Code
§ 5-1104), I am pleased to nominate the following person:
Mr. Paul Ashton
Hamlin Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
(Ward 5)
for reappointment as the Ward 5 member of the Police Complaints Board, for a term to end January
12, 2028.
Enclosed, you will find b iographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council's earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do
not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor's Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
1
2 hairman Phil Mendelson
3 at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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8
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10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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12
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15 To confirm the reappointment of Paul Ashton to the Police Complaints Board.
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17 RESOLVED , BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA , that this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Police Complaints Board Paul Ashton Confirmation Resolution
19 of 2025".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
21
22 Paul Ashton
23 Hamlin Street, NE
24 Washington, DC 20017
25 (Ward 5)
26
27 as the Ward 5 member of the Police Complaints Board, established by section 5 of the Office of
28 Citizen Complaint Review Establishment Act of 1998, effective March 26, 1999 (D.C . Law 12-
29 208; D .C. Official Code§ 5-1104), for a term to end January 12, 2028.
30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
31 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
32 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
PAUL D. ASHTON II

EDUCATION
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
M.A. in Criminology, 2008
Thesis: “How Did it Get to This? Gay Male Intimate Partner Violence and Victim Characteristics”
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
B.A. in Criminology, minor in Political Science, cum laude, 2006
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Justice Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.
Deputy Executive Director, February 2024 - Present
Interim Executive Director, April 2023 - January 2024
Director of Finance and Organizational Impact, February 2022-March 2023
Director of Organizational Impact, January 2020- January 2022
Development and Finance Manager, January 2016 – December 2019
Development
and Research Associate, January 2015 – December 2015
Research
and Grants Coordinator, June 2012 – December 201 4
Research Assistant, September 2010 – May 2012
Research
and Communications Intern, June 2010 – August 2010
 Direct JPI’s development efforts: coordinate staff, manage databases, lead development team meetings, plan and implement
individual donor cultivation, support the executive director in board development, work with the board of directors to
successfully implement their individual fundraising pledges, and participate in the planning and implementation of JPI’s
fundraising plan.
 Manage annual grant cycle of over $1 million: oversee reporting and proposal processes; coordinate interdepartmental
reporting; develop and monitor project budgets; develop and monitor grants development calendar; review and edit final
reports and products.
 Engage and liaise with foundation program officers and staff to ensure JPI’s compliance with grant proposal and reporting
requirements.
 Direct daily organizational administrative and financial operations, including supervision of operations/development staff
and external accountant; Manage development efforts and annual grant cycle; Engage in organizational wide programmatic
work (e.g., project development/planning/oversight); Support organizational evaluation, innovation and strategic planning.
 Contribute to research publications: assist in reviewing and editing JPI publications, letters and other written materials;
authored reports, fact sheets, rapid response materials, blog posts, and op-eds; directed internal graphic design of
documents and publications (2012-2015).
 Communicate
with international audiences; conduct media interviews, provide technical assistance to media and other
criminal justice professionals – including Al Jazeera America, Voice of Russia and CBS affiliates.
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Communications and Media Support, Communication Technologies, March 2009 – November 2009
 Engaged with donors, university staff, students, and general public. Provided technical assistance related to university
communication technologies. Managed university wide personal conference system. Trained and managed new employees.
Obama For America, Wilmington, DE
Deputy Field Organizer, September 2008 – November 2008
 Co-managed state campaign headquarters. Duties included: coordinating special events; recruiting, training, and managing
over 500 volunteers; managing onsite merchandise store; represented campaign in constituent communications and outreach;
conducting research projects; serving as campaign liaison to major in-state donors and collecting over $15,000 in campaign
contributions; working with state director to plan and coordinate get-out-the-vote effort.
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, August 2006 – June 2008
 Taught/guest Lectured 40-50 students on a weekly basis and held weekly office hours and tutoring. Managed course materials
and evaluated students’ work. Prepared PowerPoint presentations and conducted research for lessons on criminological
theory, juvenile justice and delinquency, and policing.

PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Police Complaints Board, Office of Police Complaints, Washington, D.C.
Board Member, December 2014 - Present
 Appointed by Mayor and approved by D.C. City Council to serve on governing body of D.C. Office of Police Complaints, an
independent government agency tasked with receiving, investigating and resolving police misconduct complaints filed by the
public against the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the D.C. Housing Authority Police Department. Tasks include
reviewing and approving complaint dismissals, providing organizational oversight for office, helping prepare office rules and
procedures, and producing and approving policy recommendations for MPD.

Young Donors Committee, Supporting and Mentoring Young Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL), Washington, D.C.
Member, February 2014 - Present
 Creatively engage donors in their 20s and 30s to work year-round to raise support for SMYAL and its programs for LGBTQ
youth. Assist in setting outreach and fundraising strategy, including hosting events, conducting outreach to potential donor
networks, and acting as a representative of SMYAL to current and prospective younger donors.

Rainbow Response Coalition, Washington, D.C.
Treasurer, Board of Directors, August 2010 - Present
 Manage organization’s finances, including development of budgets, preparation of financial reports, and coordination of
organization’s expenditures. Represent organization at outreach events and educationa l forums. Manage social media. Lead
research committee in developing research agenda and strategy, including overseeing data collection, developing surveys and
writing and editing research materials.
 Assisted in securing Rainbow Response’s first grant from the D.C. Office of Victim Services totally $50,000.

D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, Washington, D.C.
Grant Reviewer, June 2013
 Reviewed and evaluated organizational proposals for the FY 2014 D.C. YouthLink Service Coalition RFP process.

Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004

Paul Ashton

Mr. Paul Ashton currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director at the
Justice Policy Institute (JPI) as well as a current member and chair of the
Police Complaints Board. At JPI, Mr. Ashton directs organizational
operations and leads a team of staff and consultants to promote fair and
effective public safety policies. He is the author of several JPI
publications including Gaming the System, Rethinking the Blues , The
Education of D.C., and Fostering Change . Prior to joining JPI, Mr.
Ashton spent time as a sexual assault victim advocate and conducting
research examining intimate partner violence in the LGBTQ community.
Mr. Ashton’s experience with victim issues led him to author JPI’s white
paper: Moving Toward a Public Safety Paradigm: A Roundtable
Discussion on Victims and Criminal Justice Reform.
Mr. Ashton is active in the Washington, D.C. community and has served on the Board of Directors
of the Rainbow Response Coalition, a grassroots advocacy organization working to address
LGBTQ intimate partner violence. He has also been a member of the Young Donors Committee
for SMYAL, an LGBTQ youth serving organization.
A Ward 5 resident, Mr. Ashton earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Ohio State
University and his Master of Arts in Criminology from the University of Delaware.

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser

Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor

______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681

To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: October 22, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution reappointing Paul Ashton as a member of
the Police Complaints Board
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced Order and found
it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate
to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-727-
0872, or me at 202-724-7681.

______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish