The Police Advisory and Review Commission serves as a liaison between the Pittsfield Police Department and the community it serves. The purpose of this commission is to create an interface for the community of Pittsfield in order to promote transparency with the police. This allows citizens and the police to directly learn from each other in order to create a more stable relationship. The commission accepts complaints from residents, reviews policies and procedures in the department (including city ordinances), and reviews finalized internal affairs reports. The Police Advisory and Review Commission also provides recommendations to Police Chief Michael Wynn, Mayor Linda Tyer, and the City Council.
The commission consists of eleven members with different personal and professional backgrounds. The commission is comprised of representatives from the Human Rights Commission, the local chapter of the NAACP, the youth community, local faith communities, the immigrant community and more.