Ameratu Kamara has been appointed as Alexandria’s second Independent Policing Auditor.
Kamara was first appointed as the city’s acting auditor in January following the December 2024 death of former auditor Kim Neal, who had fulfilled the role since its commencement in 2022. City Council unanimously appointed Kamara to the role during its legislative meeting last night (Tuesday).
Kamara, who grew up in Alexandria and graduated Alexandria City High School, told City Council she is motivated by “deep love for being in the community and lifting up the voices who feel most silenced by the criminal justice system.”
She was joined at the meeting by her two parents, who dried tears from their eyes during their daughter’s appointment.
“There aren’t enough, honestly, words, to really capture how honored I am to step into this position — not just in my community, but in the big shoes of Kim Neal,” Kamara said. “When I graduated from law school, I really was like, on a quest to find my purpose.”
Kamara holds a juris doctor and a bachelor of science in criminal justice, with a focus on forensic crime scene investigation. She has worked in courthouses and public defender’s offices. As a former Brooklyn law firm associate, she represented people who were wrongfully arrested, detained or abused by police, according to the city.
In New York City, she also served as an inaugural member of the Office of the Community Liaison, where she worked with residents to address concerns about police’s stop-and-frisk practices.
“I was once someone who didn’t think that anything would happen, or that you couldn’t do anything if you were harassed or harmed by a government authority,” Kamara said. “I think by using my voice, helping people in New York speak out against, or use their voice and speak out against illegal stop-and-frisk, my new mission is to now uplift the voices here in Alexandria.”
Mayor Alyia Gaskins said Kamara has “a very impressive resume.”
“But I think more importantly, what the council has been impressed with, is her drive, her commitment to serving the community that raised her, and the work that she has done,” Gaskins said.
The city established the role in April 2021 “as a mechanism with which to provide oversight and accountability of the Alexandria Police Department (APD),” according to city documents.
