KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Retired Kansas City police chief James D. Corwin has been appointed chairman of a board dealing with sex abuse allegations in the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese.

The diocese announced in a news release Monday that Corwin will succeed Jin Caccamo, who resigned in early February from the Independent Review Board.

The seven-member board assesses child sexual abuse allegations and makes recommendations to the bishop on how they should be handled. The board works with an ombudsman, who investigates reports of sexual misconduct by clergy, employees or volunteers in the diocese.

Corwin takes over at a time when a diocese priest, Rev. Shawn Ratigan, has been charged with child pornography and Bishop Robert Finn has been indicted for allegedly failing to report suspected child abuse.