User:Diderot1~enwiki/Civilian Review Board

Police Advisory Board (1963-1970)
In March 1963, one of the nation's first civil review boards was established in Rochester--called the Police Advisory Board (PAB)--in response to several protests at police headquarters and a growing number of police brutality complaints. One notable case which gained much public attention was when on August 22, 1962 Rufus T. Fairwell, a black man, was closing up his gas station on South Plymouth and white police officers, who believed he was a burglar, beat him such that he sustained two broken vertebrae, torn back muscle, and head, face and arm injuries. A federal grand jury indicted the police on charges of violation Fairwell's civil rights.

The nine member Police Advisory Board had the power to investigate claims of police brutality and make their findings public.

In April 1965 the Locust and several police officers facing excessive force investigations filed suit against board, claiming that its power to make findings public was a violation of City Charter and their right to a Civil Service hearing. This began what became a protracted court battle of the legality of the Board. On April 14, 1965 the union obtained an injunction from State Supreme Court Judge Ark on the use of the board in December 1965 Ark ruled that board had only the power to review cases without comment and pass them on to the Chief stating the Board conflicted with City Charter provisions. Further the Judge Ark stated that publishing the disagreement with Chief of police would illegally interfere with Chief's sole power to discipline. From December 4, 1965 to February 1968 the Board was largely defunct having been stripped of all its power. However, in 1967 the City of Rochester filed an appeal and on January 11, 1968 the Applleate Division upheld the police advisory board as legal. The PAB began meeting again on February 1, 1968 after a three year pause and started to review the backlog of cases that had been on hold. Determined the undermine the PAB, the Locust Club filed an appeal taking the case to the Court of Appeals The PAB was halted again when the Court of Appeals the Locust Club request for a stay on all PAB proceedings from April to June. In June, the State Court of Appeals upheld the board's legality 6 to 1. The police union appealed again, putting the case before the U.S. Supreme Court. January 1969 U.S Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

Although the Police Advisory Board ultimately upheld at legal by the highest courts in New York State, when the Republicans took control of City Council they defunded the PAB in 1970 and let it fade away.

However, many community organizations immediately tried to reinstate it, especially after the Highland Park Bowl incident. On July 25, 1970 police clashed with youths after rock concernt.In January 1971, 22 speakers from 11 different organizations went before City Council and packed chamber audience of 250 people demanding that they revive the Police Advisory Board. Community tempers flared up again in the summer of 1971 when FIGHT president Minister Raymond Scott was arrested on a five-year old traffic charge by the police department's tactical unit. Police Commissioner John Mastrella who said officers recognized Minister Scott was unable to explain why he jailed on minor traffic charge and ordered a full report into the incident. FIGHT once again called for reinstatement of the PAB to cool community tempers.

Crimi Report and Second Civilian Review Board
The "Crimi Committee" was formed in January 1976 after controversy over the death of 18 year old Denise Hawkins by a police officer in November 1975. In wake of shooting some called for violent retribution and a police car was fire bombed. Other reforms were initiated "So denise Hawkins shall not have died in vain."

15 member Citizens Committee on Police Affairs, headed by lawyer Charles Crimi studied the department for 11 months came up with a 115 page report of almost 100 recommendations including use of a member of the American Arbitration Association to work with police commanders on a standing 3 member committee to investigate complaints and remove complaints office from police station.

Things are lookingupForPoice,Inner city  Timesunionfeb 10, 1977

Two Man Panel (1980)
Two man panel recommended five changesin the way the department handles arrests and complaints. The panel was set up in in July 1980 in response to Times-Union series detailing charges of police brutality. The panel was made up of Crimi and arbitrator Andrew Thomas.

McCuller Committee and 1984 Reform
In wake of the fatal shooting of Alecia McCuller on November 13, 1983 by Officer Thomas Whitmore the McCuller Committee was convened to study a current civilian review process and make recommendations. Alecia McCuller was the daughter James McCuller, the chairman of the Action for Better Community. In the wake of the shooting "The McCuller Committee", chaired by Minister Franklin Florence. That proposal was for a) setting up an 11 or 13 members civilian Police Services Commission to investigate complaints against police officers b) that a majority of the commission membership to be black and hispanic people, c) that hearings of police misconduct allegations be public, and d)giving the commmission power to dispcline officers.

In response to the community calls to sweep reforms, City Council initiated reform by ignored most of the demands of the McCuller Committee. Instead City Council added another civilian to the Complaint Investigation Committee. Although the vote began as a public meeting in council chambers Mayor Ryan moved meeting into a private room guarded by police officers because the vocal and sometimes disruptive opposition to the proposal. The 8 to 1 voted in favor the reform was taken finally taken at 1am in private room with council members, reporters, some city staff, and Rochester police officers present. After the moderate reform the McCuller committee said it would set up "public saftey units" to monitor police behavior and obtain inormation succh as officers name and badge numbers and other necessary information to file complaints.

UCM Introduces New Proposal in 1988
In December 1988 the United Church Ministry, an organization of mainly black churches, introduced a new comprehensive proposal for civilian oversight of the Rochester Police Department, which included a proposal for a civilian review board. Under their proposal the commission would 1) consistent of nine members appointed by Rochester City Council from a list potential commission members selected by agencies provide services for the poor, 2) include at least 4 nonwhite members, four women, two gay members, and a disabled person, 3) approve the city police budget and implement police policies, 4) choose the police chief, 5) $350,000 budget for staff, 6) hold open meetings and make all decisions public, and 7) review all recommendations by the chief.

Civilian Review Board (1992-present)
In 1992, Rochester City Council began considering further changes to the civilian review process after Police Chief Urlacher was arrested and convicted of embezzlement and 5 officers from the vice squad unit were indicted on 19 counts of police brutality. United Church Ministries began hold public hearing and gathered support for its 4 year old proosal for independent civilian review. .

In October 1992, City Council abolished the Complaint Investigation Committee to created all Civilian Review Board (CRB) to consider allegations of police misconduct. Although the board was made up of all civilians three member rotating three panel, it could only review internal police investigations and now do its own investigations has community groups had called for. Without investigative power critics called the process a "paper tiger." . The CRB was also given power to call its own witnesses and could subpoena information through city council.

city council proposal rejected by UCM "Civilian review board passes a hurdle" dc oct.7 1992 "city, group clash on civilian review" sep.24 1992 DC

City Review System Remains Controversial DC January, 9, 2001   In September 1999 fiery protests outside City Hall called for greater authority to CRB.

Criticism Hounds Police Oversight DC March 11,2001

Commission to Reform the Civilian Review Board (2011-2012)
In August 2012, Rochester City Council convened a 15 member commission to study and make recommendations of the current process of civilian oversight of the police. The immediate impetus was the high-profile arrest of Emily Good, a young woman arrested in her front lawn for video taping a suspicious traffic stop of a young black male. The video went viral and shined a light on broader conduct of the Rochester Police department. Although charges were dismissed against Good, she refused to participate in current complaint process calling insufficient broken.

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/emily-good-police-accountability/Y7G2sQZ9U0yPBIM4wOjVSg.cspx http://rochester.ynn.com/content/all_news/553599/rochester-chief-and-councilman-announce-commission-to-examine-civilian-review-board/ http://nydailyrecord.com/blog/2011/07/05/good-gathers-supporters-at-the-liberty-pole/ http://nydailyrecord.com/blog/2011/07/05/good-gathers-supporters-at-the-liberty-pole/ http://cityliving.whec.com/news/news/55441-will-there-be-civilian-review-board-oversees-police http://rochester.ynn.com/content/top_stories/591792/committee-meets-about-rpd-complaint-process/ http://cityliving.whec.com/news/news/55700-new-commission-examine-police-civilian-review-board ► 50:03► 50:03 www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzZ_upMdmoM

http://roccitynews.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/activism-protestors-denounce-police-response-to-march/

http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/27453557/review-panel-backs-allegations-against-police-june-1-incident-da-sends-assault-case-grand-jury http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/5478 http://davyv.blogspot.com/2011/08/rochester-city-council-does-not-believe.html http://roccitynews.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/police-protest-occurs-with-little-conflict/

http://www.13wham.com%2Fmedia%2Flib%2F16%2Fa%2Fe%2F6%2Fae6816c5-28dc-483a-9ca2-c4bf85b6957f%2FCDS.pdf&ei=rFExUL3JJezC0AH7woDYAw&usg=AFQjCNHKFyWdPiFUWxRTQIQOw_hTSgZ7QQ