[This history is a part of a larger, unpublished report titled, “A comparative analysis of the Police Advisory Board and the Civilian Review Board.” The report will be released sometime in mid-June 2015. [Ed. note--citations are still being scanned and uploaded. Come back for updates. The author wished to thank the kind people at the Local History Department of the Downtown Branch of the Monroe County Public Library System.]
Some events that precipitated the creation of the Police Advisory Board included the cases of A.C. White1 (“...a Negro charged with drunken driving, resisted arrest and suffered a fractured arm among other injuries that took him to the hospital.”), Rufus Fairwell2 (“...a 28-year-old Negro [who] suffered two fractured vertebrae in a struggle with two policemen who attempted to arrest him as he closed the service station at which we was employed...”), and a case of police interference with a group of Black Muslims3 who were having a religious meeting, on the pretext that they had firearms (those arrested were charged with riot and third degree assault).
Below is a skeletal outline of the history of the Police Advisory Board using clippings from the Democrat & Chronicle and Times-Union newspapers. Though not comprised of oral histories or direct source documentation, this history is meant to give clues and a chronology of events according, primarily, to two biased sources, the Democrat & Chronicle and the Times-Union. There were hundreds of clippings and I didn't get to include them all. Many of my citations were against the board, but there were a fair number of clippings in favor of it as well. The clippings left out here may appear in a longer version of this history in the future. For this article, I focused primarily on the work of the board, the legal actions taken against it, and, quite frankly, the vast amount of opposition to it, both white denial of police brutality and anti-Black racism fueling the call for its abolition. Thus begins Act One.
"All Police Advisory Boards Hit As 'Forced by Minorities'," has no author. The article was published in the Democrat & Chronicle on October 23, 1965. Fraternal Order of Police president John J. Harrington was in Rochester at the request of Citizens for Abolition of the Police Advisory Board to speak before a crowd of 100 or so people explaining why the review boards are bad. George Jost (the paper reports, but I'm wondering if it isn't Lawrence Jost) shouted the speaker down saying "I'm no Communist and you people ought to produce facts.
"10 Vow to Fight Advisory Board," has no author. The article was published in the Democrat & Chronicle on September 17, 1965. Ten candidates for City Council, Conservative and Republican parties, made it clear that they would fight to abolish the Police Advisory Board. Citizens for Abolition of the Police Advisory Board mailed their political statements to some "500 city policemen." The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
The year 1965 had by far the most column space with regards to the Police Advisory Board in both the Democrat & Chronicle and the Times-Union newspapers. For 1965, articles critical of the PAB from the Democrat & Chronicle have been combined into single Rochester Indymedia articles divided by month when needed. This is May 1965. The clippings can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
"'People Should Vote On Advisory Board'," is a letter to the editor written by Russell C. Sciolino of the city. It was published in the Democrat & Chronicle on April 22, 1965. Russell is proud "of our boys" but the Police Advisory Board ties the hands of the officers behind their backs. He wants a referendum on whether to keep the board or not. He reminds us that "Their lives are always in danger trying to protect everybody." The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
"'Advisory Board Should Go'," is a letter to the editor written by Carl E. Burrows of the city. It was published in the Democrat & Chronicle on March 25, 1965. Carl doesn't add much to the conversation about the Police Advisory Board aside from his desire to see "dignity," "motivation," and "incentives" returned to the police through the board's abolition. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
"'Advisory Board Unnecessary'" is a letter to the editor written by Daniel J. Murphy, president of the Rochester Police Locust Club. It was published in the Democrat & Chronicle on February 9, 1965. Murphy asks that the board be abolished and offers 9 ways a complainant can get (no) justice. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
As has happened in many years past, 2015's Memorial Day parade was followed by a contingent of 40 to 50 pro-peace activists asking people to think about US military and foreign policy that keeps making future Memorial Days necessary. The group's theme this year is the River of Tears that US wars have caused since the end of the Second World War. We mourn the soldiers but question the wars.
"Police Board's Work is Done" is a Democrat & Chronicle article, with no listed author, that was published on January 11, 1965. The article starts with the introduction of a resolution to abolish the Police Advisory Board.
Below is a letter to the editor (with commentary from the editors) from the Times-Union. The letter, "'Dump Police Review Board'," was written by John Morcan of the city and was published on December 31, 1965. Morcan says, "The board should be dumped." That was about all that was worth mention. The editorial note after is longer than the letter. The Times-Union apparently cannot help but gloat since Supreme Court Justice Jacob Ark eliminated all the powers of the board except that of receiving complaints.
The year 1965 had by far the most column space with regards to the Police Advisory Board in both the Democrat & Chronicle and the Times-Union newspapers. For 1965, articles critical of the PAB from the Times-Union have been combined into single Rochester Indymedia articles divided by month. This is October 1965. The clippings can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Below is a scanned image of an editorial from the Times-Union. The editorial, "Strong New View on Police Board," begins by referencing Bishop James E. Kearney's remarks against the Police Advisory Board. He is quoted as saying, "...its continuation hurts the morale of the department and is a reflection on the integrity of our men in uniform." The editorial continues by claiming the board has not promoted "good relations between the Negro community and the police" nor has it solved police brutality.
Thirty-five people turned out at noon on May 23 at the Twelve Corners park in nearby Brighton to march in solidarity with the international March Against Monsanto taking place that day. Representatives of GMO-Free Rochester and the Northeast Organic Farmers Association were present but no political leaders attended. Even a show overhead by the US Navy Blue Angels did not distract from the message.
The year 1965 had by far the most column space with regards to the Police Advisory Board in both the Democrat & Chronicle and the Times-Union newspapers. For 1965, articles critical of the PAB from the Times-Union have been combined into single Rochester Indymedia articles divided by month. This is July 1965. The clippings can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
The year 1965 had by far the most column space with regards to the Police Advisory Board in both the Democrat & Chronicle and the Times-Union newspapers. For 1965, articles critical of the PAB from the Times-Union have been combined into single Rochester Indymedia articles divided by month. This is June 1965. The clippings can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Governor Cuomo's tax credit plan, which would move money from public education to private and religious schools, the religious freedom restoration act in Indiana and the possiblity of the legislation moving to a state near you and women's access to health care, contraception and abortion services are all issues that the Americans United for Separation of Church and State are were fighinting against. Maggie Garrett is the Legislative Director for American
The year 1965 had by far the most column space with regards to the Police Advisory Board in both the Democrat & Chronicle and the Times-Union newspapers. For 1965, articles critical of the PAB from the Times-Union have been combined into single Rochester Indymedia articles divided by month. This is May 1965. The clippings can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 282 and their supporters rallied on at the RGRTA headquarters protesting the decisions made by CEO Bill Carpenter that will cost 144 workers their jobs, and leave the Rochester City School District trying to figure out transportation for 9,000 students to and from school as of July 1st of this year. Dominick Zarcone, Vice President of explains why they are rallying.
Roy Bourgeois shared his thoughts, ideas, experiences and philosopy with the Rochester community. His talk encompassed his thoughts on the Catholic Church, equal marriage, SOA, "Las 17", women in the priesthood, and his own canonical dismissal from both the Maryknolls, and the Roman Catholic priesthood.
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