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 April 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 March 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 February 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 January 1965. The clippings can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Below is a scanned image of a letter to the editor from the Times-Union. The letter, "Lauds Police Board Criticism," written by Barbara Prattis from the city, talked about how "delighted" she was that the Police Advisory Board "came under fire" by the FBI. She wrote that the board serves no other purpose than to "create difficulty for police and promulgate ill will toward them." The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "Lauds Police Board Criticism," a letter to the editor, was written by Barbara Prattis from the city.
Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union, or ATU, local 282 were joined by members of other unions and community members at RGRTA headquarters to protest the decision by CEO, Bill Carpenter to end transportation for the Rochester City School District. This decision will cost 144 jobs and leave over 7000 students without a plan for transportation to and from school after this school year.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping referencing a New York City councilman who cited a representative of the National Association of Colored People Philadelphia branch and a Rochester "policewoman" in their contempt of the Police Advisory Board and boards like them around the country. Alternatives to the boards (the chief of police, the FBI, and the federal court system) were raised as proof that no boards were needed. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "Police Board Opposed," was written by Cliff Smith.
Below is a scanned image of a letter to the editor from the Times-Union. The letter, "Would Abandon Police Board" written by Margaret B. Hoesli from Pittsford, talks about how great the editorials for newspaper are--"so unbiased and to the point"! She hopes the Times-Union will use all it's power to help in abolishing the Police Advisory Board. She also expresses an uncritical love of police. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Submitted by Reginald Brownman on Fri, 2015-05-01 23:54
The City of Rochester is no longer. To commemorate the life of fallen Rochester Police Officer Darryl Pierson, state and local officials agreed to change the nearly two-century-old name to Pierson. The signage upon entering downtown was the first to be commemorated.
On Tuesday, April 28th, City Councilman Matt Haag, Mayor Lovely Warren, along with former police chief, mayor, Lieutenant Governor and current Rochester Business Alliance President Bob Duffy did the dedication ceremonies.
"We didn't think the several hundred tributes, festivals, marches, motorcades, and fundraisers for Officer Pierson were quite enough to mark the greatness of this American patriot's dedication to this city and country," said Duffy in explaining the name change. "But our efforts won't stop here," he said to a crowd of several thousand residents.
The Rochester Police Locust Club President Michael D. Mazzeo reported that a statue of Officer Pierson would be erected outside the police headquarters on Exchange Street later in the week. "It is only fitting that a larger than life hero of ours be given an impressive sized monument in his honor," said Mazzeo.
The monument will be the city's largest structure of its kind, greater in size than the Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, and Nathaniel Rochester statues combined.
Submitted by Justice Hill (video and written account) on Fri, 2015-05-01 19:39
Before the recording began, two cops in separate parked police cars in the Arnett Library parking lot, appeared to be waiting for the city youth to make their way past them (Rochester Police Department police cars).
[The video was recorded by Justice Hill on April 15, 2015, at approximately 6:30pm. Rochester Indymedia is sharing the video and her account of what happened with her permission.]
Once the youth were visible to the RPD officers, they then ferociously drove the city's police vehicles across the street from the Arnett Library parking lot towards the youth, and jumped out and arrested one youth. While the cop did this, the now handcuffed and arrested youth's brother/friend began to exchange words with the cop, asking the cop why his brother/friend was being arrested (which he has every right to do).
Once the youth began to ask questions the cop began to threaten the youth with arrest if he didn't leave, and began to speak to the youth in a very demeaning and derogatory manner.
Above is a .pdf file of the federal consent decree issued by United States District Court Judge Harold P. Burke on May 12, 1975 and subsequent amendments and notices of the federal consent decree.
Submitted by RIMC / special thanks to J. Olshefsky for creating the charts on Thu, 2015-04-30 12:52
Graphs depicting data on police demographic information from August 2013. Two questions were asked of the data 1) What is the racial composition of the Rochester Police Department?, 2) What is the gender composition of the Rochester Police Department?, and 3) How much of the police force works in the communities that it lives? Data was given to Rochester Indymedia after a Freedom of Information Act request was filed with the City of Rochester. The number before the percent represents that number of officers on the force for that category.
The RPD uniformed officers list in .pdf format containing the names, ranks, ages, genders, races and residencies of the RPD officers from July 2013. The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) was used to gather this data from the City of Rochester.
On April 27, 2015, federal court Judge Jonathan Feldman reserved his ruling on the discovery of personnel files of officers named in Dwayne Ivery's case of police brutality going back 10 years because, according to Charles F. Burkwit, representing Mr. Ivery, the judge “...wants to look at the case law concerning disclosure of complaints against other officers.” Corporation Counsel Spencer Ash represented the City of Rochester.
“I told [Judge Feldman] that we have a Monell claim where we have the right to explore whether the city has tolerated a custom or pattern of excessive force on the part of its officers,” said Mr. Burkwit. “Judge Feldman said he wanted to take a look at that issue and then he will issue a decision at a later time.”
The judge also intimated that he would grant the plaintiff's discovery request—giving them the personnel files of officers outside of those named in Mr. Ivery's suit where evidence of excessive force exists as well as those named in his suit going back 10 years—as long as both sides agreed to a confidentiality order and signed off on it seven days from April 27.
Below is a scanned image of an editorial from the Times-Union. The editorial, "City Must Answer FBI On Police Board Charges," demanded that the City of Rochester address the issue of "outside review boards" such as the Police Advisory Board that "...crimp effective police work." The Times-Union editorial perspective was outlined in a report released by the Federal Bureau of Investigations stating that the city better give evidence of the need for the PAB as it stands "accused by the nation's most respected law enforcement agency of rolling a huge roadblock into the path of those who seek to defend public safety." The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "City Must Answer FBI On Police Board Charges," is an editorialand was published in the Times-Union newspaper on October 1, 1964.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping with photographs of the new Police Advisory Board. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. The photos in "Meet New Police Advisory Board," were taken by Times-Union photographer Peter B. Hickey. The article was published in the Times-Union newspaper on May 24, 1963.
Below is a scanned image of an editorial from the Times-Union. The editorial, "Does Police Board Need Executive Staff?" questions the need for paid staff on the Police Advisory Board when "...there is no business..." for the board. The editorial argues that the board confuses cops on how to implement law "...fairly, yet firmly." Smugness and paternalism drip from the editorial. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Below is a scanned image of a letter to the editor from the Democrat & Chronicle. The letter, "'I Raise My Voice For Honest Cop,'" written by Ann Scott from Honeoye, talks about her respect for the "honest cop" as well as her anger over the "crocodile tears" being shed by the Locust Club police union with regards to officer demoralization because of the Police Advisory Board. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "'I Raise My Voice For Honest Cop,'" a letter to the editor, was written by Ann Scott from Honeoye.
The Conservative Party of Monroe County spoke out against the Police Advisory Board in a letter to Rochester City Council dated March 26, 1963. See the scanned letter to council below in .pdf form. This document was sent to us by the City of Rochester after it received our Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request.
Below is a scanned image of a full-page Democrat & Chronicle newspaper advertisement paid for by DeCarolis Trucking and Rental Co., Inc. President Louis J. DeCarolis, Peter V. Ereg, and Russell B. Sanguedolce against the Police Advisory Board, and published on March 10, 1963, just days before the March 12 Rochester City Council meeting where the PAB might have been legislated into law. It was made law on March 26, 1963. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch.
Rochester Indymedia is now requiring editor approval for account creation.
We came to this decision after we had repeated spam posted to our website that caused difficulty with the website's functioning. We will still have open publishing and keep our site as nonrestrictive and accessible as possible.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. As before, we will continue to be Rochester's grassroots news and education site. Thank you for your continued support and remember, "Don't hate the media, be the media!"
Editorial Meeting Times / Locations
The Rochester Independent Media Center (R-IMC) is no longer meeting regularly. We will set up meetings by necessity and appointment. Please contact us at rochesterindymedia@rocus.org. Our home is still the Flying Squirrel Community Space at 285 Clarissa St. Occasionally, we hold meetings at RCTV located at 21 Gorham Street.
