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.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding the insertion of the findings from the Police Advisory Board and the chief of police into the personnel fils of three unnamed officers. Specifically, the case was that of a black, 19-year-old who stated that after he was arrested for pubic intoxication, he was taken downtown and beat while in custody. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "Complaint Put Into Cops' Files," has no by-line.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding patrolmen Vito D'Ambrosia and Michael Rotolo who were cleared by the Police Advisory Board of using excessive force in an arrest. The board stated in their report that the officers “used no more force than necessary,” as was quoted in a Democrat & Chronicle article from October 12, 1965.The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "Advisory Board Denies Cops Used 'Extra Force'," has no by-line.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding the case of John Graham, a black, 19-year-old arrested for public intoxication, who stated that four Rochester Police Bureau officers beat him up and used “unnecessary force” while he was in police custody. It was the only case made public where the board and the chief disagreed; this lead to the findings of both Police Chief William Lombard and the board to be placed in the officers' personnel files. The names of the officers were not released.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding 10 cases that were reviewed by the Police Advisory Board in February 1968 after more than a two year hiatus from doing its work because of a court injunction. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "10 Cases Reviewed By PAB," has no by-line. It was published in the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper on February 2, 1968.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding the rise in cases from 1964 to 1965 that were heard by the Police Advisory Board. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "Cases Rising, Police Review Board Reports," was written by Bill Vogler. It was published in the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper on October 19, 1965.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding the first report of the Police Advisory Board. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "'Business' Slow for Police Board," didn't have a by-line. It was published in the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper on August 8, 1964. While the Police Advisory Board became law in 1963, the Locust Club police union did everything in its power to thwart it from actually accomplishing anything.
Below is a scanned image of a newspaper clipping regarding the first report of the Police Advisory Board. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "Year's Score: 2 Cases for Police Board," didn't have a by-line. It was published in the Times-Union newspaper on August 7, 1964. While the Police Advisory Board became law in 1963, the Locust Club police union did everything in its power to thwart it from actually accomplishing anything.
It seems that Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and City of Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren HAVE NO LONG-TERM PLAN to house the homeless. Posts for new fencing have been placed under the Frederick Douglass / Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge where Sanctuary Village pitched camp last fall and early winter. Apparently, a long-term plan does NOT mean finding sustainable, quality housing for folks, but rather fences to keep them from creating another tent city once they are kicked out from the Canal St. building.
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!"
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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.
