For Immediate Release:
June 21, 2018
 

Statement from City Council President Loretta C. Scott Regarding the Police Accountability Board

The City Council has been performing a continuous evaluation of the process for reviewing citizen complaints against members of the Rochester Police Department. This review is not to be taken lightly, and the process is not one that can be rushed. We are committed to implementing a real solution that addresses the community’s call for increased trust, accountability and transparency.

In the spirit of transparency, I will continue to update the community periodically. I want folks to know where we are in the process and where we are going. Earlier this year the City Council issued a Request for Proposals to obtain a legal opinion that would answer the critical question of whether or not a Police Accountability Board could be legally empowered to discipline police officers.  Harris Beach, PLLC was selected to review this question and provided Council with their opinion. The City of Rochester’s Law Department reviewed this opinion and provided a differing perspective. (Both documents are attached).

Below is the PDF of Corporation Counsel Tim Curtin's rebuttal to the Harris Beach legal opinion. Rochester City Council hired Harris Beach to weigh in on the question of "May the proposed PAB be legally empowered to discipline police officers of the Rochester Police Department?"

The rebuttal was dated May 9, 2018. The Harris Beach opinion was issued on May 3, 2018. Both documents were attached to a statement released by Rochester City Council President Loretta Scott on June 21, 2018.

City rebuttal to harris beach 5 9 18.pdf

City rebuttal to harris beach 5 9 18.pdf

Below is the PDF of the Harris Beach legal opinion, solicited by Rochester City Council, regarding the question of "May the proposed PAB be legally empowered to discipline police officers of the Rochester Police Department?"

The opinion was dated May 3, 2018. The Corporation Counsel for the City of Rochester issued his rebuttal on May 9, 2018. Both documents were attached to a statement released by Rochester City Council President Loretta Scott on June 21, 2018.

Harris Beach legal opinion.pdf

Harris Beach legal opinion.pdf

Residents of Rochester NY held a candlelight vigil on July 18 2018 against  corruption in business and government. The action was in solidarity with over 60 other cities nationwide.

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Rochester Police Department (RPD) officers Matthew Drake, Steven Mitchell, and Jeffrey Kester were caught on store surveillance cameras brutalizing David Vann and are named in a federal civil rights lawsuit along with the city of Rochester and several other officers, investigators and supervisors alleging police brutality, violations of Mr. Vann’s constitutional rights, and a police cover-up. Mr. Vann is represented by Elliot Dolby-Shields, Esq. of Roth & Roth LLP; the lawsuit was filed on May 16, 2018.

The anti-police brutality group Enough Is Enough (EIE) recently released to Rochester Indymedia an edited video of the incident as well as the convenience store surveillance camera footage. The group screened the edited video at the Intersections of Rebellion and Accountability panel discussion held in late May. Members of Enough Is Enough were present at Mr. Vann’s criminal trial and received the footage directly from him at that time. You can watch the edited clip below and the raw surveillance camera footage at the bottom of the article.

Enough Is Enough's Edited Video of the Police Assault on David Vann

(July 9th, 2018) Rochester, NY-  Saturday, July 7th, 2018, 16 people were arrested while peacefully declaring the mantra, “Black Lives Matter”. The protesters were making a statement against the harsh reality that black lives aren’t valued or held in the same regard as white lives. Black Lives Matter Roc organized a demonstration in Downtown Rochester that concluded with an act of civil disobedience on the intersection of Woodbury and S. Clinton Avenue. Rochester Police Department deployed a contingent of riot police equipped with less-lethal weapons around 7:15pm disrupting the peaceful demonstration. Organizers decided to forego interviews with the media, bearing in mind that mainstream media has historically acted to distort the narratives of those in the struggle for black lives, equality, and equity, as they saw fit. We are not without the guidance of our mighty ancestor, Frederick Douglass.

European Finance Ministers endorse a new Greece debt agreement that provides financing in exchange for maintaining austerity policies and economic reforms.

“Parts of the Greece deal provide more breathing space for Greece in the short-term, but we are still concerned that there isn't enough debt relief to keep Greece out of trouble for the long-term," stated Jubilee USA Executive Director Eric LeCompte, who monitors and works on international debt agreements. "I'm also worried that the continued austerity policies hurt too many Greeks and will negatively impact economic growth."