POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY NOW!

Transfered from old site

Rochester activists -- Please join us on Monday!
 

 
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WHAT: Green Party press conference on police reform
 
WHERE: NEW Public Safety Building on Exchange Street
 
WHEN: Monday, September 9, 11:00 AM
 
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
 
Jason Crane, Chair, Green Party of Monroe County
 
James Caldwell, former Green candidate for Monroe County Sheriff
 

 
Media Contact: Jason Crane (621-1000 x2405) / Bonnie Cannan (241-5852)
 

 
GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR POLICE REFORMS
 
Party cites need for stronger review boards, more training
 

 
(ROCHESTER) September 9 - Citing growing public concern over the recent
 
series of deaths of people in police custody, the Green Party of Monroe
 
County (GPoMC) is calling for strengthened citizen review boards, and
 
improved training for the members of the Rochester Police Department.
 

 
"It's important to point out that stronger review boards would be an
 
asset to law enforcement, as well as to the general public," said Jason
 
Crane, chair of the GPoMC. "When an elected, independent board rules in
 
favor of the police, the public is more likely to respect that decision.
 
And when there is misbehavior to be found, an independent body is more
 
likely to bring that problem to light."
 

 
Crane said the citizen review boards must meet certain basic criteria:
 

 
-- The members must be elected.
 
-- The boards must have subpoena powers.
 
-- The boards must have career-track professional investigators with no
 
ties to the police department.
 
-- The boards must protect the due-process rights of civilians and officers.
 
-- The boards must have authority to impose sanctions on police officers
 
who violate citizens' rights.
 

 
"We, the people, pay the salaries of the police force, and it makes sense
 
that we, the people, have oversight over our public servants," Crane said.
 

 
The Green Party is also calling for improved human rights training for
 
police officers.
 

 
"When people with mental health problems meet overworked and inadequately
 
trained cops, there are bound to be bad results," said Bonnie Cannan, a
 
former Green candidate for Rochester City Council. Cannan is a career
 
employee of the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Service Office,
 
and a member of the Public Employees Federation.
 

 
"Our police officers need more sophisticated training on how to respect
 
civil rights and how to deal with the mentally and emotionally disturbed.
 
For example, they need to learn more intensive methods of behavioral
 
therapy, and they need faster access to trained professionals. This helps
 
ensure the officers' safety as well as the safety of our citizens,"
 
Cannan said.
 

 
Jason Crane may be reached for comment at (585) 621-1000 x2405. Bonnie
 
Cannan may be reached for comment at (585) 241-5852.