POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY NOW!

Transfered from old site <!--break--> Rochester activists -- Please join us on Monday! &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>------- &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>WHAT: Green Party press conference on police reform &nbsp;<BR>WHERE: NEW Public Safety Building on Exchange Street &nbsp;<BR>WHEN: Monday, September 9, 11:00 AM &nbsp;<BR>SPEAKERS INCLUDE: &nbsp;<BR>Jason Crane, Chair, Green Party of Monroe County &nbsp;<BR>James Caldwell, former Green candidate for Monroe County Sheriff &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Media Contact: Jason Crane (621-1000 x2405) / Bonnie Cannan (241-5852) &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR POLICE REFORMS &nbsp;<BR>Party cites need for stronger review boards, more training &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>(ROCHESTER) September 9 - Citing growing public concern over the recent &nbsp;<BR>series of deaths of people in police custody, the Green Party of Monroe &nbsp;<BR>County (GPoMC) is calling for strengthened citizen review boards, and &nbsp;<BR>improved training for the members of the Rochester Police Department. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>"It's important to point out that stronger review boards would be an &nbsp;<BR>asset to law enforcement, as well as to the general public," said Jason &nbsp;<BR>Crane, chair of the GPoMC. "When an elected, independent board rules in &nbsp;<BR>favor of the police, the public is more likely to respect that decision. &nbsp;<BR>And when there is misbehavior to be found, an independent body is more &nbsp;<BR>likely to bring that problem to light." &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Crane said the citizen review boards must meet certain basic criteria: &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>-- The members must be elected. &nbsp;<BR>-- The boards must have subpoena powers. &nbsp;<BR>-- The boards must have career-track professional investigators with no &nbsp;<BR>ties to the police department. &nbsp;<BR>-- The boards must protect the due-process rights of civilians and officers. &nbsp;<BR>-- The boards must have authority to impose sanctions on police officers &nbsp;<BR>who violate citizens' rights. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>"We, the people, pay the salaries of the police force, and it makes sense &nbsp;<BR>that we, the people, have oversight over our public servants," Crane said. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>The Green Party is also calling for improved human rights training for &nbsp;<BR>police officers. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>"When people with mental health problems meet overworked and inadequately &nbsp;<BR>trained cops, there are bound to be bad results," said Bonnie Cannan, a &nbsp;<BR>former Green candidate for Rochester City Council. Cannan is a career &nbsp;<BR>employee of the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Service Office, &nbsp;<BR>and a member of the Public Employees Federation. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>"Our police officers need more sophisticated training on how to respect &nbsp;<BR>civil rights and how to deal with the mentally and emotionally disturbed. &nbsp;<BR>For example, they need to learn more intensive methods of behavioral &nbsp;<BR>therapy, and they need faster access to trained professionals. This helps &nbsp;<BR>ensure the officers' safety as well as the safety of our citizens," &nbsp;<BR>Cannan said. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Jason Crane may be reached for comment at (585) 621-1000 x2405. Bonnie &nbsp;<BR>Cannan may be reached for comment at (585) 241-5852. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>

<p>Transfered from old site</p> <!--break--><p>Rochester activists -- Please join us on Monday!<br />  <br /><br />  <br />-------<br />  <br /><br />  <br />WHAT: Green Party press conference on police reform<br />  <br />WHERE: NEW Public Safety Building on Exchange Street<br />  <br />WHEN: Monday, September 9, 11:00 AM<br />  <br />SPEAKERS INCLUDE:<br />  <br />Jason Crane, Chair, Green Party of Monroe County<br />  <br />James Caldwell, former Green candidate for Monroe County Sheriff<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Media Contact: Jason Crane (621-1000 x2405) / Bonnie Cannan (241-5852)<br />  <br /><br />  <br />GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR POLICE REFORMS<br />  <br />Party cites need for stronger review boards, more training<br />  <br /><br />  <br />(ROCHESTER) September 9 - Citing growing public concern over the recent<br />  <br />series of deaths of people in police custody, the Green Party of Monroe<br />  <br />County (GPoMC) is calling for strengthened citizen review boards, and<br />  <br />improved training for the members of the Rochester Police Department.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />"It's important to point out that stronger review boards would be an<br />  <br />asset to law enforcement, as well as to the general public," said Jason<br />  <br />Crane, chair of the GPoMC. "When an elected, independent board rules in<br />  <br />favor of the police, the public is more likely to respect that decision.<br />  <br />And when there is misbehavior to be found, an independent body is more<br />  <br />likely to bring that problem to light."<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Crane said the citizen review boards must meet certain basic criteria:<br />  <br /><br />  <br />-- The members must be elected.<br />  <br />-- The boards must have subpoena powers.<br />  <br />-- The boards must have career-track professional investigators with no<br />  <br />ties to the police department.<br />  <br />-- The boards must protect the due-process rights of civilians and officers.<br />  <br />-- The boards must have authority to impose sanctions on police officers<br />  <br />who violate citizens' rights.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />"We, the people, pay the salaries of the police force, and it makes sense<br />  <br />that we, the people, have oversight over our public servants," Crane said.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />The Green Party is also calling for improved human rights training for<br />  <br />police officers.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />"When people with mental health problems meet overworked and inadequately<br />  <br />trained cops, there are bound to be bad results," said Bonnie Cannan, a<br />  <br />former Green candidate for Rochester City Council. Cannan is a career<br />  <br />employee of the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Service Office,<br />  <br />and a member of the Public Employees Federation.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />"Our police officers need more sophisticated training on how to respect<br />  <br />civil rights and how to deal with the mentally and emotionally disturbed.<br />  <br />For example, they need to learn more intensive methods of behavioral<br />  <br />therapy, and they need faster access to trained professionals. This helps<br />  <br />ensure the officers' safety as well as the safety of our citizens,"<br />  <br />Cannan said.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Jason Crane may be reached for comment at (585) 621-1000 x2405. Bonnie<br />  <br />Cannan may be reached for comment at (585) 241-5852.<br />  <br /><br />  <br /><br />  <br /></p>