Against the Police Advisory Board, editorials & letters, Times-Union, March 1965
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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.
While the Police Advisory Board became law on March 26, 1963 to address complaints against officers who used "excessive and unnecessary force" against civilians, the Locust Club police union did everything in its power to thwart it from actually accomplishing anything. Two injunctions were slapped on it by the court preventing it from conducting independent investigations and forwarding recommendations to the chief of police--it's primary functions. By the mid-1960s, new appointments to the board were needed to meet quorum in order for it to do its work. But neither Democrats nor Republicans appointed anyone to the board after it was found constitutional by the courts in 1969. It was then defunded and abolished in 1970 by the new Republican Party-lead Rochester city government.
"Police Need Full Support To Help the War Against Crime," is an editorial written by Paul Miller and published in the Times-Union on March 13, 1965. Part of the article wasn't scanned fully so the left side is slightly cropped for part of the article. Miller starts his editorial with a bit of fear mongering while emphasizing the need for a tougher stance on "crime." He proclaims that Rochester is doing right by the police by paying them more but has "saddled a police review board on the backs of the men whose duty it is to protect all citizens against the crimes of a few." He pins the disrespect for police during the "riots" on the board. He advises Rochester police to use dogs in their "more-difficult-than-ever job."
The letter to the editor below, "Abolish Police Board," written by Orville DeLorm from the city, was published in the Times-Union on March 17, 1965. He thanks the Times-Union for the above column and states his belief that the PAB was forced on the city by "small organized pressure group or groups after the arrest of several law breakers who hollered 'police brutality.'" He believes the board is unconstitutional and wants it abolished.
The letter to the editor below, "Good Question," with no author listed, was published in the Times-Union on March 22, 1965. The question was: "Why are the police singled out as subject to such a review by laymen?
The letter to the editor below, "Calls for Abolishing Police Advisory Board," written by John C. Morcan from the city, was published in the Times-Union on March 26, 1965. Morcan's opinion is that by abolishing the board, police morale would go up with respect for police.
