Community demands Police Accountability Board with discipline

<p>Enough Is Enough held a press conference on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 to once again call on the City of Rochester to pass the <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147924">Police Accountability Board</a> and end a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/105740970/MR-091012-web">50-year demand for community control </a>and give civilians the power to independently investigate, adjudicate, and discipline Rochester Police Department officers for misconduct.</p><p>[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"drupalimc_large","fid":"14390","field_deltas":{},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"alt":"EIE press conf.: Community demands independent Police Accountability Board with disciplinary power","height":480,"width":620,"class":"media-image media-element file-drupalimc-large","data-delta":"1"},"fields":{}}]]</p><p>Press conference at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Feb. 20, 2018</p><p><!--break--></p><p>Jessenia Edgeston and <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147133">Scean Gordon</a>, both members of the organization, gave their stories of how police violence has directly affected them. Pastor Wanda Wilson from Open Arms Christian Fellowship Ministries listed the names of people affected and types of violence inflicted against them by Rochester Police Department officers. She called for the creation of a Police Accountability Board that would have 5 main powers:</p><ol><li><span>Independent investigative authority as an agency of city government independent from the RPD;</span></li><li><span>Subpoena power to compel the production of evidence and witnesses;</span></li><li><span>The authority to conduct misconduct hearings;</span></li><li><span>Disciplinary authority; and</span></li><li><span>The power to evaluate systemic patterns, practices, policies, and procedures of the RPD to recommend changes and prevent misconduct.</span></li></ol><p><span>According to public statements,&nbsp; Enough Is Enough does two primary things: "First, we accompany people going through the criminal justice system that have experienced police brutality, racial profiling, and harassment by the Rochester Police Department. We offer emotional and tactical support, demystify the law, attend court proceedings, and provide direct support e.g. rides to meetings with lawyers or court appearances; and secondly, we work toward systemic change in law enforcement through policy recommendations supported by aggregate data and personal testimonies of police violence in our community."</span></p><p>Barbara Lacker-Ware, a member of Enough Is Enough, introduced those at the table including Sharlene and Frank Simmons and Pastor Nina Warr. Pastor Warr's husban <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/104474">Benny was terribly assaulted by three Rochester police officers (Joseph Ferrigno, Anthony Liberatore, and Mitchell Stewart)</a> and <a href="https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2017/10/31/cop-shooting-case-steps-into-volatile-debate-over-police-community-relations/777395001/">Silvon Simmons, Frank and Sharlene's son was shot and nearly killed by officer Joseph Ferrigno</a> after mis-identifying his vehicle, racially profiling Silvon, and then shooting him in the back three times. Simmons was indicted on charges of attempting to murder a police officer; the jury refused to believe Ferrigno's (or his partner, Sam Giancursio) story and acquitted him of the attempted murder charges. (Ferrigno has 23 excessive use of force complaints against him.)</p><p>[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"drupalimc_large","fid":"14391","field_deltas":{},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":415,"width":620,"class":"media-image media-element file-drupalimc-large","data-delta":"2"},"fields":{}}]]</p><p>photo: RYAN WILLIAMSON/City Newspaper</p><p>Lacker-Ware went on to explicate the problems with the <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147915">Center for Governmental Research's paper</a> looking at the process of civilian review of police misconduct in Rochester.</p><p>Enough Is Enough drafted a rebuttal to the CGR paper titled <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147931"><em>Achieving Police Accountability in Rochester: Clarifying misconceptions and adding commentary to the report on police oversight commissioned by City Council</em></a>. Specificallty, the rebuttal looked at four concerns:</p><ol><li>Contrary to common misconceptions, state law does not preclude the proposed Police Accountability Board from disciplining officers.</li><li>Analysis of the data concerning the current civilian review process needs to focus specifically on the most serious allegations: those filed by civilians concerning use of force.</li><li>The relevant outcomes must go beyond sustain rates and include whether al- legations of misconduct ultimately result in discipline for the officers involved. Presently, civilian-initiated allegations of force rarely result in discipline (only 13 instances over the period 2002-16). Disciplinary power needs to be an essential feature of the proposed PAB. 
</li><li>The Syracuse Citizen Review Board, which has independent power of investi- gation, sustained significantly more civilian-initiated allegations of force than Rochester’s CRB (four times more often over the period 2013-16). Independent investigatory authority needs to be an essential feature of the proposed PAB. 
E</li></ol><p>Enough Is Enough said it's hopeful that City Council will evaluate and prioritize these concerns in the legislation that is ultimately enacted. Lacker-Ware said the group and its allies would attend City Council sessions until the Police Accountability Board was passed.</p><p>[[{"fid":"14486","view_mode":"drupalimc_large","fields":{"format":"drupalimc_large","alignment":"center","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"4":{"format":"drupalimc_large","alignment":"center","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"height":801,"width":620,"class":"media-element file-drupalimc-large media-wysiwyg-align-center","data-delta":"4"}}]]</p><p><strong>Media Coverage of the Press Conference: </strong><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P8GwEIHCWrWDkZkLq5UVRQhPRsWLX3Oi/view">WHEC Channel 10</a> | <a href="http://minorityreporter.net/groups-renew-call-for-new-independent-civilian-review-board/">Minority Reporter: Groups Renew Call for New Independent Civilian Review Board</a> | <a href="http://www.openmicroc.com/police-accountability-board-organizers-we-can-go-around-police-chiefs/">Open Mic Rochester: Police Accountability Board Organizers: We Can Go Around Police Chiefs</a> |<a href="http://wxxinews.org/post/group-calls-police-accountability-board-has-concerns-about-independent-report"> WXXI: Group calls for police accountability board, has concerns about independent report</a> | <a href="https://m.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/push-for-stronger-police-oversight-continues/Content?oid=5565838">Push for stronger police oversight continues </a></p><p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/features">The Intersection of Black Lives Matter and Palestine</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147876">The Chickens Have Come Home to Roost; Another Rochester, NY Cop Shot</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147841">2 Guatemalan Women and 6 Children Detained after Traffic Stop and Community Resists</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147830">What Black Lives Matter Means: Rochester’s Black Lives Matter at School and The Importance of Education</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147736">An Evening of Empowerment with Angela Davis</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147894">The Case for an Independent Police Accountability System: Transforming the Civilian Review Process in Rochester, New York (Feb. 2017)</a> |<a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147372"> Source documents pertaining to civilian review and police accountability</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/104438">What rights? Police brutality in Rochester--a panel</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/ROCBWC">InfoDoc on Rochester's failed Body Worn Camera draft policy</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/103758">National Moment of Silence Against Police Brutality</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147663">Dept. invites public to make police union contract modification proposals</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/6900">Police Brutality Aftermath: Rochester Calls for New Independent Civilian Review Board After October 7th Police Riot</a></p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Enough Is Enough held a press conference on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 to once again call on the City of Rochester to pass the <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147924">Police Accountability Board</a> and end a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/105740970/MR-091012-web">50-year demand for community control </a>and give civilians the power to independently investigate, adjudicate, and discipline Rochester Police Department officers for misconduct.</p> <p><div class="media media-element-container media-drupalimc_large"><div id="file-14390" class="file file-video file-video-youtube"> <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/14390">EIE press conf.: Community demands independent Police Accountability Board with disciplinary power</a></h2> <div class="content"> <div class="media-youtube-video media-image media-element file-drupalimc-large media-youtube-15"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" width="620" height="480" title="EIE press conf.: Community demands independent Police Accountability Board with disciplinary power" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zFpwtjBrfW0?wmode=opaque&controls=" name="EIE press conf.: Community demands independent Police Accountability Board with disciplinary power" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of EIE press conf.: Community demands independent Police Accountability Board with disciplinary power</iframe> </div> </div> </div> </div></p> <p>Press conference at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Feb. 20, 2018</p> <p><!--break--></p> <p>Jessenia Edgeston and <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147133">Scean Gordon</a>, both members of the organization, gave their stories of how police violence has directly affected them. Pastor Wanda Wilson from Open Arms Christian Fellowship Ministries listed the names of people affected and types of violence inflicted against them by Rochester Police Department officers. She called for the creation of a Police Accountability Board that would have 5 main powers:</p> <ol><li><span>Independent investigative authority as an agency of city government independent from the RPD;</span></li> <li><span>Subpoena power to compel the production of evidence and witnesses;</span></li> <li><span>The authority to conduct misconduct hearings;</span></li> <li><span>Disciplinary authority; and</span></li> <li><span>The power to evaluate systemic patterns, practices, policies, and procedures of the RPD to recommend changes and prevent misconduct.</span></li> </ol><p><span>According to public statements,  Enough Is Enough does two primary things: "First, we accompany people going through the criminal justice system that have experienced police brutality, racial profiling, and harassment by the Rochester Police Department. We offer emotional and tactical support, demystify the law, attend court proceedings, and provide direct support e.g. rides to meetings with lawyers or court appearances; and secondly, we work toward systemic change in law enforcement through policy recommendations supported by aggregate data and personal testimonies of police violence in our community."</span></p> <p>Barbara Lacker-Ware, a member of Enough Is Enough, introduced those at the table including Sharlene and Frank Simmons and Pastor Nina Warr. Pastor Warr's husban <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/104474">Benny was terribly assaulted by three Rochester police officers (Joseph Ferrigno, Anthony Liberatore, and Mitchell Stewart)</a> and <a href="https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2017/10/31/cop-shooting-case-steps-into-volatile-debate-over-police-community-relations/777395001/">Silvon Simmons, Frank and Sharlene's son was shot and nearly killed by officer Joseph Ferrigno</a> after mis-identifying his vehicle, racially profiling Silvon, and then shooting him in the back three times. Simmons was indicted on charges of attempting to murder a police officer; the jury refused to believe Ferrigno's (or his partner, Sam Giancursio) story and acquitted him of the attempted murder charges. (Ferrigno has 23 excessive use of force complaints against him.)</p> <p><div class="media media-element-container media-drupalimc_large"><div id="file-14391" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg"> <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/14391">edgeston_-jessenia.jpg</a></h2> <div class="content"> <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/edgeston_-jessenia.jpg?width=620&amp;height=415" class="colorbox-load" height="415" width="620" data-delta="2"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/styles/drupalimc_large/public/edgeston_-jessenia.jpg?itok=BDE6yUve" alt="" title="" /></a> </div> </div> </div></p> <p>photo: RYAN WILLIAMSON/City Newspaper</p> <p>Lacker-Ware went on to explicate the problems with the <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147915">Center for Governmental Research's paper</a> looking at the process of civilian review of police misconduct in Rochester.</p> <p>Enough Is Enough drafted a rebuttal to the CGR paper titled <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147931"><em>Achieving Police Accountability in Rochester: Clarifying misconceptions and adding commentary to the report on police oversight commissioned by City Council</em></a>. Specificallty, the rebuttal looked at four concerns:</p> <ol><li>Contrary to common misconceptions, state law does not preclude the proposed Police Accountability Board from disciplining officers.</li> <li>Analysis of the data concerning the current civilian review process needs to focus specifically on the most serious allegations: those filed by civilians concerning use of force.</li> <li>The relevant outcomes must go beyond sustain rates and include whether al- legations of misconduct ultimately result in discipline for the officers involved. Presently, civilian-initiated allegations of force rarely result in discipline (only 13 instances over the period 2002-16). Disciplinary power needs to be an essential feature of the proposed PAB. 
</li> <li>The Syracuse Citizen Review Board, which has independent power of investi- gation, sustained significantly more civilian-initiated allegations of force than Rochester’s CRB (four times more often over the period 2013-16). Independent investigatory authority needs to be an essential feature of the proposed PAB. 
E</li> </ol><p>Enough Is Enough said it's hopeful that City Council will evaluate and prioritize these concerns in the legislation that is ultimately enacted. Lacker-Ware said the group and its allies would attend City Council sessions until the Police Accountability Board was passed.</p> <p><div class="media media-element-container media-drupalimc_large media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-14486" class="file file-image file-image-png"> <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/14486">Police Accountability CURRENT.png</a></h2> <div class="content"> <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/Police%20Accountability%20CURRENT_1.png?width=620&amp;height=801" class="colorbox-load" height="801" width="620" data-delta="4"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/styles/drupalimc_large/public/Police%20Accountability%20CURRENT_1.png?itok=Xnj-BExI" alt="" title="" /></a> </div> </div> </div></p> <p><strong>Media Coverage of the Press Conference: </strong><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P8GwEIHCWrWDkZkLq5UVRQhPRsWLX3Oi/view">WHEC Channel 10</a> | <a href="http://minorityreporter.net/groups-renew-call-for-new-independent-civilian-review-board/">Minority Reporter: Groups Renew Call for New Independent Civilian Review Board</a> | <a href="http://www.openmicroc.com/police-accountability-board-organizers-we-can-go-around-police-chiefs/">Open Mic Rochester: Police Accountability Board Organizers: We Can Go Around Police Chiefs</a> |<a href="http://wxxinews.org/post/group-calls-police-accountability-board-has-concerns-about-independent-report"> WXXI: Group calls for police accountability board, has concerns about independent report</a> | <a href="https://m.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/push-for-stronger-police-oversight-continues/Content?oid=5565838">Push for stronger police oversight continues </a></p> <p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/features">The Intersection of Black Lives Matter and Palestine</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147876">The Chickens Have Come Home to Roost; Another Rochester, NY Cop Shot</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147841">2 Guatemalan Women and 6 Children Detained after Traffic Stop and Community Resists</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147830">What Black Lives Matter Means: Rochester’s Black Lives Matter at School and The Importance of Education</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147736">An Evening of Empowerment with Angela Davis</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147894">The Case for an Independent Police Accountability System: Transforming the Civilian Review Process in Rochester, New York (Feb. 2017)</a> |<a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147372"> Source documents pertaining to civilian review and police accountability</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/104438">What rights? Police brutality in Rochester--a panel</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/ROCBWC">InfoDoc on Rochester's failed Body Worn Camera draft policy</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/103758">National Moment of Silence Against Police Brutality</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/147663">Dept. invites public to make police union contract modification proposals</a> | <a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/6900">Police Brutality Aftermath: Rochester Calls for New Independent Civilian Review Board After October 7th Police Riot</a></p> <p><strong> </strong></p>

Rochester Indymedia (feature photo: RYAN WILLIAMSON/City Newspaper)

Rochester Indymedia (feature photo: RYAN WILLIAMSON/City Newspaper)