The Civilian Review Board Commission Recommendations Leaves Out the Civilian

<p>On Thursday, August 23, 2012 after almost a year Adam McFaddan, chair of the commission and City councilman, presented the recommendations of the Civilian Review Board commission to public.&nbsp; The committee was formed after the community's outcry about police misconduct and lack of accountability in the Emily Good case and her video of a young African American Man being racially profiled.&nbsp; The public however, was not pleased with the report and spoke out against the charade that was presented as a change to the review process at the meeting.&nbsp; Although there were some changes, the changes that had been requested by the community, mainly an independent civilian review board was not one of the changes. &nbsp;<br><br>The Recommendations that were presented were:<br>1.&nbsp; Community Advocate<br>2.&nbsp; Multiple Options for Intake and investigation<br>3.&nbsp; Members of CRB must be City Residents<br>4.&nbsp; Case update letter sent every 30 days<br>5.&nbsp; Additional conflict resolution training for police<br>6.&nbsp; Additional community outreach<br>7.&nbsp; Additional youth outreach<br>8.&nbsp; Overhaul intake process<br>9.&nbsp; Intake option at City Hall<br>10. Fast track procedural courtesy complaints<br>11.&nbsp; Disciplinary details shared with complainant (general disposition)<br><br>There was also a list of CRB Issues that were unresolved (remaining issues).&nbsp; They are as follows:<br><br>1.&nbsp; Autonomous CRB with entirely separate PSS and CRB investigations<br>2.. Filing complaint will satisfy notice of claim requirements to avoid statute of limitations that would expire before an investigation was complete<br>3.&nbsp; Separate reporting for complainant injuries (indicating that an injury sustained creates a need for a more urgent complaint filing)<br>4.&nbsp; Standardized intake questions&nbsp; (This is an issue whether to treat the complaint as a traditional investigation or in a more complainant friendly manner.)<br>5.&nbsp; Procedures for evaluating multiple separate complaints against an officer.<br><br>The report also said that there was a request for greater access to officer and investigator files as well as mandatory reconciliation programs.&nbsp; Because of collective bargaining issues both access to officer's files and reconciliation procedures must remain as they are.<br><br>The chair of the committee, City councilman, Adam McFaddan's comments about the recommendations are as follows:<br><br>1.&nbsp; A community Advocate should be funded under the auspices of a separate agency,<br>2.&nbsp; A CRB monitor position should be considered at a later date<br>3.&nbsp; City Council should take a more active role in oversight of the complaint process that would create the autonomy the community seeks.<br>4.&nbsp; Implementation for agreed upon changes should be evaluated every six months<br>5.&nbsp; the CBR committee should reconvene each time an evaluation is done for additional discussion<br>6.&nbsp; Notice of claims requirements should be satisfied by filing a complaint.<br>7.&nbsp; Complaints where injuries have been sustained should be fast-tracked.<br>8.&nbsp; The complaint intake process should be preceded by a plain language explanation to the complainant of the process from intake to decision.&nbsp; the community Advocate should be present at all intake sessions.<br><br>The public that spoke repeatedly made reference to the fact that power unchecked is power corrupted.&nbsp; That with the police continuing to investigate itself and the Chief having final word,&nbsp; the public continues to be left high and dry as far as accountability.&nbsp; We have seen time and again when governments, corporations, agencies… go unregulated or have no oversight by an outside body, they historically abuse that power at the expense of the public.&nbsp; The fact is that if an independent review board would investigate the police, the police and city would have so many lawsuits, they would go broke.&nbsp; So the only way to control the lawsuits is to continue to police themselves.&nbsp; There is a saying if nothing changes, nothing changes.&nbsp; This is the case of the oversight and accountability of the Rochester Police Department. &nbsp;<br><br>Video of Adam McFaddan reading through and explaning recommendations--part 1:</p><p>[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"drupalimc_large","fid":"9158","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]</p><p>Video of community members speaking out--part 2:</p><p>[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"drupalimc_large","fid":"9159","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]</p>

<p>On Thursday, August 23, 2012 after almost a year Adam McFaddan, chair of the commission and City councilman, presented the recommendations of the Civilian Review Board commission to public.  The committee was formed after the community's outcry about police misconduct and lack of accountability in the Emily Good case and her video of a young African American Man being racially profiled.  The public however, was not pleased with the report and spoke out against the charade that was presented as a change to the review process at the meeting.  Although there were some changes, the changes that had been requested by the community, mainly an independent civilian review board was not one of the changes.  <br /><br />The Recommendations that were presented were:<br />1.  Community Advocate<br />2.  Multiple Options for Intake and investigation<br />3.  Members of CRB must be City Residents<br />4.  Case update letter sent every 30 days<br />5.  Additional conflict resolution training for police<br />6.  Additional community outreach<br />7.  Additional youth outreach<br />8.  Overhaul intake process<br />9.  Intake option at City Hall<br />10. Fast track procedural courtesy complaints<br />11.  Disciplinary details shared with complainant (general disposition)<br /><br />There was also a list of CRB Issues that were unresolved (remaining issues).  They are as follows:<br /><br />1.  Autonomous CRB with entirely separate PSS and CRB investigations<br />2.. Filing complaint will satisfy notice of claim requirements to avoid statute of limitations that would expire before an investigation was complete<br />3.  Separate reporting for complainant injuries (indicating that an injury sustained creates a need for a more urgent complaint filing)<br />4.  Standardized intake questions  (This is an issue whether to treat the complaint as a traditional investigation or in a more complainant friendly manner.)<br />5.  Procedures for evaluating multiple separate complaints against an officer.<br /><br />The report also said that there was a request for greater access to officer and investigator files as well as mandatory reconciliation programs.  Because of collective bargaining issues both access to officer's files and reconciliation procedures must remain as they are.<br /><br />The chair of the committee, City councilman, Adam McFaddan's comments about the recommendations are as follows:<br /><br />1.  A community Advocate should be funded under the auspices of a separate agency,<br />2.  A CRB monitor position should be considered at a later date<br />3.  City Council should take a more active role in oversight of the complaint process that would create the autonomy the community seeks.<br />4.  Implementation for agreed upon changes should be evaluated every six months<br />5.  the CBR committee should reconvene each time an evaluation is done for additional discussion<br />6.  Notice of claims requirements should be satisfied by filing a complaint.<br />7.  Complaints where injuries have been sustained should be fast-tracked.<br />8.  The complaint intake process should be preceded by a plain language explanation to the complainant of the process from intake to decision.  the community Advocate should be present at all intake sessions.<br /><br />The public that spoke repeatedly made reference to the fact that power unchecked is power corrupted.  That with the police continuing to investigate itself and the Chief having final word,  the public continues to be left high and dry as far as accountability.  We have seen time and again when governments, corporations, agencies… go unregulated or have no oversight by an outside body, they historically abuse that power at the expense of the public.  The fact is that if an independent review board would investigate the police, the police and city would have so many lawsuits, they would go broke.  So the only way to control the lawsuits is to continue to police themselves.  There is a saying if nothing changes, nothing changes.  This is the case of the oversight and accountability of the Rochester Police Department.  <br /><br />Video of Adam McFaddan reading through and explaning recommendations--part 1:</p> <p><div class="media media-element-container media-drupalimc_large"><div id="file-9158" class="file file-video file-video-youtube"> <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/9158">Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 1</a></h2> <div class="content"> <div class="media-youtube-video media-image media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" width="620" height="480" title="Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 1" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_c-i7oAMuWw?wmode=opaque&controls=" name="Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 1</iframe> </div> </div> </div> </div></p> <p>Video of community members speaking out--part 2:</p> <p><div class="media media-element-container media-drupalimc_large"><div id="file-9159" class="file file-video file-video-youtube"> <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/9159">Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 2</a></h2> <div class="content"> <div class="media-youtube-video media-image media-youtube-2"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" width="620" height="480" title="Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 2" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l2SRrRkfMoE?wmode=opaque&controls=" name="Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 2" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Rochester, NY Civilian review Board Committee Review Recommendations Part 2</iframe> </div> </div> </div> </div></p>