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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CPB-1999-12-16 ITHACA COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD MEETING MINUTES: Ithaca Community Police Board PLACE: Third Floor Common Council Chambers, City Hall TIME & DATE December 16, 1999 at 3:30 p.m. PRESENT: Commissioners: Pryor, Laskowitz, Killeen, Jones, Graham, Nelson Chief Basile, Deputy Chief Barnes, Alderpersons Sams and Shenk Nancy Falconer CPB Staff Absent: Commissioner Skibinski Visitors: Members of the Explorer Post: Drew Tompkins, Kristen Wells, Maria Parente, Scott Rose; also Jane Psiaki, Chris Petrillose, and Mikka Cain from Tompkins County High Schools Commissioner Pryor called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. 1 Approve Minutes of Meeting November 18, 1999 Minutes were approved unanimously 2. Comments From the Public Commissioner Pryor asked that Chief Basile submit a written report rather than oral so that the meeting could be largely devoted to hearing from the young people who had come at the Board's invitation. Commissioner Pryor explained the function of the CPB and the history of the Board's efforts to explore options of including the youth and young adults of Ithaca in its work with the police and the community. She invited them to share any concerns they might have with the Board. Discussion followed about some of the problems they and fellow students encounter. These include sometimes feeling intimidated at speaking to police officers about problems, and worrying that there may be favoritism when a student is known to the police officer. Some solutions were proposed such as having a box where students could anonymously leave notes about problems, or telling problems to a 'safe' person who could relay it to the police officer. There were many suggestions as to how to increase the interaction between police and young people in informal ways, outside of normal 'policing' actions, so that more trust could develop. Commissioner Killeen asked if violence had increased at the high school recently, and was told that while actual violence had not increased much, there is an increase in 'territorialism' among groups at the High School. 'Safe night' parties were also discussed. The participants said that the young people attending like the party but not the need to keep a closed-door policy so that they could not return once they had left. There was concurrence that further meetings with the Board could be helpful, and the visitors offered many suggestions for helping to poster for future meetings. Report from Common Council Alderperson Sams reported on the status of hate crime legislation. The meetings are going well, and Deputy Chief Signer is very effective at handling the crowds at meetings. The committee will meet again, and draft the law in the wording desired for this city. Old Business It was decided to keep the meetings at the usual 3:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month. However, because the usual conference room will be used as offices starting in January, 2000, the meetings for the next six months are scheduled for the first floor conference room of the Human Services Building, 320 West State Street. The meeting adjourned to Executive session at 4:20 pm.