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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CPB-2010-09-23 ITHACA COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD MEETING APPROVED MINUTES: Ithaca Community Police Board PLACE: Third Floor, Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street TIME/DATE: September 23, 2010 @ 3:30 pm PRESENT: Commissioners Bush, Firenze, Laskowitz, McGruder and Slattery; Staff: Herder ABSENT: Commissioner Smith; Alderperson Zumoff(excused); Chief Vallely (excused) GUEST: Adella Edwards Chairperson Slattery called the meeting to order at 3:35 pm. 1. Approval of Minutes of Meeting of August 26, 2010 Commissioner Firenze moved to approve last month's minutes. Commissioner Laskowitz seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously. 2. Comments from the Public Adella Edwards introduced herself, saying she was at the meeting to observe. The Commissioners introduced themselves, explaining the workings of the Ithaca Community Police Board and answering Ms. Edwards's questions about its policies and procedures. Later during the meeting, Ms. Edwards expressed concern about the Sean Greenwood incident, wondering why the police confronted Mr. Greenwood in such a public setting and why lethal force was used. She also talked about the fire at Officer Bangs's home, saying she did not want to believe that someone from Ithaca had set it. Commissioner Slattery assured her that multiple agencies were investigating. 3. Report from Common Council There was no report from Common Council. 4. Report from Police Department There was no report from the Police Department. 5. Report from Staff CPB minutes, as well as the updated complaint/compliment form, can now be found online at the City of Ithaca website. In light of GIAC's new address and other changes to information contained within, the CPB brochure requires updating. Herden requested that Commissioners provide feedback on changes they would like incorporated. 6. Old Business a. To date, no new appointments to the Ithaca Community Police Board have been made. No notice of new applicants has been received by the Chair. To the Board's knowledge, Mayor Peterson is still considering the applications already received. b. The Natural Born Leaders program may be a source for Youth Commissioner applicants. c. Commissioners asked staff to try again to connect with the Syracuse Citizen Review Board. d. The Community Police Board's nomination of Officer Brandon Goldsberry resulted in his being selected as the Kiwanis Officer of the Month. ITHACA COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD MEETING APPROVED MINUTES: Ithaca Community Police Board PLACE: Third Floor,Common Council Chambers,City Hall,108 East Green Street TIME/DATE: September 23,2010 @ 3:30 pm Page Two of Two 7. New Business The Commissioners discussed the Ithaca Community Police Board's structure, powers, and limits. The discussion included concerns about the police union's discouraging Officers to talk to the Community Police Board. When Officers refuse to cooperate with the CPB, they lose the opportunity to clarify issues that might come up when Commissioners have only the police report to refer to. Commissioner Bush feels Officers' unwillingness to engage with the CPB creates situations that are unfair to both the Officer/s and the Complainant. The Commissioners voted to respectfully request that during the next contract negotiations, the City remove or change the language from the City of Ithaca-Ithaca Police Benevolent Association labor contract currently on page 24, Section M cited by the police union to discourage Officers from speaking to the CPB. 8. Adjournment to Executive Session @ 4:23 pm Motion by Commissioner Laskowitz, seconded by Commissioner McGruder, to move to executive session to discuss and vote on results of investigations of open complaints, then return to public session and adjourn. Two investigations were discussed: 1. Complaint was voted unfounded and closed. (Slattery/#0410) 2. Complaint was voted unfounded, with explanation, and closed. (Slattery/#0510) Two new complaints (voted on at the September Board Meeting) and three new citizen letters of compliment were received between the August and September board meetings.