Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CPB-1994-08-26 1 .7 ,4:,..,,,z _ . _,,...,,,, '_.r Vim'; s coq •:`0; ,?RREO_= CITY OF ITHACA COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD 120 EAST CLINTON STREET (607) 272.9973 ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850-5689 EXTENSION 310 MINUTES: Ithaca Community Police Board PLACE: Second Floor Conference Room, City Hall TIME & DATE: August 26, 1994 at 2:30 p.m. PRESENT: Commissioners Nelson, Sarachan, Seligmann, Teasley. Chief McEwen, Alderperson Shenk, PBA President Gray. Suzanne Knight, Community Dispute Resolution Center. Dave Nutter, Bicycle Advisory Council. Keeley Webster, Ithaca Journal. Carol Hale, WHCU. ABSENT: Commissioners Edmonds, Johnson, Lappin. 1 . Commissioner Seligmann called the meeting to order. 2. Approve Minutes of Meeting of July 22, 1994 by Commissioner Sarachan, seconded by Commissioner Teasley. RESOLVED, That the minutes of the July 22, 1994 Community Police Board Meeting be approved as published. Carried Unanimously 3. Report from Common Council: Alderperson Shenk noted that she was asked at the last Community Police Board meeting to find out who the Community Police Advocates report to. She noted that in the ordinance the Community Police Advocates are supposed to submit quarterly reports to the Community Police Board to be included in their report to Common Council. Discussion followed. Alderperson Shenk will go back to Common Council to see if the Community Police Advocates' quarterly reports can go directly to Common Council and copied to the Community Police Board. Discussion followed about policy issues and the need for clarification on several of these issues. The Community Police Board decided to invite Rita Linger from the Community Dispute Resolution Center to the September meeting for a brief discussion on these topics. Alderperson Shenk noted that the Mayor has created a task force to discuss a nuisance abatement ordinance similar to the one the City of Rochester has. She noted that it is not the same ordinance and that there are strong feelings for and against this type of ordinance in the City of Ithaca. Chief McEwen noted that the City Attorney's office is preparing drafts on this ordinance. Community Police Board Meeting Minutes Page 2 August 26, 1994 Alderperson Shenk noted that the Youth Committee is reviewing the possibility of re-implementing a curfew in the City of Ithaca. She noted that this will be discussed at their September 8th meeting. 4. Comments from the Public: David Nutter from the Bicycle Advisory Council was present to introduce himself to the Community Police Board. He will give the Community Police Board a letter regarding the Bicycle Advisory Council's work, noting that the Bicycle Advisory Council is interested in encouraging legal bike riders. 5. Report of the Chief: Chief McEwen noted that the Department has been very busy this summer, especially now with the transition from summer to the school year. He noted that Common Council did approve the hiring of another officer and that he is looking at hiring a lateral transfer from another department. Chief McEwen noted that Ithaca College has stopped leasing Hudson Heights which will probably cause more work for the Ithaca Police Department. Chief McEwen noted that he is working on the 1995 budget and briefly discussed the process with the Community Police Board. 6. Comments from PBA President: PBA President Gray restated his plea for more officers, noting that some of the officers attended the last Common Council meeting and were well received by the public. 7. Old Business: Suzanne Knight from the Community Dispute Resolution Center was present to discuss the Community Police Advocates program. Discussion followed about the Advocate/client responsibilities and the turn around time from commissioner to advocate. Chief McEwen noted that in most cases the hold-up time is trying to contact the complainant. Discussion followed about the complaint process. The Community Police Board encouraged the Community Dispute Resolution Center to keep them updated on this Community Police Advocates program. Commissioner Teasley discussed the by-laws for the Community Police Board (copy attached). Discussion followed. Commissioner Teasley encouraged the other members of the Community Police Board to get back with her with their comments regarding the by-laws. Discussion followed about a flexible quorum. There was no report from the Training Committee as Commissioner Edmonds was not present. 8. New Business: Commissioner Seligmann noted that she has received Commissioner Lappin's letter of resignation which she showed to the other members of the Community Police Board. Community Police Board Meeting Minutes Page 3 August 26, 1994 9. Adjournment: The next meeting of the Community Police Board is scheduled to be held on September 23, 1994 at 2:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room of City Hall. The Community Police Board adjourned into Executive Session at 4:15 p.m. CPB/lac attachment CITY OF ITHACA COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD BY-LAWS ARTICLE I. NAME This board shall be known as the City of Ithaca Community Police Board. ARTICLE II. PURPOSES ( from City of Ithaca Charter section C-16, paragraphs B. C. and E. ) II A. "The Community Police Board may recommend rules, bylaws and regulations for the government of the Police Department of the City, not inconsistent with the laws of thie state, which may be promulgated through the Chief of Police to the whole force. The Chief of Police shall have the immediate direction and control of the police in the administration of the rules, bylaws and regulations of the Department. " II B. "The Community Police Board shall act as community liaison to the Police Department actively fostering positive communications between police and all segments of the community. It shall make provisions for resolving complaints by the citizenry related to the delivery of police services. Using established procedures, the Board may recommend action against any member of the Police Department. It shall make recommendations, on its own initiative or at the request of the Mayor, the Common Council or the Police Chief, on any matter affecting the policy or performance of the Police Department, including financing and budget. " II C. "The Board shall give written annual reports to the Mayor and Common Council regarding its activities and the changes it has sought and achieved. " ARTICLE III. BOARD MEMBER SELECTION AND BOARD COMPOSITION ( from City of Ithaca Charter sec . C-16, paragraph A. ) III A. "The Mayor shall appoint a Community Police Board, subject to the approval of the Common Council . "The Commissioners shall be chosen from a range of culturally and economically diverse community groups with consideration given to the effect each appointment will have on the diversity of representation, including geographic representation, on the Board. CPB Bylaws, p. 2 "The Community Police Board shall consist of seven (7) Commissioners. The term of the office of each Commissioner shall be three (3) years, commencing on the first of January. "No more than three Commissioners shall be appointed in any one (1 ) year. The terms of the existing Commissioners shall continue unchanged-. "No elected city official shall be a member of the Community Police Board. "A Commissioner shall hold office until his/her successor shall have been chosen and qualified. A vacancy for an unexpired or newly created term shall be filled in the manner set forth in this Charter, except that the limitation on the number of appointments per year, the term of office and the term's starting date shall not apply. "All Commissioners shall have been a resident of the City of Ithaca for at least two (2) years immediately preceding their appointment . All Commissioners shall serve without salary. " III D. REMOVAL: ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND MEETINGS (From City of Ithaca, Charter section C-16, paragraph D) IV A. "At its first meeting in January of each year, the members of the Community Police Board shall organize as a board by electing one ( 1 ) of its members as Chairperson. IV B. "The Community Police Board shall hold such stated and special meetings at such time and place as it may determine but at least once in each month. The Board will function according to its bylaws. " IV C. MEETING ATTENDANCE: Board members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled monthly meetings. They may occasionally be excused from this obligation by informing the Board Chairperson in advance. CPB bylaws p. 3 If Board members are unable to attend more than three scheduled monthly meetings in a row, or are frequently unable to attend meetings, their viability of their continuing membership should be examined in discussion with the Board.