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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 - General Information from Mayor's Task Force on Police-Community Relations MEMO TO: TASK FORCE ON POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY- POLICE BOARD: Birthe Darden, John Johnson, John Marcham, Alfredo Rossi, Sara Shenk, Irene Stein, Cynthia Telfair, Gregg Thomas, Lillie Tucker, and Rick Williams FROM: Marilyn Ray SUBJECT: Final Update DATE: 2/17/93 After all our hard work last summer, I thought you might like an update on what is happening to our report. The Task Force Steering Committee forwarded our report and the reports of the other working committees to Common Council's Human Services Committee for consideration at their meeting October 26, 1992 at 7:30 in City Hall. The Human Services Committee decided that not all the tasks fell appropriately within the Committee's responsibilities. Therefore, it reviewed each sub-committee report and decided which office of city government and/or which Common Council Committee was appropriate to handle specific recommendations. The Human Services Committee has completed their review, and I have just received the enclosed copy of our report with notes in the margins indication to which office or committee that section was sent for further action. The Task Force Steering Committee is scheduled to finally complete its work and disband the end of the month (we kept going until the Police/Community Training Committee completed it's police and community surveys, but haven't met for several months) . If you have questions, please contact John Johnson, Chair, Human Services Committee (home: 272-8442; work: 273-4190). Final Version THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS REPORT OF COMMUNITY-POLICE BOARD COMMITTEE September 21, 1992 INTRODUCTION At a rally and two subsequent community meetings held in May and early June, 1992, African-Americans, members of other minority groups, and other residents of Ithaca expressed various concerns about police - community relations; ques- tioned the Community-Police Board's complaint procedures and the complaint investigatory process; and expressed dissatisfaction with the jury selection process. As a result of these meetings, the Mayor created the TASK FORCE and designated four committees, one of which is the Community-Police-Board Commit- tee. The Committee was charged with investigating the causes for and substance of the lack of confidence in the Community-Police Board, and with making recom- mendations to the Mayor for changes in the Board that would address the prob- lems. This Committee began meeting on June 15, 1992 and has met thirteen times since then. The Committee reviewed: articles on how Community-Police Boards in other communities are organized, and membership, investigative procedures, and the success or lack thereof for such Boards; the Police Benevolent Association Union contract with the City; the history of the present Board; current civil- ian complaint procedures, forms, and reports; and current Board policies. At the Committee's invitation, Chief Harlan McEwen attended one meeting, answered questions, and talked at length about his role regarding complaints against members of the Police Force, and the police relations with the Board. Although Sara Shenk, chair of the Board, was an active member of the Committee, the Committee also invited the other three Commissioners to several meetings, and Kirby Edmonds and Carol Seligmann met with the Committee a number of times. It is clear from this Spring's public meetings and from previous such meet- ings that many people do not see the Board as a "useful, accessible or respon- sive resource". The Committee did not take upon itself the job of evaluating the quality of the Board's past work. Instead, the Committee has responded to the concerns expressed by those who attended the public meetings and our charge by examining the policies, procedures and structure of the Board. In this manner, the Committee's recommendations are forward looking and do not question the dedication, time, and hard work provided by members of the Board to the community. We conclude that in order to gain the community's confidence, it is necessary Community-Police Board Committee Report. . . .page 2 that substantial changes be made as soon as possible in the manner in which the Board handles complaints, interacts with the community, and in its accountabil- ity to the community. As a result of our work, the Committee voted to respect- fully make the following recommendations. RECOMMENDATIONS 1- Board Name: The name of the Board has been construed by many members of the community as indicating a lack of independence from the police structures. . RECOMMENDATION I: The name of the Community-Police Board shall be changed to Citizen's Commission on Community Relations and members shall be known as Citizen Commissioners. 1 2- Board Structure: The Board is composed of five Commissioners appointed by the Mayor and subject to the approval of the Common Council. The Committee found that attendance at Board meetings and involvement in the work of the Board has been sporadic and that the majority of the work has fallen to two or three Commissioners. Additionally, since this Committee is making several recommendations that will increase the work of the Board, in order to accomp- lish these tasks, additional Citizen Commissioners will be required. Finally, questions were also raised about how well the composition of the Board reflects the community. RECOMMENDATION II: The Commission will be increased from five to seven Com- missioners. RECOMMENDATION III: The Mayor's screening procedures for appointees to the Commission shall include a description of the work of the Board and time commitment required of Commissioners, and that before being appointed, a prospective appointee must make a commitment to spend the amount of time necessary for active participation on the Commission. RECOMMENDATION IV: When a Citizen Commissioner has been absent without good cause from three meetings of the Commission in any calendar year, the Mayor shall be informed and that person's appointment withdrawn. The Committee is strongly of the opinion that it is important that the Commis- sion be representative of the community as a whole and most specifically in- 'Hereinafter, "Board" will be used to refer to current activities and procedures, and "Commission" will refer to future activities and procedures. Community-Police Board Committee Report. . . .page 3 clude representation by segments of the community that have traditionally not expressed trust in the Board or the fairness of the police such as the Gay and Lesbian and the African-American community, and specifically, young African- American men. Toward that end the Committee makes the following recommendation. RECOMMENDATION V: The Mayor shall solicit the names of candidates from a range of community groups including but not limited to the Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the African-American community, and organizations that work with youth AND shall appoint commissioners from these lists in such a manner as to ensure maximum diversity among sitting members. Further, before approving appointments to the commission, the Common Council will evaluate the effect each appointment will have on the diversity of representation on the Commis- sion. At the current time, the Board receives secretarial support from the Police Chief's secretary. This structure means that, although members may communicate in writing privately and confidentially, the Board cannot communicate official-, ly in writing about any part of its work, however tentative or exploratory, independent of the organization it is among other things charged to investi- gate. This structure may contribute to the public perception that the Board lacks independence. RECOMMENDATION VI: Support services for the Commission must be located out- side the Police Department in some office that will provide it with complete' confidentiality for their communications. 3- Board Procedures: The Committee found several aspects of the Board's cur- rent procedures serve neither to facilitate the filing of complaints nor to engender confidence in the investigatory process. * First, the complaint form itself is complicated, uses formal legal language, and can be difficult for some people to complete. RECOMMENDATION VII: The complaint form must be simplified and rewritten in plain language. * Second, it appears that the Community is not generally aware of the existence of the Board, the formal or informal procedures for filing complaints, how to get assistance with filing a complaint, nor what to expect after filing a complaint. In addition to our recommendation for addressing this situation, we encourage the Commission to seek speaking opportunities with a full range of community groups and organizations. Finally, we suggest organizations whose Community-Police Board Committee Report. . . .page 4 members feel aggrieved also find a way to discuss police activities and rela- tions as a periodic part of,their group's program, assigning the function to an individual or committee. RECOINDATION VIII: The Commission shall develop an informational pamphlet and use the press, speaking engagements at community groups and organiza- tions, and public forums to increase its visibility within the community, to describe its work and procedures, and to increase its accountability to the, community. * Third, the first interview and all subsequent interviews with a complainant and witnesses is presently conducted by a Commissioner and either the Police Chief or his assistant. This procedure is believed to have contributed to the Board's perceived lack of independence. RECOMMENDATION IX: At the very least, the Commission will initiate the in- vestigatory process by meeting alone with the complainant to explain the investigatory process, to clarify the facts of the complaint, and to offer the complainant an opportunity to seek the assistance of an advocate. The Citizen Commissioner and the complainant would then meet together with the Chief or his deputy to pursue the complaint. * Fourth, there are indications that a significant number of complaints are not coming through either the existing formal or informal channels. RECOMMENDATION X: The Commission, will work together with the African-Ameri- can community and members of other minority groups to develop a network of lay advocates to assist people who wish to make an informal complaint or to file a formal complaint, and throughout the complaint process. RECOMMENDATION XI: The Commission, Neighborhood Legal Services, members of ' X, the Tompkins County Defense Bar, and/or other community groups will be re- / quested to provide the training for the lay advocates. 4- Commission-Community Accountability: In order to increase community trust in the Commission and in the police, it is essential that mechanisms be found to make the Commission more accountable to the public. Current procedures provide only minimal feedback either to persons who have filed a complaint or to the community at large regarding the work of the Board, the results of investiga- tions, or actions taken following an investigation. Additionally, there are indications that the Board plays an important role in recommending changes in police approach even when an investigation does not find grounds for disciplin- Community-Police Board Committee Report. . . .page 5 ary action but finds an incident could have been handled better. It is also clear that the public is unaware of this important aspect of the Board's role. RECOMMENDATION XII: The Commission shall expand the explanation to the com- plainant regarding its findings and all actions that it recommends as a result from its findings. RECOMMENDATION XIII: The Commission's role shall be clarified and explained to complainants and to the general public so that it is generally understood that when an investigation does not lead to disciplinary action other remed- ial action may be recommended. RECOMMENDATION XIV: The Commission will be required to give semi-annual substantive reports to the Mayor, the Common Council, and to the community regarding all their activities and the changes they have sought and achieved. 5- Independent Investigator: Finally, the Committee believes it is imperative that both the perception and reality of the independence of the Commission's complaint investigations be improved. Research has shown that independent, professional, investigations of complaints is critical for public confidence in the process. Furthermore, since Commissioners, though dedicated and hardwork- ing, are not trained investigators and since it is not possible for an agency to investigate itself impartially, we feel it imperative that this option be fully reviewed. The Committee envisions that the investigator's primary respon- sibilities will be to locate and interview witnesses in the community, estab- lish the physical circumstances surrounding an incident, and complete such other assignments as the Citizen Commissioners shall choose to assign, within the constraints of existing laws. RECOMMENDATION XV: The City Attorney shall explore the feasibility of the Commission having the assistance of an independent investigator to assist Citizen Commissioners in the investigation of complaints; and, if feasible, recommend to the Mayor the steps which are necessary to assure the Commission has this assistance as soon as possible; or, if not feasible at this time, recommend whatever steps might be necessary to make it possible to ensure the Commission has this assistance at the earliest possible time. Police-Community Task Force Subcommittee: POLICEICOMMUNITY TRAINING Name Address City Phone (home/work) Clayton Hamilton (Chair) 111 Hyers St. Ithaca 273-8367/257-9234 FAX 257-9237 Ed&Camilla Lisbe 302 Take Ave. Ithaca 272-1884 Sally Sumner 555 Warren Rd. Ithaca 257-1551 Marie Johnson 501 N. Tioga St. #7 Ithaca 272-8024 Kirby Edmonds PO Box 321 Ithaca 14851 272-7137 Shauna Guidici 136 Hudson St. Ithaca 277-0541 Ellen Grimm 109 Cook St. Ithaca 273-2679 Neil H. Golder 203 College Ave. Ithaca 273-8025 Kenny Grant 214 N. Corn St. Ithaca 272-0989 Kris Miller 269 Coy Glen Road. Ithaca 272-4915 /277-3401 Emma Johnson 2250 N. Triphammer Rd.43D Ithaca 257-5760 Barry Langerlan 10 Judd Falls Rd. Suite 55 Ithaca 272-8689 Dede Lobe Moved away to Philadelphia 272-8024 Laura Branca 502 S. Plain St. Ithaca 272-1590 Hope A. Hart 206 Stewart Ave., Basement#3 Ithaca 256-4915/277-9343 M &W 2-3:30 255-7696 Police-Community Task Force Subcommittee: POLICE INVOLVEMENT (MENTORING) Name Address City Phone (home/work) Amy Lewis(Chair) 305 S. Plain St. Ithaca 753-0073/273-4190 faequie-Bailer-- 301 S. Green St. Ithaca 272-0346 Darrell Barrett 644 Troy Rd. Ithaca 277-7424/273-8364 Marlon Byrd 321 Center St. Ithaca /272-3245 Nick Celia 717 Court St. Ithaca / 277-2469 Frances Fastman 302 S. Plain St. Ithaca 272-6765 John Efroymson 435 N. Geneva St. Ithaca 272-1034/274-3242 Ron Gilliam 328 W. Seneca St. Ithaca 272-4426/277-4580 Belinda Hughes 606 N. Tioga St. Ithaca 277-5071 /274-1692 Sandy Larkin 1 James L. Gibbs Dr. Ithaca 277-3187/273-8364 Vern Smith 108 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca 257-6325/272-3622 David Speller 122 Brookway Ithaca 257-3392/273-8629 Pete Tyler 1240 Trumansburg Rd. Ithaca /272-3245 Arthur Watkins 800 S. Plain St. Ithaca 272-2063/272-2433 /Randy Haus PBA Office Ithaca /273-7757 PBA Office Ithaca /273-7757 •‘1,k011 ‘311,kiNi\it, Police-Community Task Force STEERING COMMITTEE Name Address City Phone (home/work) Alvin Nelson 502 S. Albany St. Ithaca 273-8259/277-4500 Coordinator Clayton Hamilton Wholesale Depot 2255 N.Triphammer Road Ithaca 273-8367/257-9234 FAX 257-9237 Amy Lewis 305 S. Plain St. Ithaca 753-0073/273-4190 Irene Stein 207 Ithaca Rd. Ithaca 272-3167/277-0148 Sara Shenk 816 S. Meadow St. Ithaca 272-4849/257-1551 Gerald Dumay 314 1/2 S. Plain St. Ithaca 277-7621 Jose Montanez 318 N. Albany St. Ithaca /272-3622 John Johnson 946 E. State St. Ithaca 272-8442/255-7736 Marilyn Ray 96 Besemer Road Ithaca 539-7474/539-7778 Harlin McEwen 272-9973 (day or evening) Police Chief Mayor Ben Nichols 273-6523/274-6501 Richard Williams GIAC. Ithaca 659-4276/272-3622 Drew Martin PBA Office Ithaca /273-7757 Police-Community Task Force Subcommittee: COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD Name Address City Phone (home/work) Richard Williams(Chair#1) 318 N. Albany St. Ithaca 659-4276/272-3622 Sara Shenk 816 S. Meadow St. Ithaca 272-4849/257-1551 Cynthia Telfair 533 West Green St. Ithaca 272-6743/273-4190 John Johnson 946 E. State St. Ithaca 272-8442/255-7736 Marilyn Ray (Chair#3) 96 Besemer Rd. Ithaca 539-7474/539-7778 Alfredo Rossi 409 Lake St. C-21 Ithaca 277-3855/277-3855 Alvin Nelson 502 S. Albany St. Ithaca 273-8259/277-4500 Gregg A.Thomas 215 N. Cayuga St. Ithaca 564-7096/273-3666 Lillie Tucker 318 S. Plain St. Ithaca 277-1832 Birthe K. Darden 144 Midline Rd. Sltrvl Spr,NY 14881 539-6829 Lee Carter 306 S. Plain St. Ithaca 272 8371 Vi-Scott Ithaca John Marcham(Chair#2) 414 E. Buffalo St. Ithaca 273-5754 Irene Stein 207 Ithaca Rd. Ithaca 277-0148/272-3167 Police-Community Task Force Subcommittee: JURY SELECTION Name Address City Phone (home/work) Irene Stein(Chair) 207 Ithaca Rd. Ithaca 272-3167/277-0148 Marilyn Ray 96 Besemer Rd. Ithaca 539-7474/539-7778 Nick Celia 717 Court St. Ithaca /277-2469 Charles Guttman /274-6504 Benjamin Darden 539-6829/273-0617 James Kerrigan q-1 -q3 City of Ithaca GCP MirutteManager COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD: Community Police Board Chair, Sara Shenk, reported that the Board has revised police complaint procedures so that the Board will be meeting alone with the person making a complaint before there is a meeting with the Police Chief and Deputy Police Chief. She further reported that the grievance form is being simplified, and a brochure is being created regarding how to file a complaint, etc. A sub-committee of the Board is reviewing the possibility of creating a video with a "know your rights" theme, which will be made in conjunction with the Police Department. The Police Board has received seven complaints to date in 1993. 1 10-4 -q3 City of Ithaca GCP MinuteManager HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: * 18.1 A Local Law Amending Section C-16 of the City of Ithaca Charter Entitled "Community Police Board" By Alderperson Johnson: Seconded by Alderperson Efroymson LOCAL LAW NO. OF THE YEAR 1993 CITY OF ITHACA A LOCAL LAW AMENDING SECTION C-16 ENTITLED "COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD" OF THE ITHACA CITY CHARTER. BE IT ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, New York, as follows: SECTION 1. Amending Section C-16 of the Ithaca City Charter Section C-16 entitled "Community Police Board" is hereby amended to read as follows: "C-16 COMMUNITY POLICE BOARD 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. The Community Police Board shall consist of seven (7) Commissioners. The term of office of each Commissioner shall be three (3) years, commencing on the first day 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. B. The Community Police Board may recommend rules, by-laws, and regulations for the government of the Police Department of the city, not inconsistent with the laws of the 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 of the police in the administration of the rules,by-laws and regulations of the Department. C. The Community Police Board shall act as community liaison to the Police Department, 1 Cite of Ithaca GCP MinuteManager actively fostering positive communication 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. It shall perform such other related duties requested by the Mayor or Common Council. D. 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. 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. E. The Board shall give written annual reports to the Mayor and the Common Council regarding its activities and the changes it has sought and achieved." SECTION 2. Effective Date. This Local Law shall take effect immediately after filing in the office of the Secretary of State. Discussion followed on the floor. A vote on the Local Law resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously 2 City of Ithaca GCP MinuteManager HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: Summary Report Police/Community Relations Alderperson Johnson reported that there has been a cooperative effort between the Police, the Police Board, the PBA, the Mayor and Council to improve Police/Community Relations. He stated that this will be an ongoing process in the community. 1 • To: The Steering Committee of The Task Force on Police Community Relations, Mayor Ben Nichols, The Community Police Board, Chief McEwen and the PBA From:Camilla Lappin-Lisbe (277-7794) Date: Dec. 17,1993 Progress Report on Recommendations from the Mayor's Task Force on Police- Community Relations Community Police Board Committee Recommendations : The appointments of two additional CPB members, as called for in the Charter change Common Council approved of in Oct., have been postponed until the first Common Council meeting of 1994. This was in order to have their terms begin and end in January, as is customary. The Mayor has two individuals ready and willing, hoping for approval by Council, and a potential third candidate who may also be recommended as a member, as Sara Shenk will need to leave her position as Chairperson when she joins Common Council in January. A couple of versions of the CPB informational flyer have been worked on by the Board and a subcommittee is currently working on what is hoped to be the final form. The Lay Advocates concept has been supported by Council. They set $10,000 in contingency, as part of the approved1994 city budget, for Neighborhood Legal Services to develop a program of training and support for Lay Advocates who will in turn serve the community. Gregg Thomas of NLS has been in dialogue with the CPB about the program and will have ongoing communication with the Board and other community organizations regarding the training, as it takes form. Funds should be released at the Jan. 5th Council meeting. Regarding the simplification of the complaint form, the Board and the Chief have agreed on another modification. A sworn or notarized complaint will be required only if it appears that the . + Otherwise, and initially, a formal complaint will be accepted based on the complainant stating on the form that it is true. Police Community Involvement Recommendations: Chief McEwen is expecting to find out this month whether Ithaca will be receiving money from the Federal Grant for the "Police Hiring Supplement Program" that is designed to enable cities to hire Community Police Officers. A Block Gra it for Landmark Square has been approved which incluc!es $12,740 for extra police services. A neighborhood police officer will spend 7 hours a week at a community room at Landmark Square, that will be built with a portion of the total grant moneys of $900,000, to focus attention on building trust and increasing communication in community-police relationships. $2,260 was granted for a crime prevention program and supplies. Officer Kathy Gillern has still not been able to return to work although she is expected back at the end of the month and then would resume her position as a community police officer, walking between the Southside area and Hancock, at the beginning of Jan. At about that time the Chief would like her to begin working with Sheila McCue at Southside Community Center on ideas for involving volunteer officers at the Center. $2000 has been put in contingency by Common Council for Southside Community Center to use in a program, that will be developed based on this amount of money approved, to focus on building more positive and interactive relationships for youth and officers who volunteer time at the Center. Chief McEwen reports that scramblers are being used as much as possible, given the limit in the number available at this time. New cars for the force will be coming in May and the 1994 money available for additional scramblers will be used at that time for installation in those vehicals. Meanwhile, he says officers are being very discreet regarding the disclosure of citizens' names. • Chief McEwen, Lt. Randy Haus, Commissioner Kirby Edmonds, I Dec r and possibly others will meet,for a preliminary meeting for developing some type of officer training/staff development for the regular Spring training session. Input will be sought from the officers. The greatest obstacle for providing very many hours for officers' skill development in dealing with the stressful communications and conflicts they face on a daily basis seems to have to do with scheduling the hours. There are not enough officers on the force to be able to rotate shifts in a way that officers can be trained while others cover the streets of the city. The Chief explained to me that the stress that is placed on the force during the training sessions due to this factor is at a maximum with the hours already devoted to officer training. Training this past Spring and Autumn included some successful police-community relations focus with staff from GIAC and the Southside Community Center. There will have to be creative scheduling and financing (overtime) for there to be more major time available for officers to receive significant staff development in the recommended communications programs. The "Know Your Rights and Responsibilities" project is moving along. It looks like early February will be the time for a panel discussion that will be happening at Southside. A multicultural panel including two members of IPD, two CPB Commissioners and two defense attorneys will be discussing what individuals interacting with officers should expect and understand regarding an officer's role and responsibilities, as well as what rights and responsibilities a citizen has. There will be questions from the audience and the 64 questions that were collected on this subject from the surveys last winter will be available for those on the panel to consider previous to the event. The discussion will be videotaped and portions of it will be edited along with additional studio work into a final tape for community distribution and airing on a local channel. The CPB will oversee-approve final editing. Due to scheduling conflicts for the planning meetings, progress is slow. However, there is movement toward the education campaign for promoting jury service volunteerism. Marty Luster has sent me recommendations that other localities have sent to Albany for consideration during the next legislative session. When action is taken on the issues of balanced minority representation on the jury pools and general jury related dissatisfactions, I will report back. My position is just about over, and I gave a brief closing report to Council at the Dec. Council meeting. I will continue to be involved on committees related to police -community relations. I will write again this winter regarding any updates. Best wishes.