HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PCR-1992-07-13 POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS TASK FORCE
CITY HALL,ITHACA,NY 14850
Minutes from the Steering Committee meeting held on July 13, 1992 (4:15 -5:40).
Present: Coordinator Alvin Nelson,Mayor Ben Nichols,Chief Harlin McEwen, Gerald
Dumay, Clay Hamilton,John Johnson, Amy Lewis, Jose Montanez,Irene Stein,
Richard Williams
Absent: PBA Representative(due to unforeseen circumstances)
1. The secretary's untimely departure was announced by Alvin Nelson and
discussed by the committee.
2. Rick Williams agreed to take the minutes.
3. Conversation continued concerning the hiring of another secretary.
4. Jose Montanez was introduced to the Steering Committee.
5. Rick Williams read the minutes from the Police Board Committee.
6. Clay Hamilton reported the Sensitivity Committee did not meet last week.
a. Clay stated he would bring the transcript of the Chief McEwen
presentation to the Steering Committee.
b. Irene raised the status of minority elderly on the Sensitivity
Committee agenda.
Issue noted by Clay Hamilton.
7. Irene Stein stated that the Jury Selection Committee did not meet last week.
8. Amy Lewis discussed:
a. How could the Ithaca Police Department(IPD) get more involved
with Cops and Kids?
b. The working relationship of the police officers on her committee,
the committee itself,and Chief McEwen.
c. The possibility of the PEER program(Police Efforts to Enhance
Relations)and the possible work that could be done through it.
9. Amy made a recommendation that the Steering Committee explore how the IPD
can get more involved with the Vets,Cops,and Kids program.
a. Chief McEwen discussed his concerns about the accounting of the
program.
b. The Steering Committee discussed the relationship between IPD
and the Veterans organization.
c. Mayor Nichols stated that another subject would be to look at the
whole way police officers can be involved with the work of the
task force.
d. Discussion tabled until our next meeting.
10.Chief McEwen discussed with the task force the correct procedures to go on a
'ride-a-long' with the IPD.
Minutes submitted by Richard Williams.
July 14, 1992
Police-Community Relations Task Force
Mission
The purposes of the Police-Community Relations (PCR) Task Force are:
1. To provide an organized forum for discussion of the present state of relations between the
police and the residents of the City of Ithaca with particular emphasis on relations with the
African-American and other minority groups.
2. To propose to the Mayor,the Police Benevolent Association, the'Chief of Police and any other
appropriate body constructive measures which will enable the police and the community to
work together to improve their relations and to provide effective, fair,and sensitive law
enforcement.
3. To help institute programs to improve police-community relations as soon as possible.
4. To propose measures to broaden the jury selection pool.
5. To recommend to the Mayor and Common Council by September 15, 1992 any measures to be
adopted by the Council which in the judgment of the Task Force will help accomplish its above
goals.
Structure
The work of the PCR Task Force will be organized in four committees, which will be coordinated
by a Steering Committee, under the leadership of Coordinator Alvin Nelson. The four committees
are:
1. Committee on police involvement in the community.
2. Committee on sensitivity training for police and community members.
3. Committee on the Community Police Board.
4. Committee on the broadening of jury selection.
Membership on the committees is open to all interested members of the community and the Police
Force who are willing to participate in their work. Unless new members are approved by any
• Committee, its final roster will be established by July 29, 1992.
The members of the Steering Committee are:
Alvin Nelson, Coordinator
Amy Lewis,Chair,Committee on police involvement in the community
Clayton Hamilton,Chair,Committee on sensitivity training
Rick Williams, Chair, Committee on the Community Police Board.
Irene Stein,Chair,Committee on the broadening of jury selection
Sara Shenk,Chair, Community Police Board
John Johnson, Chair, Human Services Committee of Common Council (or designee)
Gerald Dumay, student, TC3
Jose Montanez, student, ACS
Drew Martin,President, Police Benevolent Association (or designee)
Chief Harlin McEwen, Ex-Officio(or designee)
Mayor Ben Nichols, Ex-Officio
The secretarial and clerical staff for the Task Force is Melinda Johnson.