HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PCR-1992-09-21 f
POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS TASK FORCE
CITY HALL,ITHACA,NY 14850
Approved minutes from the Steering Committee meeting held on September 21, 1992 (4:15 -5:30
pm).
Present: Coordinator Alvin Nelson,Mayor Ben Nichols, Clay Hamilton,Irene Stein, Sara Shenk,
Marilyn Ray,Chief Harlin McEwen,Hope Hart(observing)
Absent: prior notice-Amy Lewis,John Johnson
without notice-Rick Williams,Gerald Dumay,Jose Montanez,Drew Martin
1. Minutes of the meeting of September 14, 1992 were amended slightly and approved as amended.
2. Clay Hamilton finished the report of the Training Committee by asking for questions or comments.
a. Ben Nichols asked whether Hamilton had talked to Drew Martin about the questionnaire in the
last few weeks. Hamilton answered that he had not talked with Martin,but the only point
Drew Martin had raised a question about did not relate to the Training Committee but rather to
an African-American slot on the Police Review Board. Chief McEwen said that Martin had
raised questions to the Chief. He apparently has not been talking with his PBA designee on the
Training Committee,Barry Langerlan. The history is that Langerlan is self-appointed,and the
PBA subsequently agreed to designate him. Since there seems to be conflicting information
Marilyn Ray suggested that Hamilton contact Martin directly. However,Martin is out of town
for a week. The questionnaire can be sent out,and it will be done through Drew Martin
anyway.
b. Alvin Nelson asked about the community questionnaire. Clay Hamilton answered that it is on
the agenda for the first time at tonight's meeting.
c. Ben Nichols returned to the question of the Training Committee staying on. The consensus
was that it would not be independent but in fact the Steering Committee would continue on an
as-needed basis.The time frame was five months. The Training Committee should revise its
report to drop the reference to independent status.
d. Chief McEwen pointed out that he,Alvin Nelson, Sara Shenk,Kirby Edmonds and Kathy
Gillern would be going to Rochester to hear about community policing in Houston. He tried
to get the PBA to go,but they didn't appoint anyone.
4. Future Steering Committee work was planned. The Steering Committee will meet again next week
(September 28) for the report of the Community Relations Subcommittee to be presented by Amy
Lewis. This is the last regular meeting. After that the Steering Committee will meet as needed.
After next week's meeting the Steering Committee will have to put together an overall report that
will say whether we accept all the recommendations of the subcommittees as joint
recommendations. For instance,there is the question of the investigator. If we want to continue to
monitor implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force we should say so in the report.
A subcommittee should draft it,and then the full Steering Committee discuss or accept it.
5. Marilyn Ray presented the Final Report(sixth version)of the Community-Police Board
Committee. Since the last draft there have been significant modifications,taking into account
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comments of both the PBA and the Steering Committee. [Refer to the September 16 version of the
Report for text of each recommendation.]
a. Recommendation I. Change name to Citizen's Commission on Community Relations. Chief
McEwen and Mayor Nichols suggested Citizens'Commission on Police-Community
Relations. Sara Shenk,the single hold-out on the subcommittee against dropping the word
"police"from the name,argued that the subcommittee had been assuming Southside
community opinion from too few comments. What is going to change attitudes about the
Commission is what it does,not its name.
b. Recommendation II. Increase in membership to seven due to workload.
c. Recommendation III. Mayor's screening process for new members to include a description of
the work and workload.
d. Recommendation IV. Removal of appointees after three absences.
e. Recommendation V. Recruiting a more broadly representative Commission. This section
contains a typo,which Marilyn Ray will correct before submitting final copy. Ben Nichols
asked what is meant by youth organizations. Marilyn Ray clarified that it meant organizations
that work with youth,such as the Youth Bureau or the Learning Web. Chief McEwen was
concerned that a kid might be made a member and called on to investigate;Ray said that they
were not looking for teenagers as members but rather young people 18 to 25 years old.
f. Recommendation VI. In order to achieve to perception of independence,support services for
the Commission must be moved out of the Police Department.
g. Recommendation VII. Complaint form to be rewritten in plain language.
h. Recommendation VIII. Information explaining the Commission must be spread through an
informational pamphlet,the press,meetings.
i. Recommendation IX. The Commission should initiate investigations by meeting alone with the
complainant to clarify the complaint and explain procedures. Later both may meet with the
Chief or his deputies. The Chief remarked that this is a reasonable way of doing business.
j. Recommendation X. "The Commission will work together with the African-American
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 grievance,and throughout
the grievance process." Chief McEwen pointed out that the term "grievance"is a technical
union term. Marilyn Ray agreed that the Final Report would use the term "complaint"
k. Recommendation XI. Request to provide training for advocates. Chief McEwen suggested
avoiding the T.C.Defense Bar(Association of Defense Attorneys), since they are for lawsuits.
Marilyn Ray said that the subcommittee had felt that the Neighborhood Legal Services would
be particularly good, since they have a softer approach.
1. Recommendation XII. Provide feedback to persons who have filed complaints. People have
not known that their complaint was taken seriously. Sara Shenk said that the present
Community Police Board had heard this. They have worked on the problem,but their
procedures could still be improved..
m. Recommendation XIII. "The Commission's mediating role shall be clarified and explained..."
Chief McEwen asked what that means. Marilyn Ray explained that the Commission might give
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the Police the message, "There's nothing wrong with what you did by the book,but you could
do better."
n. Recommendation XIV. Semi-annual reports.
o. Recommendation XV. The City Attorney is to explore the feasibility of an investigator to
investigate complaints. . Marilyn Ray explained that they do not envision an investigator
having access to Police records. Sara Shenk said that the commissioners felt unanimously that
they did not want people interviewing witnesses in their stead,but an investigator might go out
and try to find witnesses. Alvin Nelson asked whether investigators would be volunteers.
Marilyn Ray said no,they would be paid. Clay Hamilton added that they would be on contract
and paid if called on. Chief McEwen expressed opposition. Marilyn Ray pointed out that the
recommendation is only for the City Attorney to investigate the possibility.
p. Marilyn Ray conveyed other thoughts from the subcommittee. They want their report made
public as soon as possible. It is time to get back to the community, so that they know that we
have really been working. The subcommittee wants to present its report at a public meeting
with Common Council present or at least the Human Services Committee.
6. The discussion returned to the question of how the work of the Task Force would be concluded.
a. There were several alternatives but two main paths of action. The Steering Committee could
write a report that is in effect a cover letter presenting the reports of the four committees(Ben
Nichols,Chief McEwen,Marilyn Ray). Or the Steering Committee could write a report
summarizing those recommendations of the subcommittees that it agrees to pass on(Irene
Stein,Clay Hamilton). Dissenting opinions could be attached. It was agreed with five votes in
favor that the Steering Committee's"cover letter"would present those recommendations agreed
to by the Steering Committee(with some listing of priorities)but would also specifically
identify those recommendations by the Committees that were not being endorsed. It could
include items not in the subcommittee reports. It was understood that the complete,unedited
versions of subcommittee reports will be submitted to Common Council.
b. Each committee,perhaps excepting the Jury Selection committee,could hold a public meeting.
Or,to insure turnout,there could be one meeting for the whole Task Force. It was agreed that
there be a single public meeting.
c. Irene Stein pointed out that the Steering Committee moved the Jury Selection report be referred
to Council. However,it was noncontroversial. She now moved that the Police-Community
Board Subcommittee report be accepted and referred to Council. At Marilyn Ray's suggestion
the report was tabled until the Steering Committee can write its cover letter.
d. Next week's meeting will hear Amy Lewis present the report of the Community Involvement
Committee. The Steering Committee will also set up the writing subcommittee.
Meeting adjourned at 5:30 pm.
Next meeting 9/28/92 at 4:15 in Second Floor Conference Room
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