Syracuse residents had the first chance to weigh in today on legislation that aims to significantly change oversight of the Citizen Review Board, the agency that investigates complaints of police misconduct. Mayor Ben Walsh held a required public hearing on the local law late Wednesday morning.
“Now is the time and place for a local law hearing," Walsh declared as he opened the hearing. "Will the clerk please read the short title?”
About two dozen people filled a conference room at City Hall for the 45 minute hearing, and about half of them spoke. Most expressed frustration with the common council’s lack of public engagement on the amendments during the nearly three weeks they were on the agenda. Barrie Gewanter helped write the 2011 revision of the CRB’s guiding legislation.
“The idea there was number public hearing or public meeting to discuss these amendments or the problems before legislation was introduced is abominable and anti democratic," Gewanter said.
Deka Dancil with the CNY Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union expressed a similar sentiment.
“I just think that this happened way too fast," Dancil said. "The Citizen Review Board as we know was designed to be a citizen led initiative. Therefore, there should be no fundamental changes to the legislation without citizen involvement.”
She and others acknowledged the CRB has struggled to fulfill its duties in recent years. But CRB board chair Lori Nillson told the mayor there’s a better way to ensure success that also preserves the board's independence without oversight from the council and city clerk.
“Legislative change should be the final, not the first step in addressing problems," Nillson said. "Conversations between the board, the council, the mayor and any other interested parties discussing concerns about the functioning of the CRB could bring us to a solution to whatever issues occur. That communication has not occurred.”
John Meyer of the Washington Square neighborhood was one the only speakers to support more oversight.
“The administrator doesn't report to an elected official, which means we don't really feel a part of it," Meyer said. "We think that the common council, our elected officials, these are the people we voted for. We didn't vote for anybody on the CRB.”
Mayor Walsh has about three weeks to decide whether to sign or veto the legislation. He didn't give any indication about which way he was leaning.
"I'm going to take my time and I'll make sure that I get it right," Walsh said. "One thing that I think everyone agrees on is this is important and we need to get it right. So that's what I'm focused on doing."
