Syracuse’s police oversight agency is re-gaining its footing under a new administrator and dedicated board members. The Citizen Review Board is working through backlogged complaints after several months without staff or a functioning board.
CRB chair Don Johnson told common councilors the board discovered a few dozen cases that surpassed the 18-month statute of limitations. But he said they weren't ignored.
“If there was something that needed additional training as we went through those cases, even though we couldn't adjudicate those cases, we at least got that information over to the chief," Johnson said. "These are some of the things that keep raising their ugly head and needs to be addressed by the police department.”
He said they even sent letters to 57 complainants to let them know they reviewed the expired cases.
Administrator Nolita Tanyhill took over in late May after serving 17 years as a civilian employee with the Syracuse Police Department. She said the CRB is out in the community explaining who they are and how to interact with police.
“When you're pulled over, what to do and how to do it, how to stay calm, how to make sure you're respectful, how to make sure you're talking calmly, ask questions if you need to, no sudden moves," she said. "Those type things where it makes the community comfortable and it also makes the police department comfortable.”
Common council public safety committee chair Chol Majok said he's pleased to see the CRB be more proactive.
“A lot of this stuff, sometimes its escalates, sometimes unnecessarily," he said.
"Oh, absolutely. A lot of times unnecessarily," replied Don Johnson.
"If there was an awareness into that interaction, both between the officer and the citizen, a lot of it could be avoided," Majok said.
He said he’s willing to consider updating legislation that eliminates barriers to the agency’s investigations. But Majok, other councilors, and the police department have historically resisted measures that give the CRB more authority and oversight.
