Enough Is Enough and allied community groups are proposing a Police Accountability Board to replace our current outdated police review system. The current review bodies the Professional Standards Section and the Civilian Review Board are either corrupted by conflicts of interest or lacking in investigatory and disciplinary powers. This makes the current system ineffective at conducting substantive reviews of police misconduct. Serious cases are routinely dismissed and punishments amount to slaps on the wrist, leading to a culture of police brutality in Rochester. The proposed PAB will hold police officers accountable to the benefit of the police force and our community. The PAB would have five essentials powers:
- Independent investigative authority as an agency of city government independent from the RPD;
- Subpoena power to compel the production of evidence and witnesses;
- The authority to conduct misconduct hearings;
- Disciplinary authority; and
- The power to evaluate systemic patterns, practices, policies, and procedures of the RPD to recommend changes and prevent misconduct.
It will also be important ensure that PAB is not weakened after it is established by law. That is why the budget of the PAB will be proportional to the police budget, estimated at 1% of RPD’s budget, or about 1 million dollars.
For more information, see frequently asked questions about the Police Accountability Board here.
Download PDF:
The Case for An Independent Accountability System – FULL Report