HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-08-2000 ArticlesUNION
By ELIZABETH BENJAMIN., Staff writer
First published: Friday, January 28, 2000
Police union seeks some
boundaries for rewew
board
Albany--Staunch opposition to a civilian panel
with disciplinary power is likely to anger
activists
The Albany Police OFficers Union is willing to
consider changes to the cun-ent process of civilian
oversight of the police but would staunchly oppose a
board with the power to discipline officers or legally
compel them to testify before it, union leaders said.
"We want a review board that has comnmnity
confidence," union President Thomas McGraw told
the Times Union editorial board Thursday. "To do
II, at, some type of change has to be made. We are
willing lo move in that direction, but we refuse to
move off'this bottom line: The board does not need
subpoena or disciplinary power."
That is likely to create a sticking point with local
activists, who have repeatedly said they consider
subpoena power and the ability to thoroughly
investigate allegations of police nfisconduct to be
integral to a strong review board
But McGraw and union Vice President Sgt. Stephen
Reilly argued that only trained law enforcement
professionals are experienced enough to investigate
complaints against police officers.
If residents don't trust the department's Office of
Professional Standards to impartially investigate
complaints against officers, McGraw said, they can
turn instead to one of several independent agencies,
inclnding the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the
Albany County district attorney's office or the U S
Jnstice Department.
McGraw and Reilly said the union supports a task
force set up by Mayor Jerry Jennings to consider the
issue of civilian police review.
"We're looking for a process that's fair, not someone
who wants to use this issue to further their political
career at the expense of the Police Department and
the citizens of Albany," Reilly said.
There are also two ordinances pending before the
Common Council, each of which proposes to greatly
strengthen the existing Community/Police Relations
Board. The current board refers all complaints to the
Officer of Professional Standards. All its members
are appointed by the mayor.
The mayor's task force includes six Common Council
members, Police Chief John C. Nielsen, Deputy
Mayor Philip Calderone and City Treasurer Betty
Bamette. On Wednesday, the task force held its first
full meeting with Chairman Robert Warshaw. The
organizational meeting was closed to the press and
the public, which is allowed as nonelected
government bodies are not subject to the state open
meetings law.
The mayor's task force will meet again in two weeks
and this time will open its proceedings to the public,
officials said.
Warshaw, formerly the police chief or' the city of
Rochester, on Wednesday said he feels increased
citizen involvement in a police department is a
natural outgrowth of community policing.
"I'm in favor of anything that brings public servants
and the people they serve closer together," said
Warshaw, adding that he sees civilian police
oversight as "morally just."
Warshaw would not comment on whether he is in
favor of a review board with subpoena power, saying
only that what works in one city will not necessarily
work in another.
That was echoed by McGraw, who on Thursday said
that elected officials, police and community
representatives must compromise to find "an Albany
plan."
2 of 3 1/28;00
"We don't want a Minnesota plan, and we don't want
a Rochester plan," McGraw said. "We want
something that meets the needs of both the residents
and police officers of Albany."
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