19^th Ward Public Safety Meeting         June 29^th  6:30 PM

RPD report:  Lt. Dearcop, Officer Dickerson

Officer Kris Runyon is recovering from surgery.  She would appreciate hearing from all of us.

A welcome to our newest Community Policing Officer, Andy DiMaria

Incident report for the preceding month:

100 block Milton-shot spotter activation 

300 Block Thurston  Rd. -self-shooting

900 block Chili -street robbery

100 block Spruce Avenue- shooting retaliation for dog dispute

100 block Hobart Street  -shots fired

Post and Alberta- loitering dispute resulted in a shooting.

There were 19 burglaries down from 32 for the time frame 2 months ago.   Burglaries were mostly residential with 2 copper burglaries.  They were at various times of the day and night with 6 overnight burglaries. Entry was either through a door or a window.  4 of these burglaries were in the same building.

The lower number of burglaries may be attributed to more eyes on the street now that school is out.

The Ravenwood  shots reported 2 Sundays ago were fireworks.

There was a reminder that the July 4^th weekend frequently results in noise and fireworks violations.  It is   important to call 911.  Fireworks are always illegal.  Permits are never granted for late night parties.  If you have difficulty getting satisfaction, call and ask for a 911 supervisor.

The Ravenwood foreclosure is in negotiation and the owner remains in her house with her family.  Thanks were extended to all who brought this to our attention. 

The rape case in the 19^th Ward resulted in a conviction and a 20 year sentence for the perpetrators.

We began a discussion of the Emily Good videotape surveillance arrest .  Multiple viewpoints were presented.   Ms. Good entered the meeting during the discussion and spoke about the incident.   The discussion was continued into the Thurston Road Street Watch meeting.

Thurston Road Street Watch with Councilman McFadden    7:10 PM

Adam gave an explanation of the history of Police/Community Relations.  His comments:

Adam stated that at one point the community and the police co-operated in a well-run partnership when the Thurston Zoo gang was creating havoc.  The Community Association worked with the
Rochester Police Department to resolve a very difficult public safety problem in the 19^th Ward.

Community relations have deteriorated because we have lost most of the policing knowledge about the communities that the RPD patrols.  When we went to a two -section police system  under  Mayor Johnson from a nine-section system we changed how we policed.  Initially this was done because the administration wanted to get around a union overtime  issue.   Almost overnight we changed how the police relate to neighborhoods and their  residents.   We went from a system where there was beat integrity (specific areas that specific officers were responsible for) and in which police knew the neighborhoods and to a large extent the people who they were protecting to a call for service 911 system  that is impersonal and gives police officers a huge service area that is impossible to oversee  in the same way.  Clearly this new system is not working.  

Zero Tolerance under Duffy after the murders of  Shaw and Slater brought in massive additional policing by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and by the New York State Police.  These officers were even less acquainted with the areas they were patrolling and the residents they were protecting.  

The  issue is that we have a system that does not allow us to interact with RPD the way we should.

If you want to see how we are policed, schedule ride-alongs with officers.  Anyone can do this. You will see how difficult it is to know the community when police responses are dictated one after another by 911 calls for service.

We currently do not have a public safety strategy to keep our community safe.  If we had a strategy,  we would not have conflict.   Neighborhoods are different and require different responses.  The SE wishes they had the presence that the SW has.  The NE needs 20 police officers to show up for gang related calls.  Other communities do not necessarily need this show of police power.

Policing should be tailored to provide for the unique issues in our neighborhoods.   The Nineteenth Ward is famous for its diversity.  One of the things this means is that its troublemakers  are not clearly defined by appearance.  It is not immediately apparent who is a troublemaker and who is an upstanding citizen.  This kind of knowledge is called community policing in which officers  know their beats, their neighborhoods.  We need to go back to the old system.  It’s not perfect but it went a long way toward defining beat integrity.

We need longer training around community engagement for both RPD recruits and for on-going RPD education.

Adam addressed the issue of the ticketing offense at The Flying Squirrel  Art Center on Clarissa Street during the meeting at which Emily Good’s supporters were discussing her arrest .   He said that the issue is not the parking tickets;  the issue is:  did the RPD break discipline to give the parking tickets?.   It is the spirit in which the parking ticket was given that makes this case of great concern.

Lt.  Dearcop said that Police Chief Sheppard  has stated that we don’t profile people, we profile criminals.  The Chief has called for an internal investigation for both Ms. Good’s arrest and the parking ticket incident.

From the audience: A statement was made that photographing the police was a right .  There was a mention (details unknown) of another possible arrest of a  civilian for photographing police activity.  What kind of instructions should be assumed about videotaping at a safe distance?

Lt. Dearcop’s response:  It is not against the law to videotape a public servant doing his duty.    The gray area is the interpretation of what interference with police duties are.  We trust in the system and the charges against Ms. Good have been   dismissed.  Lt.  Dearcop   suggested  compliance with an officer’s order  to avoid conflict,  and then if you feel the request was  unlawful , take it up afterwards through the proper channels.  (issue a Professional Standards complaint).

Obstructing a police officer was defined as touching in the  line of duty or getting between  the officer and his duties . It is one of the most misunderstood laws. 

Lt. Dearcop regarding The Flying Squirrel  ticketing incident:  Police were preparing for the Party in the Park  with additional resources assigned to the Corn Hill neighborhood during the ticketing incident.

Audience member:  Perhaps we need new rules for new technologies.

Adam:  There was a 2004 Community/Police  eport that made certain suggestions regarding police/community relations, but it  was an amended report.  Mayor Johnson didn’t like it so he amended it.   We have a ton of studies that we’ve paid for but the report that is released is not the original document.  The reports  are changed because they don’t  meet certain expectations. 

Adam:  The issue is that the community and the police no longer have the ability to work together that they once had.   They cannot form a working relationship because of the changes in policing.  When you don’t have relationships,  that’s when you have conflict.  We need to find a way to restore this trust and renew the relationship.

Audience:  NYC has an all civilian review board with complete separation from  the police department.   

Adam: Rochester’s Citizen Review Board does have teeth., but there are issues: the  time it takes to go through system is 18 months;  they don’t have enough citizens to serve and have had to open it up to not only City but County residents.   And City Council does ultimately have subpoena power.

The topic was changed in the interest of time to introduce Spencer Ash, a lawyer for the City who spoke about progress in summary evictions

Spencer Ash:   Any owner or resident within 200 feet of where they live is allowed to commence a summary eviction proceeding against a neighbor for clear, continuous violations such as drug dealing, prostitution, or criminal offenses.  Adam asked the City Legal Department  to look into whether or not community associations can bring proceedings instead of individuals   This is a new area of the law.   Groups of individuals who live within 200 feet can bring such proceedings and  if any member of that group is a member of that association, then the association can represent the neighbors.   The City needs a test case where the Association can act on behalf of neighbors .   Evidence  from  neighbors  is needed as well such as calls for service.  If a property or property owner has a reputation for being a problem,   the  Court then has a right to subpoena  records.   715 of Real Property Acts and Procedures Law clarifies this.   McFadden and Mayor Richards have asked for a test case.  There are attorneys who will represent the neighborhood association and prosecute pro-bono.  DeWain Feller, 19^th Ward Community Association President,  who was present , will present this at the next 19^th Ward Community Association meeting for discussion.

The meeting adjourned at  8:05   John Borek, 19^th Ward Public Safety Chair