Community police Relations Overview
First Community Police Summit
Data clearly indicate that people of color experience – both nationally and locally – a disparity of treatment by law enforcement officials in terms of racial profiling, unwarranted stops and searches, excessive use of force, and disrespectful treatment. For several years, UCLM has worked to bring together community representatives and local law enforcement agencies. Work which has been informed and strengthened by the principles of President Obama’s Final Report on the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Meeting regularly, often involving tough conversations, has strived to increase trust, build relationships, and to increase understanding and improve community-police relations.
To date UCLM has organized, with local law enforcement five area-wide community-police summits, which were attended by a wide variety of community leaders and law enforcement agencies in Monroe County. The most recent one was held virtually and featured former Police Commissioner Cedric Alexander. In addition, UCLM has sponsored, or co-sponsored, several community events focused on racial justice, policing, and human rights including an interfaith prayer service and community discussions on race, policing, and solutions.
Cooperative Community/Law Enforcement Events
Because of the relationships we have developed with local law enforcement agencies, we are able to share information; resolve critical issues involving the community and police; and encourage the transformation of local police culture, policies, and practices. The joint planning and participation in these summits has resulted in increased communications and relationship building between the two groups.
To date UCLM has organized, with local law enforcement five area-wide community-police summits, which were attended by a wide variety of community leaders and law enforcement agencies in Monroe County. The most recent one was held virtually and featured former Police Commissioner Cedric Alexander. In addition, UCLM has sponsored, or co-sponsored, several community events focused on racial justice, policing, and human rights including an interfaith prayer service and community discussions on race, policing, and solutions.
Rochester Police Body-Worn Camera Program (BWCP)
Following the launch of the BWCP, UCLM signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Rochester that established a formal partnership with the Rochester Police Department (RPD) for continued oversight of the BWCP. Since then, a subcommittee, the Community Justice Advisory Board (CJAB), has met at least quarterly with RPD to share data and recommendations. In mid-2019, CJAB published it First Annual Report on how our collaborative efforts were working to result in systemic changes in the Greater Rochester area. Other towns, including Brighton and Irondequoit, have implemented Body Worn Camera initiatives similar to the City.
Ongoing Police Reform Activity
UCLM’s position on police reform is not in support of “defunding” the police, but rather to “Reallocate Resources” that is to reinvest them, to improve training, education, recruiting and community involvement. To that end, UCLM submitted several proposed recommendations for inclusion in the City’s response to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 203 (EO 203) for local police reform proposals covering training/education, recruiting, the need for a Mental Health component in officer assessment and/or dispute settlement training, and lastly, an end to the purchasing of military grade supplies and/or assessment tools and equipment. Several of the UCLM recommendations which were included are already being put in place in the training curriculum.
Citizen Interview Panel
One of the other recommendations included in the response to EO 203, was the formation of a Citizens Interview Panel to be involved in interviewing police applicants after they complete their physical and psychological tests as well as background checks. Such a program will then provide citizens with the necessary tools and training to interview those applicants and involve them in the hiring process. This program has begun.