[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Oneonta 11-16-2021 by Ord. No.
5-2021. Amendments noted where applicable.]
On June 12, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order
203 requiring each local government in New York State to convene stakeholders
for a fact-based and honest dialogue about the public safety needs
of their community and to adopt a policing reform plan by April 1,
2021. In order to comply with Executive Order 203, the Common Council
of the City of Oneonta, on August 4, 2020, approved the Mayor's
appointments of representatives of the Oneonta NAACP, Hartwick College,
SUNY Oneonta, the Oneonta Commission on Community Relations and Human
Rights, the Common Council, and the City Personnel Director to serve
as a Community Advisory Board ("CAB") charged with working in collaboration
with the Oneonta Police Department in developing a plan for policing
reform. The members of the CAB held numerous public meetings, two
public hearings and solicited active involvement from dozens of citizens
and on April 1, 2021, the Common Council approved and adopted the
CAB's Plan for Police Reform and Reinvention. On October 5, 2021,
the Common Council approved a detailed plan to implement the adopted
Plan for Police Reform and Reinvention which included the creation
of a Community Police Board. The Community Police Board will serve
in an advisory capacity and will focus on increasing transparency
into police policies, data, and investigations.
There is hereby established a Board to be known as the "Community
Police Board," consisting of five City of Oneonta residents to be
appointed by the Mayor. Members appointed or reappointed shall hold
office for a term of three years. In making appointments to the Board,
with the concurrence of the Common Council, the Mayor shall take community
diversity into consideration. The City Administrator will serve as
a nonvoting liaison to the Community Police Board. The Board shall
not appoint any other nonvoting members as liaisons, ad-hoc members,
representatives or any other such similar positions without the express
authorization from the Mayor. During the initial establishment of
the Board, the appointments for the Boards shall be, two for three
years, two for two years, and one for one year, with all successive
appointments being for three years.
The members of the Board shall not receive compensation for
their service on the board.
All Board members shall reside within the City of Oneonta.
The Board shall meet quarterly or from time to time as a majority
of the members shall agree, by advance notification to the City Clerk
as to time, location and date of such meetings. The City Clerk shall
serve as the Secretary of the Board and shall keep all records in
relation thereto.
To provide the citizens of the City of Oneonta an avenue to
express their thoughts and concerns for the Oneonta Police Department
and to provide suggestions for policy improvements.
A.
Hear complaints, issues and concerns regarding the policies or functions
of the Oneonta Police Department;
B.
Collect information regarding any complaints/accolades regarding
the Oneonta Police Department and provide recommendations;
C.
The Chair or his/her designee will participate in the selection process
for the hiring of the Chief of the Police Department while maintaining
the confidentiality of the process;
D.
Collect and analyze police activity data (arrests, tickets) to understand
local demographic trends and provide policy recommendations to the
Common Council with the purpose of working to have a positive impact
on those trends;
E.
Follow all policies and procedures as outlined in Appendix A (Proposal
on Creation of a Community Police Board; attached herein) and Appendix
B (City of Oneonta Community Police Board Policy; attached herein).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said appendixes are included as attachments to this chapter.
The Board shall from time-to-time report activities to the Mayor's
office, but shall prepare at least one annual report of its activities
and actions to the Mayor and Council.
