SCHENECTADY Police panel’s hiatus draws ire Complaints await review BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The Civilian Police Review Board, which struggled to maintain enough members to hold meetings last year, has now taken the summer off. In the meantime, the police department’s Internal Affairs office is still investigating complaints fi led against police officers. Many cases are awaiting the board’s review, Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said. “There’s plenty for them to do,” he said, adding that he was frustrated by the board’s decision to go on hiatus. “There’s no excuse, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “We can give them the cases they need.” Review board member Fred Lee said the board took the summer off partly because Internal Affairs officer Stephen LaVare retired. “We’re off for the summer. We figured, give them the summer to get caught up,” he said. “We hope to hit it hard in the fall.” But Bennett said his department doesn’t need a break. There are only “a very small number” of cases awaiting Internal Affairs action, he said, and many others are ready for the review board. He wants the board to get to work. “If we’re short-handed, we’re short-handed — that’s no reason not to do what has to be done,” he said. Acting Mayor Gary McCarthy was surprised to learn that the board had taken the summer off. He wants the police to categorize the pending cases and then send the most important ones to the review board. “Some cases are of what I might call a more urgent nature. Others are more routine and less time sensitive,” he said. “If there’s something that’s more time sensitive, I might ask the board to reconsider their decision. Hopefully we could reach some kind of compromise.” The board is supposed to review the police department’s decisions on each complaint, adding a check-and-balance that was intended to create greater faith in the department’s disciplinary process. ..................>>>>...................>>>>........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00901&AppName=1
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