Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens and Police Chief Mark Rusin addressed concerns from citizens on Wednesday.
It’s the first in a series of scheduled meet and greets where they fielded questions about sidewalk repairs, speeding, ATVs and e-bikes.
The mayor and police chief also spoke on the city’s decision to no longer have the Citizen Review Board investigate officer misconduct.
The police chief says they came to that conclusion at the advice of city lawyers.
“The way that’s it’s being framed right now is almost like there’s a shadow, and there’s not,” Rusin said. “We’ve been given a legal opinion by who is in charge of giving legal opinions. But that legal opinion has been checked. It’s not like it was just one person.”
It follows a recent court ruling that largely removed the authority of Rochester’s Police Accountability Board.
The CRB will still review and recommend improvements to police department policies, identify training opportunities and engage in community outreach.
“There has to be another venue to be able to express concerns, other than the police department,” Owens said.
“As this is happening, I’m still working with the CRB on these policies, on these trends, on the relationship building, because that’s one thing, and I’ve said this to many people, that is important to maintain,” Rusin said.
Future meetings will be held at the following times and locations:
Wednesday, June 3, 5:30 p.m – 7 p.m. | Westcott Community Center, 826 Euclid Ave.
Wednesday, July 1, 5:30 p.m – 7 p.m. | Betts Branch Library, 4862 S. Salina St.
Wednesday, August 5, 5:30 p.m – 7 p.m. | Public Safety Building, 1153 W. Fayette St.