ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A panel of judges at the Supreme Court of New York Appellate Division decided the Rochester Police Accountability Board referendum will appear on the November ballot, and it will count.
Voters will be able to vote on if they want a Police Accountability Board that will investigate and oversee allegations of misconduct by the Rochester Police Department.
The proposed board would consist of nine members.
The Rochester Police Locust Club filed a lawsuit against the City of Rochester, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, the Rochester City Council, and the Monroe County Board of Elections to remove the referendum on the accountability board on the ballot on Election Day.
A judge decided in September that the referendum couldn’t be voted on, “until further order of the court.” He said it was a complicated issue and it would be a disservice to the community to make a legal judgement without analyzing it thoroughly.
Rochester City Council then filed an appeal on the decision.
The judge originally decided the referendum could appear on the November ballot, but the votes wouldn’t count.
“The City Council is grateful for the speed with which the Court has issued their decision allowing for the Rochester electorate to vote on the Police Accountability Board Referendum this coming Election Day. Today’s unanimous decision is a victory for democracy, no one’s voice should be silence on this important issue.”
City Council President Loretta C. Scott
City Council passed the referendum for the PAB on May 21 and Mayor Warren approved it on June 7.
The Locust Club has long been against the proposed Police Accountability Board.
The proposed board has been a hotly debated issue locally. Several different ideas for the proposal have emerged, from putting police officers on the board, to giving the board disciplinary powers, but each development has been met with pushback from one side or the other.
Court ruling:
Past Coverage
- Changes will allow a former officer to serve on Rochester Police Accountability Board
- New proposal would give accountability board the power to discipline Rochester officers
- Protesters oppose allowing officers to serve on Rochester police accountability board
- Legislation would create new police accountability board in Rochester with increased powers
- Police union protests Rochester City Council plan for police accountability board
- Police Accountability Board Alliance Fundraising ahead of November Ballot
- Organizations react to city’s proposed Police Accountability Board
