The Syracuse Common Council will not override a veto made by Mayor Ben Walsh on legislation that would have given the council more power over the city’s police watchdog.
In May, Walsh vetoed legislation which would have given the council more power over the city’s Citizen Review Board administration. The Syracuse Common Council had thirty days to vote to override the veto.
Even though they opted out of overriding the veto, City Councilor Chol Majok said the council’s conversations and work surrounding the board will continue and that the initial legislation helped to jumpstart those conversations.
“I think considering what the stakeholders are saying, us as council ourselves, we need to continue that conversation,” Majok said. “ But we needed to sound that alarm and that legislation in the first place was the sounding of that alarm.”
Majok did say some improvements have been seen as a new appointee joins the board and new quarterly reports are being filed. But as the conversations continue, Majok said some real change needs to happen soon.
“Something has to happen this year,” Majok said. “And this, that's a serious discussion that are currently even, I myself, with the chair of Public Safety, is very involved in a lot of things are coming and, and we will continue to have discussions and take the best, best recommendations.”
Majok said continuing to work with stakeholders and community members is what will help make the board more effective.
