Syracuse Common Councilor Pat Hogan has unveiled an equal rights plan as part of his campaign for mayor and criticized the city’s handling of police use of force on a bus patron in the spring.
Hogan is challenging fellow Democrat Mayor Stephanie Miner in a primary next month.
The councilor, from the Tipp Hill neighborhood, says he’s deeply troubled by the case of Brad Hulett. Hulett, who has a disability, was hit by a taser by city police officers in May while on a public bus after he refused to sit down.
Hogan says the way the incident and follow-up investigation were handled is appalling.
"If Brad Hulett was my son, I would outraged and want justice and answers. And there is silence from the mayor’s office and the police chief," he said at a press conference Monday unveiling his equal rights platform. "This is a dereliction of duty."
He says he would have had the police chief and officers involved in his office the following day.
"It’s not something I think we want to show what Syracuse is all about," he added. "I can’t believe this hasn’t been addressed before. This happened back in May."
In the rest of his equal rights platform, Hogan said he would support protests and free speech like the “Occupy” movement a few years back.
He called for the Ida Benderson senior center to be re-opened, noting he and other councilors put money for that to happen back in the city budget.
Hogan also said he would support the city’s gay and lesbian community. Though Mayor Stephanie Miner has been vocal in her support for the community as well.
