Proposed legal changes to the Syracuse Citizen Review Board are in Mayor Ben Walsh’s hands. Walsh will have until the end of the month to approve or veto a law change that would give the city’s common council control over the review board’s operations.
Common councilors previously voted 5-4 to give the power of selecting, and removing, a board administrator to the council – something the CRB has been in control of since its founding in 1993. Walsh listened to community members during a packed public hearing held in his office last week.
Following the hearing, CRB chair Lori Nilsson said the best thing for the board is continued community involvement.
“The biggest thing we need is a community supporting board,” Nilsson said.
She said the proposed changes take away the meaning of the CRB, which is charged with handling grievances made involving members of the Syracuse Police Department.
“The Citizen Review Board is the citizen review board, not the common council review board and the proposed legislative changes, in my opinion, don’t make that a citizen controlled board,” Nilsson said.
Walsh said he is still carefully working toward a decision.
