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Activists say Walsh's response to police reform demands isn't enough

Tom Magnarelli
/
WRVO News (file photo)
Protesters have been increasing calls for police reform since the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis in May

Syracuse officials and police reform activists are still not on the same page when it comes to ways to reform the city's police department. The city released a response to the People’s Agenda for Policing's nine demands Thursday. The group, which is pushing for an overhaul of the police department, isn't happy with the response.

When activists faced Mayor Ben Walsh and other city officials in a contentious meeting two weeks ago, they left with a promise from the city to provide a timeline for addressing a list of nine demands. Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens said that expectation has been met.

"We have a timeframe that, from all those nine demands, all but one will, from where we stand, be able to be addressed and a process initiated during 2020, which I’m proud of our commitment to doing that."

Activists, including Yusuf Abdul-Qadir, are disappointed with that response. At a meeting this weekend, he suggested there was no sense of urgency from City Hall.

"Some of those things were nice, and some of those things were important," Abdul-Qadir said. "But many of them are situated a series of months down the line, potentially by January 2021. That is not a sense of urgency, that doesn’t rise up to the demand of the moment."

In its official response to The People’s Agenda for Policing released late Thursday, the Walsh Administration agreed with all nine demands, each with different timelines for action. Those demands include revamping the Police Department’s use of force policy; creating  an enhanced policy when it comes to police wearing body cameras; publicizing the  police union contract;  demilitarizing the Syracuse Police Department;  redirecting police funding into human services;  creating specific rules about surveillance technologies; and passing  the Right to Know Act.

Walsh deferred two items, to the Syracuse Common Council and school board, that involved strengthening the Citizens Review Board, and removing police officers acting as school resource officers from schools.  

Walsh said he’s comfortable with timelines for action.  He said some things take time, like integrating new state laws into a revamped use of force policy, or reviewing equipment use and inventory.

"I think we all generally agree on where we want to get to, now we get to work on how to get there," he said.

Walsh Administration Response to the Peoples Agenda for Police Reform by WRVO on Scribd

Ellen produces news reports and features related to events that occur in the greater Syracuse area and throughout Onondaga County. Her reports are heard regularly in regional updates in Morning Edition and All Things Considered.