Civilian Complaint Review Board

[itsme]

[Editor's note: This topic was split from "City Council Election"]

I believe the Record article "Hackensack chance" had a great deal of validity.   This is " an opportunity for the city government to ease the distrust and alienation many minority residents feel toward law enforcement and City Hall.”  Towards that end, a civilian complaint review board would be a move in the right direction.  Any allegations against a law enforcment officer would then be reviewed by a board made of both citizens and law enforcement officers.  While there are many great things in Hackensack, there are some that are not so great.  I think rather than alienating each other, we should move towards correcting the problems and working together.

With regard to the diversity issue, just walk into city hall.  That issue speaks for itself.  I believe there may be one African American inidividual working there.  I believe there is only one working in the municipal court.  The majority of African American employees of Hackensack work for the Sanitation Department.  It is not an issue of individuals not applying for the position or not having the qualifications.  I have spoken to many minority residents of Hackensack and many have applied but were not hired.  These issues need to be addressed.  If all of us truly are looking for Hackensack to be the best Hackensack it can be, be up for the challenge.  I am.

[average Joe]

"itsme" you sound refreshingly intelligent! however you need to do more homework-our City operates under state civil service laws-hiring and promotions are determined by competitive exams-why do you think that the police and fire departments have been out in the minority communities encouraging people to prepare for and take these tests?
   it is a real problem ,i agree,but to suggest discrimination in hiring is just way off base.
police review board? is that legal in New Jersey?better ask the City attorney
     im not saying that we as a community shouldnt try to address these issues-but we need to get our facts straight first

[itsme]

Thank you Average Joe, I consider myself reasonably intelligent also.  I am very welll aware that our city operates under civil service laws, hiring and practices.  Depending upon the job and situation, it is possible to be hired by the city prior to taking an exam.  This is called a provisional hiring.  Once the exam is called, then the individual is required to take the exam.  Preference can be given to city residents.  Also, there are jobs that do not necessarily require the taking of the test but on the job experience and education. 

With regard to the civilian complaint review board, maybe you should do your homework.  It is legal in New Jersey.  In fact, you do not have to look far for a municipality having such a board.  Teaneck has a civillian complaint review board.

I found your response condescending but I will chalk it up to our differences of opinion but our mutual love of Hackensack with and without its flaws.

[Editor]

Related stories:

Teaneck's watchdog panel at crossroads

Community seeks to improve dialogue with police (Hackensack)

[average Joe]

"itsme"hope you checked out editors post of record article regarding Teanecks "police review board'- notice the part of the story that said a problem with it is that board has no subpoena power?
   so you want a board that has no power?
problems or perceptions of problems are not gonna be resolved by pr stunts-which it appears was teanecks motivation
but that their problem not ours

[sayhey]

Actually Joe, it's up to each municipality to give the police review board the power to subpoena when creating it.  It appears that Teaneck went down that path.  If the HPD doesn't have anything to hide, it shouldn't be a problem for the city council to give the review board such powers.  It can only help build a better bond between the community of Hackensack and the HPD.

Even though Teaneck review board didn't have the power to subpoena people, it did serve its purpose with creating aveunes to check police conduct in dealing the community.  As you fail to mention, with or without subpoena power, the board has seen fewer complaints.  It probably has more to do with TPD not wanting any negative publicity.  Any time there is someone to watch you, one is more likely to straighten up and fly right.  It all about checks and balances to make sure everything fair for all.

[Editor]

The following appeared in the July 13, 2005 edition of the Record:

The Concerned Citizens Organization of Hackensack strongly supports many of the suggestions set forth in "Hackensack's chance" (Editorial, July 3). Most particularly, we support the editorial's suggestion that this is the "opportunity for the city government to ease the distrust and alienation many minority residents feel toward law enforcement and City Hall."

Just recently, the state attorney general mandated that all police officers must go through a three-hour training course on racial profiling. They must also pass a test to show that they have learned this lesson. Police Chief Charles "Ken" Zisa must make sure this program is enforced, particularly at a time when the city is dealing with complaints about the behavior of its own police officers.

Institution of a civil complaint review board made up of both citizens and law enforcement officers would address these issues in a suitable manner.

We must make Hackensack citizens aware that such issues exist and are not to be swept under the rug. Chief Zisa has expressed his desire to resolve these issues. We now look to the newly elected mayor and council to address them as well.

Larry Riley and Blanche M. Stuart

Hackensack, July 6

The writers are president and secretary, respectively, of the Concerned Citizens Organization.

[average Joe]

sayhey-my point is this-im not sure that a town can just create a board and"poof" give it the power to issue subpoenas-im not a lawyer-thats why i suggested to"itsme" that he/she ask the city attorney
without the power to make someone come forward to testify before a board-what gets created,in my opinion,sounds good on paper but accomplishes nothing

[sayhey]

It is within the power of the city council/mayor/city manager to create policies for the welfare of the city as long as it doesn't interfere or overstep county, state or federal laws.

One thing I do wish for is the mayor and the city council become full time employees of the city and not part-time.  A city of Hackensack size and importance to the region need full time attention.

[ericmartindale]

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[itsme]

I agree Eric.  My suggestion is not a vendetta against the police.  It is basically a checks and balance system.  The marjority of law enforcement officers in Hackensack do their job in a professional manner and should be commended.  Many in the minority and immigrant population of Hackensack are afraid to file a complaint against an officer for fear of retaliation or the belief that nothing will be done about it.  In a meeting with the police chief held a Carver Park, 30 or so individuals addressed the chief concerning numerous incidences involving one particular officer.  Some of these individuals stated that they went to the station to file a complaint and were told (not so nicely) that they could not.   The institution of a complaint review board would allow those individuals to make the complaint.  After reviewing the data, the board would then rule on the validity of the complaint, dismiss it if not substantiated and if substantiated give recommendations to the police chief who would have the final decision as to what remedies are to be made.  The issue here is accountability. 

[devil]

I have not previously voiced my views on the topic of a civilian review board. I was simply interested in what was being said. It is now painfully obvious that those that are requesting this review board are probably doing so just to cause more controversy where none exists. Chief Zisa met with the citizens in Carver Park, just as requested. He listened to all the complaints, just as requested.

We have one of the most professional and most respected police forces in the state. The men and women that serve do so professionally. I am proud to be protected by them.

[itsme]

I am not sure if you were in attendance at Carver Park.  I was.  While the police chief did answer many of the questions, there were some that were not answered.  Chief Zisa is aware of those questions and hopefully he will follow up with the organizers of that meeting to address those issues.  I was one of those in attendance and agree that the Hackensack Police Department is one of the most professional departments around.  However, there are a few bad apples that may spoil the whole bunch (at least peceptually).  These individuals need to be brought into line.  There is no overt attempt to create controversy.  Our hope is to prevent any.  To say that those who are requesting this review board are simply looking to create controversy where none exists, is certainly unfounded.  Come out to the park and take your own survey.  There is a problem.  However, it is not a problem that cannot be corrected. 

[Editor]

The post that appeared here was split to a new topic: Karma Rating

[hamburglar]

This is an interesting topic which I have followed on this site and in the Bergen Rag. For those who have paid attention, it's clear that Devil has it figured out. This issue is being created by a handful of political activists who were on the losing side of the council election. From what I heard and read, most of the 30 attendees in Carver Park were candidates or supporters of the council losers. I understand that thousands of flyers were distributed in Hackensack and Teaneck and only 30 people showed up, mostly politicians! Could it be that most residents actually like the job that the police department is doing? Is it possible that all the community policing programs run by HPD have really built relationships with local residents, including minority residents? I can't think of one city as diverse as ours which works and lives together so harmoniously and so productively. And hats off to our new city council who is leading the way in celebrating our diversity with their plan to share mayoral responsibilities during their term. Did anyone else notice that the only ones critical of their plan were the council losers and their supporters? Read my lips, losers: NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY TO DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH DISTORTIONS AND OUTRIGHT LIES, HACKENSACK RESIDENTS LIKE EACH OTHER! THEY JUST DON'T LIKE YOU! THAT'S WHY YOU WERE REJECTED BY THE VOTERS! (OVERWHELMINGLY!)