Oneonta Community Police Board seeking two new members
Sep. 18—Two members have stepped down from the city of Oneonta Community Police Board.
Mayor Mark Drnek announced the resignations of Monica Grau and George Wells at the CPD meeting Monday, Sept. 18.
Neither has attended a meeting since the board's first meeting in March. There have been three subsequent meetings.
Drnek asked for recommendations from the board for new members. The only requirement is that they be city of Oneonta residents.
Board chairperson Ari Tobi said that she would like to see more women besides herself on the board, and would like someone who could represent the issues of children, such as a school district employee.
The board, which serves in an advisory capacity focusing on increasing transparency in police policies, data and investigations, consists of five members appointed by the mayor to a three-year term.
The city administrator serves as a non-voting liaison to the board.
Formed in 2021 after then Governor Andrew Cuomo required each local government to adopt a policing reform plan, the purpose of the board is to provide city of Oneonta residents an avenue to express their thoughts and concerns about the Oneonta Police Department and to provide suggestions for policy improvements.
Board member Greg Fulkerson said that he already had received anonymous complaint from someone asking about what the police are doing about drug dealers in the city.
At the board's last meeting in May, the group decided to establish a Facebook page to access the community and provide a way for residents to communicate their concerns regarding police that the board can review and pass along to city staff.
At Monday's meeting, board vice chairperson Bryce Wooden said he would be responsible for page administration.
The city currently provides a complaint form and the police department provides a civilian complaint form.
The purpose of the Facebook page would be to allow residents who might have a reason to distrust the police to make a comment about police to a trusted source.
"We have to make them know we're independent, that our decisions here are independent of the city," Tobi said, "because if they feel that we're being influenced by the city, which we're not, we will not get their complaints and we will be here for nothing, God forbid.
"If we give them the impression that whatever decisions we did make here is in your interest, to come (to us) as an intermediary between you and the police, and see how best we can help the city to make decisions that will influence policies that will be better for you and your children and the community, when we get their confidence," she said.
Board members reviewed the duties of the board as listed in the city code.
They also discussed various community outreach events as a way to start to build trust with the community, such as a potential community policing event with food and drink.
