Abbreviation RPD Formed December 28, 1819 | Motto Serving With Pride Preceding agency Metropolitan Police | |
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Annual budget US$ 76.201 Million (2011–2012) Legal personality Governmental: Government agency | ||
The Rochester Police Department, also known as the RPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Rochester, New York, reporting to the city mayor. It currently has approximately 869 officers and support staff, a budget of approximately $75 million, and covers an area of 37 square miles (96 km2). The Rochester Police Department has been under a court-ordered federal consent decree from the United States Department of Justice since 1975 over its hiring practices. The decree was part of a 1975 settlement involving racial discrimination.
Contents
History
Rochester hired a constable and formed a nightwatch, which first went active on December 28, 1819. Addy Van Slyck was hired as the first police chief in 1853. The police department was reorganized into the Metropolitan Police in 1865.
RPD was the first department in New York State to adopt a police telegraph system in 1886.
In 1893, the department established a bicycle division consisting of two officers who apprehended a daily average of 25 "scorchers" (speeders). The department fielded a mounted division in 1895—officers were expected to supply their own horses.
In 1905, the department added a traffic bureau consisting of officers stationed at busy Main Street intersections (East Avenue, St. Paul Street, State Street, and Fitzhugh Street). The chief traffic offenders of the time were haywagons. The city installed traffic lights in 1922.
The department's first policewoman, Nellie L. McElroy, was also the first to be appointed under civil service rules in New York State. The department's first African-American officer, Charles Price, was hired in 1947.
Since the establishment of the Rochester Police Department, 14 officers have died in the line of duty.
Police chief goes to jail
In October 1990, while serving as Chief of Police Gordan Urlacher was arrested in Mayor Thomas Ryan's office on charges of conspiracy and embezzlement. He was dismissed as chief two months later. On February 25, 1992, former Rochester Police Chief Gordon Urlacher was convicted of three counts of embezzlement and one count of conspiracy for stealing police funds between 1988 and 1990 when he was Chief of the Police. On March 5, 1992 the former Chief was sentenced to four years in Federal prison for embezzling more than $200,000 in Police Department funds. Urlacher was also ordered by a Federal judge to repay $150,000 to the city and to spend 12 years on supervised probation.
Civil rights trial
The federal investigation into Chief Urlacher's theft of $300,000 of public funds led to a deeper probing of the entire police department which resulted in charges being brought against 5 additional police officers. The five officers, all members of the vice squad, were accused of beating and terrorizing drugs suspects and skimming drug profits. The 19 counts of police brutality included accusations of the use of unauthorized weapons to beat or threaten suspects, including blackjacks, a cattle prod and lead-filled leather gloves. On December 7, 1992 former Chief, Urlarcher pleaded guilty to the felony conspiracy to violate civil rights admitting that he knew about the civil rights abuses but did nothing about them. During a high profile 10 week trial 12 officers testified against their 5 colleagues. In the end, the five officers were found not guilty on all charges.
Civilian review board
In 1992 the City of Rochester created a civilian review board to review internal police investigations when a civilian alleges that a police officer used excessive force or committed a crime. The police chief makes the final decisions on all complaints. [2]
Racial profiling
The Rochester Police Department (RPD) has been accused of racial profiling of black and Latino residents in individual instances and as a systematic practice. These accusations are denied by officials of the Rochester Police Department. As official policy Police Chief James Sheppard says the department engages in what he calls "criminal profiling" and "proactive policing."
Barideaux incident
Rochester police were accused of racially profiling a young black driver, Jeramie Barideaux, as he was pulled over, searched, and arrested in what appeared to a false traffic stop caught on city traffic enforcement cameras. All charges were dismissed against Barideaux, but only after he spent four months in jail. In July 2012 Barideaux filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Officers Ryan Hartley and Rob Osipovitch for what he called a false traffic stop, search, and arrest.
Operation Cool Down
In July 2012, the RPD announced Operation Cool Down with the stated purpose to crack down on violence in community. The initiative includes increased police presence in minority neighborhoods with a strategy to target minor offenses.
If you’re riding a bike and it doesn’t have a bell, we’re going to stop you. If it doesn’t have lights, we’re going to stop you. Tail light’s out – we’re going to stop you. If you’re on a corner and we think you’re engaged in criminal activity, we’re going to stop you. — Police Chief James Sheppard
Operation Cool Down has prompted a backlash of criticism for racial profiling from residents, the ACLU, and Chair of City Council's Public Safety Committee Adam McFadden.
Mass surveillance
A May 2012 national study that examined density of traffic cameras, red light cameras, and police surveillance cameras and authorized wiretaps found Rochester, NY to be the fifth most surveilled city in the country. Rochester, NY was found only to be behind Washington, D.C., Houston, Denver, and Cheyenne. The NYCLU among other community groups have questioned the effectiveness of the mass surveillance tactics and whether they invade the privacy of everyday law-abiding civilians. According to Rochester Police, there are more than 100 surveillance cameras and 25 red light cameras throughout the city as of May 2012.
Obstructing video recording of police
On numerous occasions civilians have accused Rochester police of intimidating and/or arresting them for legally videotaping police officers in public. Most notable instance was the Emily Good incident.
Emily Good incident
In May 2011, Emily Good was arrested in her front lawn for videotaping a suspicious traffic stop in front of her house. After the video of the police interaction and arrest was posted on YouTube, it immediately went viral and attain sustained local, national, and international media coverage. Good was charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration but after the video was released the Monroe County District Attorney withdrew the charge.
Crowd control tactics
The Rochester Police Department draw criticism for what some call aggressive crowd tactics at marches and festivals.
Riot gear at Puerto Rican Festival
Starting in at least 2004, Rochester Police have come under criticism by their now common practice showing up in riot gear after the Puerto Rican festival. In 2007, festival organizer Ida Perez called the police response "overkill." While many festival goers say honking, dancing, and street partying is all in good fun, police say riot gear is necessary to clear out the neighborhood.
2009 peace march
On October 7, 2009, the eighth anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan war, the Rochester police broke up a peace march protesting the Afghanistan war organized by Rochester Students for a Democratic Society with a massive police response which included at least 40 police. In the end twelve people were arrested, two were hospitalized for their injuries sustained from police. The severe police response drew massive public outcry. Executive Deputy Police Chief Markert admitted the police could have acted differently to ensure everyone's safety.
20/20 hindsight, would I have loved to say, OK, hold on folks, where are you going, and let me facilitate you getting there in a safe manner, that's me the next day. I don't know why that didn't happen. -Executive Deputy Police Chief George Markert, at a Special Session of City Council
Although Rochester police promised a full report on incident, no report was ever released and it remains unclear if any changes were made in result of the public response or the internal investigation.
2012 anti-capitalist march
On July 22, 2012 Rochester police broke up a peaceful anti-capitalist march on East Avenue with pepper spray and 18 arrests. Police were criticized for the large use of pepper spray, not giving dispersal orders, and police brutality. Police claim protesters were blocking the street and refused to move, but videos from the march indicate that many protesters were arrested while walking on the sidewalk.
Organization
The department is organized into two bureaus: Operations and Administration.
Operations Bureau
The Operations Bureau consists of three divisions:
The Patrol Divisions primarily conduct foot, bicycle, and vehicle patrols and respond to emergency calls, apprehending suspects and conducting preliminary and follow-up investigation of offenses. They also work closely with Police and Citizens Together Against Crime Program (PAC-TAC) participants and Police-Citizen Interaction Committees (PCIC) and participate in the City's four Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD) teams. The East division handles police services east of the Genesee River with the exception of the City's Inner Loop. Police services west of the River and within the Inner Loop are provided by the West division.
The Special Operations Division is considerably more specialized, consisting of:
Administration Bureau
The Administration Bureau comprises:
Ranks
Demographics
As of February 2010, 77% (602) of the police force were white, 11% (83) black, 10% (78) Latino, and 2% (12) Asian. 88% (691) were men while 12% (90) were women. 87% (680) of the officers were non-residents, while 13% (101) were residents of the city of Rochester.
Facilities
The Department's headquarters are in the Public Safety Building at 185 Exchange Boulevard. The Patrol Divisions are located at 630 North Clinton Avenue and 1099 Jay Street. The Animal Control Center is at 184 Verona Street. The Special Operations Division is at 261 Child Street.
Equipment
Officers of the Rochester Police Department will be issued the Beretta Px4 Storm in .45 ACP caliber as a service pistol, replacing the Beretta Cougar.
More recently, RPD officers have been slowly being assigned Glock 21 Gen-4 handguns, as the department has been moving away from the Beretta Px4 STORM .45 ACP as its standard issue sidearm. The Glock handguns have shown to demonstrate a higher reliability in the field, thus prompting the switch after trials with teams within the department.
Currently, all patrol officers carry the Glock 21-Gen4, and those in administrative positions can choose between the Glock 21 Gen-4 or the Glock 30-SF.