PAB releases reports on police misconduct to the public, Rochester leaders send a letter condemning its publication

ROCHESTER N.Y. (WROC) – The Rochester Police Accountability Board (PAB) publicized a handful of its reports into police misconduct Sunday. It immediately drew backlash from Rochester city leaders, who had written a letter to the board Friday with legal insight claiming the board does not have the authority to do so.

The categories of misconduct in which the PAB looked into for the reports included Failure to Act, Use of Force, Discourtesy, Abuse of Authority, Discrimination, Search/Seizure, Falsification and Wrongful Arrest.

A total of 31 detailed reports are now on the PAB's website . The City of Rochester followed up Sunday with an official statement on the matter, condemning the publication of these reports, writing that "It remains the City's legal position that the Police Accountability Board, per its charter, does not have the authority to publish internal investigative reports, and that publication of such reports, redacted or otherwise, violates local law, the automatic stay of the Fourth Department's decision in the NYCLU matter, and the City's own Code of Ethics."

In all of the reports listed on its website, PAB investigators redacted identifying pieces of information, specifically blocking out officer and civilian names and other apparent sensitive information.

According to Rochester city leaders, the publication of these reports can be damaging to the lives of the officers involved. City leaders continued their statement Sunday by writing "The public release of allegations of wrongdoing that may be or have already been determined to be inaccurate is dangerous. Any attributions of an employee's name to a report – whether that attribution is correct or incorrect – can have lasting impacts on that employee's personal and professional lives."

PAB leadership on the other hand said its necessary the public learns of this information promptly to protect transparency.

"Our goal is for the public to understand the level of detail and expertise involved in producing these reports," announced Executive Director Dr. Lesli Myers-Small Sunday afternoon. "The investigation team works diligently to gather witness statements, review extensive body-camera footage, and obtain officer testimony and evidence for each case. This thorough process enables board members to engage in informed discussions and reach well-supported conclusions. We are eager to share these findings with the community."

In the investigator's reporting, they include recommendations for how these officers should be punished, if at all, and whether the officers involved did anything wrong.

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Since its start in 2019, there has been confusion over what the PAB is allowed to do, and what it cannot do. According to the City's statement Sunday, the core of the issue here is that "The PAB's charter clearly defines its ability to publish data on the receipt and disposition of complaints, and aggregated quarterly and annual reports setting forth that information. The information released on Sunday is neither of those things."

In a statement from the PAB Sunday announcing these reports, leaders wrote "The Board agrees that the law is clear. Rochester residents have been left wondering for too long, about what happens after someone reports an allegation of officer misconduct. Now, they can see the results of a thorough investigation, and the consequences, if any, that officers could face. By publicizing this information we are seeing the accountability Rochester called for in 2019 realized."

PAB leadership has also criticized the city and RPD in the past for denying access to information which the board said was necessary to its investigations. City leaders at the time said it boiled down to legal issues. The newly released reports include notes stating when pieces of evidence were not given to the board.

The PAB said it plans to publish "investigative reports" on its website monthly. Additionally, board members plan to hold a press conference on the matter Monday at 9 a.m. at Daniel Prude Square on Rochester's Court Street.

Note: you can read all of the board's reports by clicking the word "publicized" in the first paragraph of this .