FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FILING A REPORT
You should file a report with us when you think: (1) an RPD officer has done something wrong to
you or someone else; (2) RPD as an institution is engaging in activity that is harmful, improper,
or wrong.
Find out by reading our webpage “When is an Officer Doing Something Wrong?” In general:
when in doubt, file a report.
- Date and time of the incident, location, officer name, badge number, or license plate number.
- Surrounding businesses or landmarks
- Witness name or contact information.
- Any Relevant documents (ie: court or hospital records).
No. A report may be filed without this information.
- PAB website reporting portal
- Email reports to: [email protected]
- Mail reports or file a report in person: 245 E. Main St., Rochester, NY 14604
- Call: 585-428-9999
Any individual, group, or institution, regardless of whether you are located within the City of
Rochester.
Yes. We understand that in some instances the individual who suffered the alleged misconduct
cannot themselves file a complaint, such as the allegation of misconduct involves a minor or an
individual who is deceased or otherwise incapacitated. In such instances, the person’s attorney,
parents, guardian, or other legal representatives may file the complaint on his or her behalf.
Members of the public will be able to track the status of their reports via our Case Management
Web Portal.
GENERAL FAQ
About the Police Accountability Board (“PAB”)
No. The PAB is not part of the RPD. The PAB is an independent agency within the City of
Rochester. Our employees are directly accountable to the nine community members appointed to lead the PAB. By law, these members are not allowed to be current or former RPD officers.
We need PAB because Rochester deserves a transparent police department that does what the community wants it to do. The PAB’s job is to make clear to the community what is working and what isn’t within RPD. Empowered with that information, the community can work together to make changes and build the policing system that works for them.
No. In fact, if we do our job right, our work will help protect and support police officers who do
their jobs well. By highlighting what’s working and what’s not in our policing system, we can make sure police officers get the support they need to do their jobs effectively. We are especially concerned with making sure RPD provides its officers with mental health support and that RPD is treating is Black and Brown officers fairly.
The PAB is committed to helping dismantle racist policies and practices within our public safety
system. Our team is, by law, required to be trained on anti-racism. Our commitment to anti-racist action translates into belief that it is problematic systems, rather than problematic individuals, that are the greatest contributors to racism in our country.
The Charter requires that all PAB Staff and Board Members receive comprehensive training on an annual basis into relevant laws, police practices, unbiased adjudications, cultural sensitivity, and much more. PAB receives trainings from national law enforcement experts including active duty officers and internal affairs experts.
PAB has to balance its commitment to transparency with our commitment to fairness. We never want to selectively or prematurely release information in a way that would distort the community’s perception of what happened or break the law. When we can be transparent, we will be.
Our community is diverse, with different perspectives on how they want to be kept safe. Our commitment is to a long-term, expertise and data-driven approach to gauging what different parts of our community want and what they share in common. Some of our tactics will include: surveys, focus groups representative of the community, and community engagement events.
Rochester’s voters overwhelmingly chose to grant PAB sweeping powers to access any source of information held by RPD or the City. We will always attempt to cooperate with the RPD and the City to collaboratively share information. We will always inform the community if and when we face barriers in obtaining the information, we need to do our jobs.
We need to focus on building a model of success at the city-wide level first. After we achieve
that goal, we can work with the community on county-wide approaches to improving public
safety.
Yes! You can support the PAB by: (1) filing reports of potential misconduct you witness; (2)
attending our board meetings and events; and (3) educating your friends, family, and neighbors
about our mission.
We also have a number of consultation and volunteer opportunities that you can check out here
(attach link to the word “here” of opportunities).
OVERSIGHT INVESTIGATIONS
A report is a piece of information given by a community member to the PAB. An oversight investigation is a fact-finding mission PAB conducts when the information it gets suggests that RPD may be doing something wrong . Not every report will lead to an oversight investigation, and not every oversight investigation requires a report from a community member to proceed.
After a report is submitted, a Case Manager will be assigned to the matter. This allows us to gather more information about
the incident.
Once the Director of Policy and Oversight has completed a thorough review and determined there is sufficient information to move forward, the project will be assigned to staff within the Policy and Oversight Division.
After compiling all facts and evidence into a comprehensive report, the staff will present their findings to the Board Members.
Incidents that occur outside of the city limits, but involve RPD officer(s), will still fall under the
PAB’s jurisdiction.
PAB can’t investigate these incidents. However, other agencies can.
Incidents involving the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department can be reported here.
Incidents involving New York State Troopers can be submitted by email at
[email protected] or by mail, using this form.
It depends on the complexity of the case. Some cases can take weeks, while others take
months. The PAB’s job is to complete thorough oversight investigations with the need for quick
investigations. We’ll move as fast as we can and keep you posted about our progress.
Oral or written communications regarding RPD activity (includes, complaints, compliments, systemic issues, etc.)
The individual or group who makes a report to PAB.
An individual who sees an event take place from personal observation or experience.
PAB conducts Oversight Investigations that create transparency over all powers exercised by the Rochester Police Department and its officers. An Oversight Investigation addresses a specific subject or aims to answer a particular question.
A legal document served to bring a lawsuit for damages against a city or government agency.
The PAB staff who assists with the coordination of intake and information gathering of all reports.
Unacceptable or improper behavior.
Acceptable or praiseworthy behavior.
Policies, procedures, patterns, or practices that affect a larger group.
The sworn officers of the Rochester Police Department, including but not limited to the Chief, deputies, captains, lieutenants, commanders, and all other sworn law enforcement professionals.
An elected law enforcement member of Monroe County Sheriff’s office.
A law enforcement member of New York State police force.
