One of the three Democrats trying to get the party’s nomination for Rochester mayor supports a reorganized and independent citizen review board to investigate accusations of police misconduct.
James Sheppard is a former Rochester police chief, and says he’s not certain the current Civilian Review Board process is broken. But he says the convincer is that citizens don’t believe in or trust the current process, so it needs to change.
Sheppard included a new police review mechanism in his platform, laid out in a news conference on the steps of City Hall. He and former news anchor Rachel Barnhart are running in a primary against incumbent Mayor Lovely Warren.
Sheppard said he wants to reorganize the city’s neighborhood and business development programs, bringing in new leadership and restoring former Mayor Bill Johnson’s “Neighbors Building Neighborhoods” Program. He wants youth and family support centers to help young people finish their education and find jobs, and stronger relationships with area colleges.