BUFFALO, NY - There is a panel in Buffalo City Hall that is supposed to oversee Buffalo Police and root out discrimination in the city. That commission has been pretty much inactive for over a year and it doesn't have a leader.
2 On Your Side has learned that someone has been appointed to the position, but they still aren't working.
On the 13th floor in Buffalo City Hall, the Commission on Citizens' Rights and Community Relations appears to be open for business. But, the commission has had no executive director in over a year and has been very quiet over that time.
The commission's job is critically important -- according to the city charter, it's supposed to investigate incidents of discrimination in the city, and recommend any changes that it feels are needed. Another key job of the commission -- overseeing the Buffalo Police Department -- in terms of its community relations training; internal affairs procedures; and assisting people file police misconduct complaints.
But, according to the commission's chairperson, David Granville who spoke to us by phone, none of this has been happening, because the commission has no executive director, which is a paid position.
However, 2 On Your Side has obtained a letter addressed directly to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown from the commission's chair, dated nearly two weeks ago, appointing a new executive director.
Her name is Allison Lack, an attorney for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The commission says out of 44 applicants, Lack was best for the job. But according to Granville, it's up to the department of human resources to confirm the hire. 2 On Your Side wanted to ask Mayor Brown about the commission's vacant executive director position and requested to speak to him at an event he was at Tuesday. But, a spokesperson for the mayor said this is a personnel matter and the mayor would not do an interview.
We were also told that the mayor would only comment if or when a hire is made. We then asked whether the mayor could talk to us about the commission itself, and his hopes for it, still the mayor refused to talk to us.
So, here's a commission that's supposed to do address important issues in the community, but instead has remained silent and there's no timeline for when any of this will change.
One good government group, the Partnership for the Public Good says this shouldn't be happening.
"We've really said that the commission should not be sitting and waiting for complaints to come in and get filed it should really be out there playing a proactive role in promoting civil rights," the partnership's deputy director, Andrea Suilleabhain said.
There is no question that Mayor Brown is responsible for this commission operating -- he appoints all 11 commissioners to it. According to the city charter, the commission should meet at least four times a year.