Cop killer on a police "reform" board in Ithaca, NY

[Derec]

Convicted murderer of NYC police officer is now a member of Ithaca’s Police Reform Board

Far above Cayuga's waters, there's an awful smell. Some say it's the waters, I say it's Cornell Ithaca's politicians. Of course, the rest of the state is not far behind in going to hell in a hand basket.

 

[zorq]

Gosh Derec, maybe you would prefer this man return to "reforming" the police in ways that he has more experience?

Voicing opinions in a bureaucratic committee is pretty weak sauce to get upset about. At least this guy has some first hand experience to inform his opinions, thus making him probably slightly more qualified than most of his colleagues.

 

[Metaphor]

He's paid his debt to society, though perhaps some Tweets will emerge where he complained about having "Asian eyes" after a hangover. That way, he can be excluded from society permanently.

 

[KeepTalking]

I agree with both zorq, and Metaphor (at least with regard to having paid his debt). He has first hand knowledge of the abuses that go on inside the system, and it is about time that those with that experience have a seat at the table when we talk about reforming the system.

 

[TomC]

I agree with both zorq, and Metaphor (at least with regard to having paid his debt). He has first hand knowledge of the abuses that go on inside the system, and it is about time that those with that experience have a seat at the table when we talk about reforming the system.

That's how it looks to me. Rather like hiring a convicted computer hacker to help design security software.
Tom

 

[Elixir]

He was 16.
He's white.
What more do you need, Derec?

 

[repoman]

He was 16.
He's white.
What more do you need, Derec?

white?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It certainly warrants a second sniff as on the surface, there is definitely a 'what's that' reaction.. But if the guy has paid their time, shows they are reformed, is involved in community outreach to help prevent future cases happening, and has constructive input, letting them have a voice isn't crazy. They didn't exactly give him the keys to the kingdom.

I would say a person in their shoes definitely has a much higher bar to reach in being included in such a program.

 

[Elixir]

He was 16.
He's white.
What more do you need, Derec?

white?

- ish.
Close enough. (for most people)

 

[Rhea]

Note: this man was not on the board of this effort. He was a community member of one of the working groups.

This headline turns out to be a lie.

Convicted murderer of NYC police officer is now a member of Ithaca’s Police Reform Board

Far above Cayuga's waters, there's an awful smell. Some say it's the waters, I say it's Cornell Ithaca's politicians. Of course, the rest of the state is not far behind in going to hell in a hand basket.

What part of his contributions to the document, exactly, are you concerned with, Derec? In what way did he disrupt the effort?

https://www2.tompkinscountyny.gov/files2/2021-04/Master Final Document City of Ithaca.pdf


Or was it the fact that he was one of the group of people specifically called out to be included by the order which required the work to be done?

Reimagining Public Safety | 15

Executive Order 203 specified the communities examine the disproportionate adverse impact on vulnerable populations, specifically communities of color, and the following list of targeted groups lent their voices to the process.

List of Targeted Focus groups (in no particular order):
• Community Veterans
• Returning Citizens (formerly incarcerated persons)
• Persons with Disabilities
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer + Community
• Latinx Community (x2)
• Immigrant Community
• College Students
• Community Leaders of Color • Black Women
• Black Community (x2)
• Asian and Asian American Community • Indigenous Community
• Houseless Community

And why did he want to be involved anyway?

In an interview with NewsChannel 9’s Adrienne Smith, Rivera says he believes his past can help make systematic change when it comes to police reform.

I sit in a cell, agonizing over this deed of mine. I killed somebody, and I’m saying to myself, ‘how can I move forward? I cannot change the past. I have to arrive at a decision, and I have to say to myself what am I going to do with my future. How am I going to move forward from here?’

 

[Derec]

Gosh Derec, maybe you would prefer this man return to "reforming" the police in ways that he has more experience?

There is no middle ground between a murderer murdering again and him being named to a so-called "reform" board?

Voicing opinions in a bureaucratic committee is pretty weak sauce to get upset about. At least this guy has some first hand experience to inform his opinions, thus making him probably slightly more qualified than most of his colleagues.

Yeah. In a world of police and prison abolition, he could have gone about robbing restaurants and shooting people without getting caught and incarcerated.

 

[Derec]

He's paid his debt to society,

Not quite. He was released on parole, which means he has not served the full sentence. Also, just because he was paroled, does not mean he should be included on a police "reform" board.

 

[Derec]

I agree with both zorq, and Metaphor (at least with regard to having paid his debt).

That is an objectively wrong statement though. Since he is still on parole, he has not finished paying his debt to society.

He has first hand knowledge of the abuses that go on inside the system, and it is about time that those with that experience have a seat at the table when we talk about reforming the system.

In what way was he "abused" by the system? He robbed a restaurant and, with malice aforethought, murdered an off duty police officer. I guess less effective "reformed" and defunded police would have not caught him before he robbed and perhaps killed a few more times.

 

[Derec]

That's how it looks to me. Rather like hiring a convicted computer hacker to help design security software.
Tom

More like putting Ken Lay on a utility regulation board. Or appointing Bernie Madeoff (with your money) to the FTC.

 

[Derec]

He was 16.

So? That may be an argument to release him on parole, but not to appoint him to the police reform board.

He's white.

In any case, the color of his skin doesn't matter. What he did matters.

 

[Derec]

- ish.
Close enough. (for most people)

So are hispanics BIPOC or whitey now? Or does it vary based on what's more convenient or politically correct at any given time?

 

[Derec]

Note: this man was not on the board of this effort. He was a community member of one of the working groups.

[Citation needed]

Especially regarding "working groups" not being part of the "board".

This headline turns out to be a lie.

You have not shown that.

What part of his contributions to the document, exactly, are you concerned with, Derec? In what way did he disrupt the effort?

Well the very first word is "master". That sort of language is just not woke enough!

Or was it the fact that he was one of the group of people specifically called out to be included by the order which required the work to be done?

Just because they want somebody who's been to prison included does not mean they have to pick a murderer, and certainly not somebody who has murdered a police officer.
And the rest of the list is very discriminatory because it includes racial quotas.

I sit in a cell, agonizing over this deed of mine. I killed somebody, and I’m saying to myself, ‘how can I move forward? I cannot change the past. I have to arrive at a decision, and I have to say to myself what am I going to do with my future. How am I going to move forward from here?’

And in what way does sitting in a cell for 38 years make him qualified to opine on how police should be reformed in the 21st century? He was released from prison less than two years ago. Even if the powers that be in Ithaca believe they must have a murderer on their police deform board, why pick one who is still coming to terms with all the changes that happened since Jimmy Carter was in his last days as president?

 

[Rhea]

[Citation needed]
Especially regarding "working groups" not being part of the "board".

You could have looked it up

https://www.cityofithaca.org/379/Community-Police-Board

And for this commission, look at the document i linked and read page 368. I found it by opining the document and pressing CTRL-F and typing “Rivera” into the search box.

Rivera is not in the administration/leadership group of the commission, he is in the community group.
He is not anywhere on the Community Police Board.


This was trivially easy to find when you are not willing to regurgitate lying tripe.

What part of his contributions to the document, exactly, are you concerned with, Derec? In what way did he disrupt the effort?

Well the very first word is "master". That sort of language is just not woke enough!

No idea what you are talking about here.

Just because they want somebody who's been to prison included does not mean they have to pick a murderer, and certainly not somebody who has murdered a police officer.

They asked for volunteers.

And the rest of the list is very discriminatory because it includes racial quotas.

Oh, right, looking for more than one representative. If I were trying to do something to affect the impact policies have on the black or latino community, I would prefer to not rely on a single voice.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

A board with a majority of such people would be a problem, but I can see value in having one person from the wrong side to see the problems.

 

[KeepTalking]

I agree with both zorq, and Metaphor (at least with regard to having paid his debt).

That is an objectively wrong statement though. Since he is still on parole, he has not finished paying his debt to society.

You made an objectively wrong OP, given that he was not named to the board, and just contributed to a working group. Maybe you should figure out exactly what you are outraged about before posting your outrage threads in the future.