These summer months have seen the University Police Department at Oswego State hard at work.

From helping the remaining on-campus students throughout the remainder of the semester and move-out days to the George Floyd protests in Oswego, the department, overseen by Interim Chief Kevin Velzy, has been nonstop. Most recently, UP has made an array of changes to their protocols in light of the Floyd incident and subsequent protests. 

Among others, the department has revised its Use of Force Policy, removing the use of carotid controls, commonly referred to as “chokeholds.” The New York State Assembly passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act on Monday, June 8, more than two weeks prior to the Juneteenth protest on campus. 

“The act passed both houses of the New York State Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo had indicated he would sign it into law, so we went ahead and amended the policy,” Velzy said. “In 31 years that I have been employed here, I have not seen it used—if an officer were to use this technique currently, they would be in violation of Department policy, and may be disciplined accordingly.”

The circumstances surrounding the level of force used by an officer would dictate whether they violated Article 35 of the New York State Penal Law, which governs the “Use of Force” Justification in New York State.

“All uses of force require documentation, as has been our policy for decades. Excessive force complaints will be investigated thoroughly, and all body-worn camera video will be reviewed,” Velzy said.

In the event that unreasonable use of force is witnessed, officers have a duty to intercede, Velzy further indicated. Other new measures adopted include the repeal of the Civil Rights Law 50-A, which had previously protected police officers’ records who had been disciplined. As a result, law enforcement departments are now obliged to make officers’ records public.

The march also called for the ban of no-knock warrants, regardless of exigency based on cops, which had primarily been used by the Drug Task Force for the apprehension of dangerous and known drug dealers, and were issued by a judge. 

Consequently, a course to action was appealed in terms of defunding the police, rather refunding social services such as education or mental health.

“We collaborate with various Mental Health Services as we have for many years—we work closely with the Counseling Services Office on campus, Mobile Crisis, and Farnham Family Services and we have members on the Oswego County Police Mental Hygiene Committee,” Velzy said. “We have many officers trained in Mental Health First Aid, and Effectively Responding to Emotional Crisis. Our department has taken the ‘One Mind Campaign Pledge’ through the International Association of Police Chiefs as we seek to ensure successful interactions between law enforcement and persons affected by mental illness.”

UP also has members working on the campus Behavioral Intervention Team and on the Campus Mental Health Development Project aimed at suicide prevention.

Photo by Nicole Hube | The Oswegonian