NEW RULE ALLOWING THE NYC CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARD TO INVESTIGATE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS IS INVALID; PUBLIC VETTING PROCESS WAS NOT FOLLOWED (FIRST DEPT).
The First Department, over a dissent, in a comprehensive decision too detailed to fairly summarize, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined certain Rules of City of New York Civilian Complaint Review Board adopted in 2018 were valid, but the 2018 resolution to begin investigating sexual misconduct allegations against police officers was invalid:
Defendant-respondent The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (the CCRB) investigates allegations of police misconduct toward members of the public (NY City Charter § 440[a]). It is empowered to receive, investigate, hear, make findings, and recommend action upon complaints that allege misconduct involving excessive use of force, abuse of authority, discourtesy or use of offensive language … . At issue in this appeal are certain amended rules adopted by the CCRB in 2018 … and a resolution, also adopted in 2018, to begin investigating sexual misconduct, which previously had been referred to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB). * * *
By declaring that the CCRB would assert jurisdiction over an entire category of misconduct that it had historically referred as a matter of policy, the resolution announced a sweeping policy change that materially affected the rights of all alleged victims of sexual misconduct and allegedly offending police officers “equally and without exception,” and thus amounted to the adoption of a new “rule” … . However, because the CCRB undisputedly did not follow the public vetting process required … for adopting a new rule, the sexual misconduct resolution is a nullity … . Matter of Lynch v New York City Civilian Complaint Review Bd., 2020 NY Slip Op 03062, First Dept 5-28-20