INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 131, No. 2
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014
!
ITHACA, NEW YORK
32 Pages – Free
News
Arts
Sports
Weather
Concert on the Quad
Red Carpet
Kicking It Off
Sunny HIGH: 88° LOW: 64º
DJ-duo The Knocks and indie rock band Modern Baseball will perform on the Arts Quad Saturday. | Page 3
Calvin Patten ’15 examines music performances at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. | Page 22
The sprint football team will begin its fall season Sept. 19 when it takes on Franklin Pierce University. | Page 32
Internal Police Investigation Ends Actions of officer who pulled gun on black teenagers not ‘race-based,’ review finds By ANNIE BUI Sun News Editor
An internal review by the Ithaca Police Department found Sgt. John Norman’s decision to raise his weapon after stopping two teenagers on bicycles “wholly consistent with standard police policies.” The investigation, which was commissioned by Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 and Police Chief John Barber, judged that Norman’s actions were not racially motivated in any way. However, the conductors of the investigation were concerned that he was not clearly in uniform at the time of the incident, according to the review. Norman — who was off-duty at the time of the stop and was driving his personal vehicle — was aiding shift RILEY YUAN / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER commander Lt. Scott Garin with invesHall of justice | The Ithaca Police Department will tigations regarding two car arsons and a
undergo policy changes following a recent internal review.
See REVIEW page 4
Police: Teens followed due to suspiscions of committing arson By TYLER ALICEA Sun Managing Editor
A previous version of this story was published online Aug. 15 and was updated after additional details were released Monday following the conclusion of an internal review. Just weeks after an Ithaca police sergeant pointed his gun at unarmed, black teenagers, an internal review
that concluded Monday revealed additional details about the events that transpired over the course of an evening earlier this month. Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 and Police Chief John Barber promised on Aug. 15 that the actions of the sergeant, who has been revealed as Sgt. John Norman, would be investigated. At the conclusion of the internal review, it was
found Norman’s decision to pull his weapon on the teenagers was justified. Previously it was reported that the officer pointed his weapon at four teenagers, when in fact there were only two teenagers. This mistake was reported by multiple news outlets due to a misinterpretation of a police statement, which police later See POLICE page 5
Mayor outlines proposed changes for IPD By NOAH RANKIN Sun City Editor
In response to concerns about policecommunity relations, Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 created a new set of guidelines for the Police Ithaca Department — including having cameras on every officer and police vehicle. “The incident has drawn a great deal of community concern,” Myrick said. “I believe, given the current state of affairs in Ferguson, [Missouri], and a long history of violence and mistrust between the police and the black community that concern is understandable.” Myrick’s sevenpoint plan, which he believes will bring the IPD into “a more robust model of policing,” was created with input from various sectors of the local community, he said. “Over the past several weeks, I’ve met repeatedly with parents, teens, religious leaders, members of the Common Council, community leaders and the leadership of the police department,” Myrick said. “I’ve also spoken with peers in
V.P. of Tech Campus to Depart By TYLER ALICEA Sun Managing Editor
Vice President of Cornell Tech Cathy Dove MBA ’84 has been named the first female president of Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks, the University announced July 28. She will leave Cornell to begin her new position Sept. 1. As one of the administrators responsible for leading the University’s efforts to build a new
to Provost Kent Fuchs. Upon winning the tech campus bid, Cornell named Dove vice president of the campus in 2012. In the role, she has been responsible “Her talents are for a variety of functions, including a perfect fit for Paul administrative, operSmith’s.” ational, outreach, capital planning and President David Skorton construction, for the campus, according to competition, which a University press release. President David granted the University the right to build the Skorton said Paul Smith’s tech campus, according — which was founded in campus on Roosevelt Island, Dove played a “critical role” in helping Cornell win New York City’s applied sciences
1946 — has “found an exceptional leader” in Dove. “Her talents are a perfect fit for Paul Smith’s, whose mission combines experiential and traditional learning with a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit,” Skorton said in a statement. “I wish her and her new campus community continued success.” Dove said that while she is honored to serve at See DOVE page 6
other communities and reviewed the latest literature on standards of operations in the Police Department.” The first provision calls for Ithaca to fund body-worn cameras for all officers and dashboard cameras for all police cars, a step that aims to reduce the use of police force and bring a greater level of accountability to the police department, as well as to serve as an “evidentiary benefit” for officers. “[Cameras] can decrease the amount of
in the community that they serve will be uniquely invested in our community, better familiar with and to the citizens they have chosen to serve and protect, and best able to respond quickly in emergency situations,” Myrick said in the plan. The plan also calls for several new institutions for the department, including a “Community Action Team,” a downtown outreach social worker and a physical district office on the west end
“The incident has drawn a great deal of community concern.” Svante Myrick ’09 time our officers spend filling out paperwork and increase the amount of time they spend on the street. They also increase the odds that cases end in guilty pleas,” the plan says. The second point requires all new hires to establish Ithaca as their primary place of residence “within one year of hire of their hiring.” “Officers who live
of the City. The CAT will be a team of two officers that work outside of the typical patrol rotation without a beat or a fixed schedule, selected to provide increased flexibility, response time and proactivity. “If there is a rash of burglaries on the West End, they can supplement our patrols in See MYRICK page 6
Up in flames
RILEY YUAN / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Cornell Dining and Catering Staff barbeque burgers in front of Balch Hall yesterday afternoon.