Residents call for community-driven police chief selection as Binghamton investigation continues

Residents and council members urged an open, community-driven process to select the city’s next police chief during public comment at the Binghamton City Council business meeting on Aug. 27, citing an ongoing investigation and concerns about police culture.

The public’s call came after multiple speakers described frustration with how personnel decisions have been handled and with recent incidents involving Binghamton Police Department (BPD) vehicles. “We deserve to know how it's being spent and why it's being spent,” resident Kenneth Brown said when referencing damage to BPD cruisers and a July incident under investigation.

Why it matters: The selection of a police chief affects department leadership, hiring and discipline, and community trust. Commenters said a narrow or closed civil-service process would not restore confidence, and several speakers urged town halls, public vetting and broader candidate pools before a final decision.

Residents’ comments and council reaction Miles Burnett, a Binghamton resident, said the community was promised prompt information about the July 18 incident involving Chief Sikorski but remained without answers more than a month later. “The public deserves accountability, not uncertainty,” Burnett said, and he urged “town halls or public hearings” and broader vetting beyond the small list civil service currently makes available.

Andy Pragas, who identified himself as a West Side resident, said the department’s leadership must change and that the council should be central to the selection process. “I personally don't have any confidence in that process,” Pragas said of a single-person selection approach he attributed to the mayor’s authority.

Council members echoed concerns about transparency. Council member Athmel said he supported the calls for a community-driven process and said he had seen no indication from the mayor that alternatives to the civil-service path were being considered.

What was discussed but not decided Speakers and council members discussed expanding the candidate pool by allowing more officers to take the civil-service exam when it is next available, and about delaying any permanent appointment until more community input is gathered. No formal motion to change the civil-service appointment process was made during the meeting.

Context and constraints Public commenters and council members repeatedly noted statutory and civil-service constraints: the city’s ability to consider candidates is currently governed by the civil service system and exam results, a point raised by Miles Burnett and others. Council members said they want community involvement but also acknowledged legal and timing constraints tied to civil-service rules and the department’s vacancies.

What’s next No formal council action on the police chief appointment was taken at the Aug. 27 meeting. Commenters asked the mayor’s office and the council to commit to a transparent timeline and indicated they would press for public hearings or other community engagement ahead of any appointment.