Syracuse Citizen Review Board approves evidence.com subscription, forms advisory committee and limits media comments to director

The Syracuse City Citizen Review Board on Sept. 4 voted to purchase an evidence.com subscription, agreed to establish a seven-member advisory committee to review the board’s bylaws, and adopted a policy directing media inquiries to the board director.

The actions came during the board’s monthly meeting at Syracuse City Hall. The board approved a quote for evidence.com (the cloud video/evidence service offered by Axon) after staff reported a five-year vendor quote that averages $978.96 per year; the board decided to pay annually rather than prepay the full five years.

Board Chair Don Johnson said the subscription will allow the board to view police-uploaded footage in real time, create shared case folders and reduce time spent downloading files. Nolita (board administrator/director) told the board staff had received a 60-month quote that totals approximately $4,894.80 and that annual billing would help the CRB’s yearly budget planning.

In discussion before the vote, members noted the benefit of being able to watch footage as the Syracuse Police Department uploads it and the desire to avoid paying years in advance in case police change platforms. A motion to purchase the evidence.com subscription on an annual payment schedule carried with all in favor.

Separately, the board voted to form an external advisory committee to reexamine the CRB’s bylaws and recommend changes to the Common Council. The committee was approved as seven members composed of three current CRB board members, one Common Council member, two city residents and the current administrator. The board chair said the group will produce a recommendation to the council after reviewing and suggesting updates.

Also during the meeting, the board adopted a media communications policy that directs all media inquiries about CRB matters to the director; in the director’s absence, the chair will serve as the authorized spokesperson. The motion—framed as an operating framework rather than a prohibition on reporters contacting individuals—carried unanimously.

The board approved the Aug. meeting minutes at the start of the session and later moved into executive session to review pending cases.

Votes at a glance

- August meeting minutes: Motion to adopt minutes approved (vote recorded as "Aye"; individual roll-call not recorded in the transcript). Not specified: mover/second.

- Evidence.com subscription (vendor: Axon/evidence.com): Motion to purchase a 60-month subscription and pay annually at $978.96 per year approved. Mover/second not specified in the public record. Outcome: approved.

- Advisory committee to review CRB bylaws: Motion to establish a seven-member advisory committee (3 board members, 1 Common Council member, 2 citizens, administrator) approved. Mover/second not specified in the public record. Outcome: approved.

- Media communications policy: Motion that CRB members not speak to media about CRB business and that inquiries be referred to the director (or chair in the director’s absence) approved. Mover/second not specified in the public record. Outcome: approved.

- Executive session: Motion to enter executive session to review cases approved. Outcome: approved.

Why it matters

The subscription to evidence.com is intended to speed case reviews by giving CRB staff and authorized board members immediate access to police video as it is uploaded, reducing the existing delay created by manual requests to internal affairs and lengthy downloads. The advisory committee could lead to formal bylaw changes that would be sent to the Common Council for possible approval. The media policy centralizes official public comment in the director’s office, creating a single point of contact for reporters.

What the board said and next steps

Nolita, the CRB’s director, told the board that evidence.com offers unlimited storage on the quoted plan and would allow the office to create shared folders to organize case material. The board instructed staff to proceed with the subscription on the annual payment schedule and to begin developing the advisory committee nomination and selection process; the chair asked members to submit candidate names within about a month. The board also directed staff to formalize the media-contact guidance and to bring documentation on the advisory committee’s proposed charge and timeline to the membership.