Syracuse, NY - After calling the mayor’s refusal to sign an officer’s award in June an insult, the Syracuse police boycotted the city’s award ceremony for police and firefighters. On Aug. 18, the Police Benevolent Association, the union representing city officers, will hold its own awards ceremony. The ceremony is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the auditorium...
Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner speaks June 24 at an awards ceremony which city police boycotted. Police are holding their own awards ceremony Aug. 18.Syracuse, NY - After calling the mayor’s refusal to sign an officer’s award in June an insult, the Syracuse police boycotted the city’s award ceremony for police and firefighters.
On Aug. 18, the Police Benevolent Association, the union representing city officers, will hold its own awards ceremony. The ceremony is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the auditorium of the Summit Federal Credit Union, 728 E. Genesee St.
Syracuse police boycotted a ceremony held June 24 when Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner refused to sign the commendation for Detective Alp Llukaci. Miner cited a federal jury’s verdict that Llukaci used excessive force against a suspect in a 2001 case.
Twenty police officers were scheduled to receive awards, including Llukaci. Llukaci was supposed to receive the Wallie Howard Jr. Award for his undercover work on drug investigations.
The credit union and Sgt. Tom Connellan, a police spokesman, confirmed the event will take place. Connellan would not say who is being honored.
PBA President Jeff Piedmonte declined to return numerous phone calls over three weeks.
Miner declined to comment.
Chief Frank Fowler, who attended the June awards ceremony, did not say whether he would attend the event.
“Show up and find out,” Fowler said.
Fowler and three of his top deputies attended the city award ceremony at the Palace Theater, which also honored firefighters. No other members of the force attended.
“This is totally inappropriate and an insult to all of us,” Piedmonte wrote in a June email to union members about the mayor’s refusal to sign the award