The Syracuse Common Council is taking another step toward holding police officers accountable.

After more than a year of debate with the city's legal team, the council is moving forward in drafting the "Right to Know Act" legislation.

The Council’s independent lawyer told them they do have the right to decide how officers can behave on the job during a committee meeting Thursday. 

However, the city's chief legal officer disagrees.

The Council told their lawyer he can go ahead and write up the legislation, which requires officers to identify themselves at stops, have a consent to search, and conduct quarterly meetings to discuss their reports.

Mayor Ben Walsh already signed an executive order, but Syracuse Common Councilor Joe Driscoll says it's important to make it a law.

“It’s for posterity, for the long term. Mayors come and go and as long as four years seem, it goes by fast. So, it’s one more step, pushing things forward, pushing for progress, pushing for change,” said Driscoll.

Driscoll says their attorney should have the legislation done by September 3, so it could be voted on at their September 14 meeting.