An amended complaint names 17 officers with the Rochester Police Department who participated in or were present for an alleged assault against Rickey Bryant last August.

In the federal lawsuit filed last November, Bryant says that police knocked him off his bicycle and repeatedly beat him in the hours after the 2016 Puerto Rican Festival.

Court papers claim that officers used a Taser under Bryant's arm, pepper-sprayed him and struck him while they held him to the ground. He suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured orbital bone in his face.

Police later said that they were responding to a 911 call about a man with a gun.

Bryant, who was 17 at the time, was not arrested or charged with any crimes.

Read: Bryant's amended complaint in federal lawsuit versus City of Rochester

Charles Burkwit, Bryant's attorney, said Monday that the judge overseeing the lawsuit had allowed limited discovery in order to identify the officers involved and some of the acts they admitted, including physical strikes and the use of pepper balls.

But he complained that the full report by RPD's Professional Standard's Section has not been released.

"We still do not know what happened," Burkwit said. "We don't know who acted and who didn't."

A March 28 letter to Bryant’s parents from Rochester Police Chief Michael Ciminelli said that the department had investigated the complaint the parents had filed against members of the department.

Ciminelli's letter said that the allegations that Bryant was punched and kicked were "unprovable," reflecting "insufficient evidence," and that an allegation that he was tased was "unfounded."

The chief also exonerated officers alleged to have directed knee strikes at Bryant.

Burkwit said the response highlights the ineffectiveness and lack of independence in the process for reviewing citizen complaints against police.

"This was a disgraceful coverup effort by the Rochester Police Department," he said after the letter was released.

A city spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.

The letter prompted City Council to authorize what likely is a first-ever subpoena and independent investigation of the Rochester Police Department. It seeks records involving the alleged beating and the review that led Ciminelli to clear the officers involved of any wrongdoing.

The focus is both on the case and the process, as the city looks to revamp its civilian review panel and oversight of the department.

The Rev. Lewis Stewart, who has been outspoken about the need for police reforms, said Monday this case shows why the current system for police oversight is broken. He complained that some police officers have been accused of excessive force on multiple occasions, including some of the individuals identified in this case.

"The same pattern begins to repeat itself. We see some of these same names, the same officers," Stewart said. "But it seems as though nothing is being done to punish these guys who are culpable for injuring citizens."

Stewart endorsed a plan put forward earlier this year for an independent police accountability board, one that would report directly to city council, publicly release its findings, and have the power to discipline officers.

City Council President Loretta Scott said Monday that she has worked to improve the review process in recent years, but acknowledges that more work needs to be done.

"I am committed to ensuring the creation of a civilian review process that is accountable, transparent and credible," she said. "We don't have that now and people feel that."

Scott cited improvements in the length of time it takes to get decisions, and the appointment of an advocate to assist people who feel they've mistreated with the process of filing a grievance.

"One of the things we saw was that people felt intimidated when being interviewed by police," she said. "They are reluctant to participate in the process."

Scott also acknowledged that calls to reform the review process began decades ago, and that while some progress has been made, much work remains.

"Our community feels under served," she said. "We have to keep working on it."

Mike Mazzeo, president of the the union which represents Rochester police officers, said he agrees that there is a need for some changes to the review process, but not the drastic changes that are being suggested.

"We want a fair process where we can have a hearing decided by a neutral party," he said.

However, Mazzeo said it is important that the process include people who are familiar with the general orders regarding the use of force, and the defensive tactics that officers are trained to use.

"This is difficult work and these are complex issues," Mazzeo said. "Anyone conducting an investigation should be trained in police science."

SLAHMAN@Gannett.com

READ MORE:

Council to subpoena RPD in Rickey Bryant case

Rochester police chief covered up alleged beating, lawyer says

Stewart, Rochester officials discuss alleged police brutality

Teen sues city over police assault

RPD Officers named in complaint

A federal lawsuit accuses 17 Rochester police officers of participating in or being present for an August 2016 incident where excessive force was used against Rochester teenager Rickey Bryant. The complaint, which is a public document, does not make specific allegations against any officers and is based on an investigation conducted by the department's Professional Standards Section. None of the officers named in the suit have been criminally charged. The officers named in the suit are: