SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Tonight’s meeting started as a dry, quasi-academic discussion of the Syracuse Police Department’s new use-of-force policy. The police chief looked professorial in a bow tie. But many among the roughly 200 residents who packed into the hot gymnasium were having none of that.

After several minutes of PowerPoint slides and statistics, the pent-up frustrations of city residents who feel abused by cops spilled out. Shouts erupted, some turning into harangues. And for the next two hours Mayor Ben Walsh and Police Chief Kenton Buckner patiently listened as speaker after speaker stepped to the microphone to complain about alleged racism and brutality from police, often at the top of their voices.

Walsh and Buckner were forced to jettison their plan to have audience members fill out cards and have their questions read. There was too much emotion in the room. They heard from residents who said they fear the police who are supposed to protect them.

Some speakers recounted beatings from police. Others recounted bogus traffic stops. They said black and brown young men are treated far more harshly than other city residents. Many speakers brought up the shooting last week of 74-year-old DeWayne Watkins, whose death at the hands of police is being investigated by the state Attorney General’s office.

“We don’t trust you,’’ said Talina Jones. “We don’t trust that your officers are reasonable.’’

For all the hubbub, the event was a positive step in police-community relations, according to some who were there. Long-time community organizer Walt Dixie, who was not among those who spoke, said Walsh and Buckner have taken important steps toward improving relations.

“This was a great meeting,’’ Dixie said. “It’s going to take time to heal the community, but you have to hear the community first.’’

Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner, right, and Mayor Ben Walsh, in pink shirt, hear community concerns at a June 28 meeting on police use of force.

The police department issued its new written use-of-force policy earlier this month, at a time when the community has been roiled by several high-profile incidents involving police. A recent arrest during a traffic stop, video of which was widely circulated on social media, increased the pressure on city officials to account for how and when officers should use force.

In that incident, an officer dragged Shaolin Moore out of a vehicle by the neck and punched him in the head. Moore was being arrested for playing the music in his car too loud. The officer said Moore refused to get out of the car when ordered and appeared to be reaching for his waistband.

After an investigation, Buckner disciplined the officers for unprofessional demeanor but said they did not use excessive force. Police union officials said the discipline was unwarranted. Some speakers at tonight’s meeting thought the officers got off too easy.

Some who came to tonight’s meeting brought grievances that go back much further. Yvonne Griffin spoke up loudly tonight, accusing city officials of brutality in the death of Errick Guerrero, 26, the father of her children, who died in police custody in 2002. Police said at the time that Guerrero died as a result of swallowing a bag of cocaine.

Buckner, who was hired as chief in December, has promised to provide more transparency about episodes involving the use of force, although he said he is prevented from making public the disciplinary records of officers. Walsh hired Buckner after a series of meetings to get input from city residents. He pledged that tonight’s meeting was another step in the process, not the end of it.

Several speakers acknowledged that the new use-of-force policy is an improvement over its vaguely worded predecessor. But they said the policy won’t accomplish much unless officers are disciplined or fired for violating it.

“The same police officers who beat us under the old use-of-force are still officers under the new use-of-force,’’ said Alexandra Makki.

Perhaps the loudest cheer of the night came when one speaker said the issues could be resolved if all Syracuse officers were required to live in the city. Walsh said he, too, would like to see that, but it would have to be negotiated with the police union.

“That’s on our list’’ to bring up during contract talks, Walsh said.

Buckner announced plans for four future neighborhood meetings and urged residents to attend. The schedule:

Thurs., July 25 - Hiring and recruitment meeting, Southside Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St., 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., August 29 - Magnarelli Community Center, McChesney Park, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Fri., September 27 - East Fayette Boys and Girls Club, 2100 E. Fayette St., 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Fri., October 18 - City Hall Commons Atrium, 201 E. Washington St., 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.