TOWN OF WALLKILL – The Wallkill Town Police Department is only the second in the state – the other being NYPD – to adopt the Police Data Initiative designed to increase transparency and accountability in police operations.
Three categories of policing data are now listed on the department’s website – www.WallkillPD.org – community engagement, employee demographics, and vehicle and pedestrian stops, said Police Chief Robert Hertman.
“Reporting data on vehicle and potential stops will allow the public to see this department engages in constitutionally sound policing. We opted to report employee demographics because we believe that we are creating a workforce that encompasses a broad range of diversity including race, gender, language, life experience, education and cultural background to improve understanding and effectiveness in policing our community. Community engagement was selected because we strongly believe this department as a whole is proactive in community outreach,” the chief said.
The Wallkill Town Board supports the concept that Hertman learned of when he recently attending a briefing at the White House on the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
