MIDDLETOWN – President Trump, Tuesday, announced a series of recommendations for police nationwide including eliminating chokeholds.
Governor Cuomo days ago announced that he wanted all police agencies in the state to redesign their policies and procedures.
Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano told the common council Tuesday night most of those recommendations have been in place in his city for years, including elimination of chokeholds.
“When you talk about demilitarizing police, in 2010 we eliminated the SWAT team. When you look at how the police interact with the public, I think all of you have witnessed the pop-up barbecues Chief Ewanciw, and I think Chief Bethancourt started before that, communication with our residents and the procedural justice platform that the police department has training on,” the mayor said.
DeStefano said the city will now also be looking to purchase body cameras.
The governor, Tuesday, signed legislation requiring all State Police officers to wear body cameras while on patrol.
