MIDDLETOWN – Every police agency in the state has until next April to review and reimagine, with input from their residents, how they operate and provide services.
The City of Middletown will begin its process with an online public input session next Tuesday, June 30 at 7 p.m.
Much of what the state is suggesting has already been done in Middletown, Mayor Joseph DeStefano noted.
The city eliminated its SWAT team 10 years ago, operates a Civilian Police Commission to review resident complaints and has developed a procedural justice platform for dealing with the public.
One issue being discussed across the state is defunding police.
“I think it is a horrible political term and a horrible reality term, but if they want to talk about assisting with higher levels of government – state and federal and county governments – regarding funding for mental health programs to remove that burden, the responsibility from the local police department, then we are all for it. If they want to talk about treatment on demand and get social workers out to deal with some of the problems with the police, I am all for it,” the mayor said.
The panel for the first session will be co-chaired by DeStefano and James Rollins and include residents, clergy and community leaders to discuss the issues and hear what the public has to say by calling in. Rollins is a former president of the now-inactive Middletown NAACP.
