POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor Rob Rolison and the co-chairs of the Poughkeepsie Procedural Justice Committee will host a public meeting to get feedback to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order pertaining to policing and enhanced training and policies.
The virtual meeting will take place from 6 p.m. to-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. People can register to speak and/or listen at http://bit.ly/pokpolicereform. The public will have up to three minutes each to share their experiences and make suggestions. Those who would like to participate in the virtual forums must register prior to the event’s start time.
Earlier this month, Rolison named Common Councilwoman Yvonne Flowers and Bishop Debra Gause co-chairs of the Procedural Justice Committee and asked the committee to review the executive order, to obtain public input and to make recommendations to the mayor and common council. Police Chief Tom Pape will be among those listening to the participants in the forum, in addition to members of the Procedural Justice Committee.
“The Procedural Justice Committee is in a great position to listen to the public’s concerns and views about policing and help the city as we formulate our response to the governor,” said Rolison.
Last year, the city formed the Procedural Committee — which includes police officers, other city officials and members of the public — to address community concerns related to police issues.
In mid-June, the governor signed Executive Order No. 203 — the “New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative” — requiring local police agencies to develop a plan and address policies, procedures, practices and deployment, including but not limited to the use of force. Governments with police agencies must adopt a plan by April 1, 2021, to be eligible for future state funding.
To keep the public better informed about these matters, the city has created a webpage that provides pertinent information about the governor’s executive order and offers other ways for the public to give feedback, https://cityofpoughkeepsie.com/policecollaborativeplan/
