POUGHKEEPSIE – City officials hosted a webinar on Wednesday night to get public feedback on the city’s draft report of the Police Reform and Reinvention Plan in response to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 203 (EO 203), mandating local police agencies to develop a plan that reinvents and modernizes police strategies and programs based on community input, or risk state funding.
The reports are required to be completed by April 1 and address policies, procedures, practices, and deployment, including the use of force for all departments in New York.
In October, Mayor Rob Rolison named Councilwoman Yvonne Flowers and Bishop Debra Gause as co-chairs of the Procedural Justice Committee, tasked with reviewing EO 203, seeking public input, and make recommendations to the mayor for the development of the report.
Approximately two dozen callers participated in the virtual meeting with Police Chief Tom Pape, Rolison, and Flowers. Moderated by the city’s Director of Community Engagement, John Penney, many callers stressed the need for the creation and inclusion of a Civilian Review Board, to continue improving the police department’s transparency.
Many speakers from End the New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN) called in.
Elijah Appelson called the plan vague and needs to address the availability of statistics to the public, among other issues. He finished his comments with a call to “Abolish the police.”
While most callers were critical of the plan, Robert Pemberton, co-founder of Stop the Violence Movement that organized a large rally in Poughkeepsie protesting police violence, was pleased with the progress outlined in the draft.
“I have multiple times worked with the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and administration and will tell you head and shoulders that they are far beyond what is required by the state, just by the way they carry this out,” he said.
He also said that the new plan is not the only change that needs to take place. “We have to reform ourselves as a community, the hood mentality of not assisting the police as they attempt to solve crimes creates tension and that doesn’t help anyone.”
City resident Jackie Emslie said the draft addressed every issue in EO 203 appropriately through a “collaborative and diverse effort.” Emslie also called attention to the tension between the common council and the police officers. The council recently voted against approving a new contract for the police. “This should not be used as a pawn for purposes not related to it, such as the failure to approve a contract with the police.”
Mayor Rolison said that the meeting was necessary. “It important to hear what individuals feel about the draft report so we can consider additional information and clarification.”
Flowers also stressed the need for public input. “I appreciate the people who took the time to participate in the public meeting and offer some good suggestions and positive feedback on how the draft reform plan can be improved. The reform plan needs to reflect what the community wants and needs and this public meeting was a good way for the community to voice what they feel is true police reform.”
The city has is still seeking comments from the public until Tuesday, February 16. Interested individuals can submit comments here.
