In response to growing social unrest across the country, on June 12, 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 203 requiring each local government entity with a police agency to adopt a police reform to maintain public safety while building mutual trust and respect between police and the community. Each locality must adopt its for reform by April 1, 2021—failing to adopt and submit this timely will put state funding for non-compliant municipalities in jeopardy.
In September of 2020, the Village established the Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative and its Working Committee (Committee) to focus on policing issues in Ossining and to develop a for police reform that meets the requirements and intentions of Executive Order 203. In turn, the Village of Ossining hired Matrix Consulting Group to work with the Committee to facilitate the public input process and assist in the development of the Plan; last evening, the Draft Plan was presented to the Village Board of Trustees (click here to see a recording of the meeting).
What are the Village of Ossining’s Next Steps?
In accordance with the directive from Executive Order 203, we are to provide the community an opportunity to give feedback on the Plan. This is done so that any modifications, modernizations, and innovations to our policing deployments, strategies, policies, procedures, and practices are tailored to our community's specific needs. It will also assist in promoting improved relationships between the Ossining Police Department and the community based on trust, fairness, accountability, and transparency and seek to reduce any racial disparities in policing.
In line with this next step, the Village will be offering three opportunities during which the Ossining community is encouraged to provide comment. The dates for these meetings are as follows:
Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Public Feedback Meeting: General Session
Saturday, February 6, 2021 @ 10:00 AM
Via phone: +1 929 205 6099 // Webinar ID: 921 5207 9364
Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Public Feedback Meeting: Focus on African American Community
Saturday, February 20, 2021 @ 10:00 AM
Via phone: +1 929 205 6099 // Webinar ID: 921 5207 9364
Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Public Feedback Meeting: Spanish Language Session
Saturday, February 27, 2021 @ 10:00 AM
Via phone: +1 929 205 6099 // Webinar ID: 921 5207 9364
For those not available at the times/dates noted above or who do not feel comfortable speaking publicly, you can send an email to ensure your feedback is included: ossining@matrixcg.net. Community members are also welcome to confidentially send feedback to the Village Board of Trustees at bot@villageofossining.org or to individual Trustees.
The feedback drawn from these meetings will then be incorporated into the final Plan. The Village Board of Trustees will discuss this topic at the Work Session on March 10, 2021 for potential adoption at the March 17, 2021 Legislative Meeting. Once adopted, the final Plan will be submitted to New York State no later than April 1, 2021.
We want to take this moment to thank the Ossining community for taking the time to be part of our Working Committee, engaging in the Project Discussions, and taking the survey. Without your support, making changes to benefit all of Ossining would not be possible.
