Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative (Committee is No Longer Standing)
Governor’s Order and Purpose of the Collaborative
In response to growing social unrest across the country, on June 12, 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 203 requiring each local government in the state to adopt a police reform plan that will maintain public safety while building mutual trust and respect between police and the community. Each locality must adopt its plan for reform by April 1, 2021. Future state funding is tied to this plan.
Ossining’s Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Working Committee
On September 28th, 2020, former Mayor Gearity established a Working Committee to work focus on policing issues in the Village and to develop a plan for police reform that meets the requirements and intentions of Executive Order 203. The Working Committee also provides an avenue for public engagement and input into this important community effort.
The membership of the Working Committee is diverse, and includes two Village elected officials, one Ossining Town Council member, and nine members of the community that represent stakeholder groups including the NAACP, the Briarcliff Ossining Ministerial Association, the Community Equity Task Force, the Ossining LGBTQ Alliance and the Civilian Police Complaint Review Board. There are also three representatives from the Ossining Police Department.
The Village hired Matrix Consulting Group, to work with the Working Committee to facilitate the public input process and assist in the development of the Plan in January. Matrix is a nationally recognized police consulting firm that has worked with hundreds of agencies in New York and elsewhere around the country and in Canada.
Public Participation
The views of the public are critical to the successful development of a policing plan for Ossining. Several ways for the public to provide input has been built into this process.
The Village and the Working Committee have sponsored several virtual public meetings through Zoom. Videos of of these meetings can viewed on this page by clicking individual icon.
Board Members
Name |
---|
Sergeant Ben Ervin |
Bishop Joan Whittaker |
Jennifer Fields-Tawil |
Reverend James Ferrell |
Jim Burnett |
Mayor | |
Village Trustee | |
Jackie Shaw
| Town Councilwoman |
Kevin Sylvester
| Police Chief |
Juan Encarnacion
| Member |
Sergeant Ben Ervin
| Member |
Kendall Buchanan
| Member |
Jennifer Cabrera
| Member |
Althema Goodson
| Member |
Gabrielle Hamilton
| Member |
Shaun Ellison Jones
| Member |
MaryPat Long
| Member |
Frank Luis
| Member |
Ro Moran
| Member |
Rev Mary Phifer
| Member |
Christina Picciano
| Member |
Bishop Joan Whittaker
| Member |
Maria Teresa (Mayte) Garcia
| Member |