"Synergy Greenport" Promotes Dialogue Between Police, Community

GREENPORT, NY — Once again, community members and police will come together for a "Synergy Greenport" event aimed at promoting "open and respectful conversation" and understanding.

The event takes place Thursday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Agnes School in Greenport; the meeting follows a number of previous "Synergy" events held in Peconic, Mattituck and Greenport.

In light of ICE raids and other issues, fears have escalating rapidly among the immigrant community — and many brought their questions and concerns to a prior "Synergy Greenport" meeting in January, 2017.

Southold Town officials and the Anti-Bias Task Force, as well as Greenport Village officials, host the events, aimed at creating dialogue during a time when the nation stands divided by tensions between law enforcement and sometimes disenfranchised communities.

Sonia Spar, co-chair of the Southold Town ABTF, said she was speechless at the crowd of approximately 100 people that turned out at the 2017 event. "I think it's very important to our community that we participate, join the conversation. It's all about respect, civility and opening the channels of communication."

Elected officials, Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley and Police Officer Alex Chenche, school representatives, and members of the clergy, as well as a large group of Latino residents, attended the previous "Greenport Synergy" meeting, which was also held at the St. Agnes School in Greenport and moderated by Jim Banks, coordinator of multicultural affairs at Suffolk County Community College, and also chair of Southampton's anti-bias task force.

All who attended engaged in discourse with the goal of opening lines of communication and dispelling fear and concerns.

Patch file photo by Lisa Finn.