Putnam Creates Website On Police Reform and Reinvention

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Putnam County has created a new website where the public can review its process of discussing local and county police reform and reinvention.

The Putnam County Police Policy Review Panel will hold a meeting Sept. 29 which will be open to the public via audio webcast.

You can listen to its Sept. 15 presentation here.

"Public Service Agencies, including police agencies, should always be transparent,” County Executive MaryEllen Odell said in a statement. "This site along with our regular PRRC Meetings will allow the public to better understand the policies in place as well as the training mandated for all our police officers."

The site will include upcoming meeting dates and agendas, a list of panel members, minutes of previous meetings including links to audio archives, a Q & A section including a link to our email address (policereviewpanel@putnamcountyny.gov) where the public can submit questions
and provide comments, and links to resources

The panel was formed in August to conform to New York State Executive Order No. 203 – New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative.

Among other things the order mandates that local governments must perform a comprehensive review of current police force deployments, strategies, policies, procedures and practices, develop an improvement plan to address the particular needs of the communities served, and promote community engagement to foster trust, fairness and legitimacy and to address any racial bias and disproportionate policing of communities of color.