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Friday, January 22, 2021

Allegany County Sheriff’s Office Asking for Public Comment for Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan

Belmont, NY – Allegany County Sheriff Rick Whitney, the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Allegany County Board of Legislators want to hear from our residents as we draft the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan. On June 12, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order No. 203 requiring each local government in New York State to adopt a policing reform plan by April 1, 2021. The Order authorizes the Director of the Division of the Budget to condition state aid to localities on the adoption of such plan. 

The New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative asks all local police agencies to actively engage with stakeholders in the local community and have locally approved plans for the strategies, policies and procedures of local police agencies. The plan must include the appropriate role of the police, but also allow the police to do their jobs and protect the public. The Allegany County Administrator has put together a committee to help draft our plan. The committee will be comprised of community leaders from the Board of Legislators, District Attorney’s Office, County Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, faith-based groups, Mental Health Agencies, school districts and the Sheriff’s Office. 

We are asking for public comment so that we can learn from the community as we review the current perspective of their relationship with the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office. The public comment period will be open until February 15, 2021. The comments will assist the Sheriff’s Office and the committee with drafting our plan. Please either comment by emailing us at policereform@alleganyco.com or by mail at:

 

Allegany County Board of Legislators

Police Reform Committee

7 Court St. Room 213

Belmont, NY 14813

 

            “The Sheriff’s Office prides ourselves on our presence in our community, including programs like child car seat safety, shop with a cop, TRIAD and the Yellow Dot program, said Sheriff Whitney and “we look forward to solidifying our relationship with the community as we move forward with our plan”.