As part of a state-mandated review of police department practices, the East Hampton Town Board held a "listening session" last Thursday, seeking public input on ways to improve the relationship between residents and law enforcement.
In June, shortly after the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, the Black man who died after a white policeman knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as three other officers stood by, a heightened concern about systemic racism in policing led Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to order all 500 police jurisdictions in New York State to adopt plans for reform by April 1, 2021.
According to a workbook issued by the governor's office, the plans should be developed in four phases. East Hampton, said Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, has completed the first phase, which calls for gathering information about the police department, including a complaint history; reaching out to key constituencies in the community, and coordinating with neighboring municipalities.
Some of the "key stakeholders" involved in the process included members of the town's anti-bias task force, representatives from substance abuse treatment programs, and the L.G.B.T.Q. and disability communities. The neighboring municipalities were represented at the meeting by East Hampton Village Police Chief Michael Tracey, Sag Harbor Police Chief Austin McGuire, and Sag Harbor Mayor Kathleen Mulcahy.
"Phase two is the listening and learning aspect, and that begins tonight," Mr. Van Scoyoc said last Thursday.
East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo provided insights into the department's history and operations. In 1990, it became one of the first departments on Long Island to be accredited by the state, he said, and it has "had a longstanding reputation as a leader in progressive policy-making, training, and community engagement."
"The majority of crime in East Hampton is personal property crime . . . and about half of overall arrests result from traffic infractions," said the chief. "Traffic stops in particular can lead to high-level safety issues for our officers, while also creating tension with members of the public. This is an area we must work together on to improve."
Videos that have shown excessive use of force by officers in other parts of the country "weigh heavily on officers and the public," he said, adding that such incidents are exceedingly rare here. He noted that the department's 65 officers have more than 25,000 interactions with the public annually, and there has been an average of five incidents of use of force, and fewer than two civilian complaints, per year.
"Despite all the training and efforts to use the least amount of force possible, the dangers of street encounters with intoxicated, combative, or emotionally disturbed individuals remain a very real risk for our police officers," Chief Sarlo said.
Officers are asked to handle a wide range of incidents including mental health crises, domestic disputes, and substance abuse-related calls, and although the department is proud that its officers have had "predominantly positive interactions with the public," he said, "we are not perfect, and there is always room to grow. We recognize not every interaction goes well, and during conflicts or arrests there are concerns and questions regarding policy and the actions of our officers."
"We fully understand the constant evolution of policing and the need to maintain open lines of communication with the community," he concluded, adding that the department welcomes the review.
Richard Whalen, an attorney, was the only member of the public to call in to the meeting. His late wife had suffered from schizophrenia, and several years ago when she was having "a psychotic episode," he called town police for help. Dealing with people with mental illness requires empathy, patience, and training, Mr. Whalan said, and "the officers were very professional. I'm proud of our police department."
In the third phase of the review process, the town board will appoint a committee to draft a plan for reform, and the public will be asked to weigh in on the plan before it is ratified and implemented. Comments can also be submitted by email to [email protected].
"This is just the beginning of our engagement with the public," said Mr. Van Scoyoc.
