On Thursday, Feb. 11 the city of Peekskill Police Reform Task Force held a virtual public meeting to discuss its draft plan for police reform recommendations. Chaired by Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey and Antonio Knott, the task force is charged with leading a community engagement process that will result in a reform plan that addresses policies, procedures, practices and deployment (including but not limited to use of force) as well as issues of racial disparities wherever they exist.
The draft plan will be completed following review of all public comments made on Feb. 11 or via email by Feb. 18. Following this deadline, revisions will take place as needed and the plan moves to the City Council for review.
Rainey said, “”¦This draft plan is the beginning phase and I look forward to more input from the community and ultimately discussion by the City Council to decide how to move the process forward in concrete ways to implement the plan.”
A public presentation of the Peekskill Police Reform Plan to City Council is anticipated to take place March 1. The plan must be adopted by the City Council and submitted to New York state by April 1 for the city of Peekskill to be eligible for future state funding for police.
“Commencing with the signing of Governor Cuomo”™s Executive Order 203, members of the Peekskill Police Department, along with community stakeholders who represent the core of the city, have worked very hard to compose this draft,” said Peekskill Police Chief Donald Halmy.
