Dryden holds public hearing on police reform

Village and town of Dryden residents expressed their overall approval for the proposed village police reform at a March 24 virtual public hearing held by the Village Board of Trustees, but many want to see other crimes and race further addressed.

On June 12 of last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued executive order No. 203, which requires each municipality to prepare and adopt a community policing plan by April 1 of this year.

Village Board member Jason Dickinson mentioned the Board has been working on the plan since late last summer.

The village’s plan breaks down demographics in the area, community engagement, transparency and the complaint process, crime on a yearly basis, outlined policies, nonlethal weapons and department training.

“Our procedures are in place and regularly updated,” said Village Board member Clay Converse, who aided in implementing the plan.

Town resident Mike Bishop touched on how he supported certain statements made by the speakers but not the plan as a whole. Bishop questioned why the term “race” wasn’t used in the survey beforehand and in the plan. The village designed and promoted an online survey to help gather information on the needs and concerns of the community for the plan.

Bishop also wondered how many of the respondents to the survey were people of color.

“The order clearly states eliminating racial inequities, addressing racial bias and reducing racial disparity in policing, but the term ‘race’ isn’t in the village report,” he said.

Speakers also said that there are no plans to hold another survey.

Debbie Fisher, the village deputy mayor, said only 108 residents participated in the survey.

“This isn’t a lot, unfortunately,” she said. “We wanted to do more to promote it, but we couldn’t go door-to-door because of the pandemic.”

Dickinson said the lack of the “race” term in the plan could be connected to statistics showing nonwhite arrests were less than 10%.

“Most arrests were repeated offenders,” he said.

Converse added to Dickinson’s theory by saying, “race isn’t mentioned in the plan in part because of the lack of complaints.”

Village resident Patty Ard asked if the Village Police Department has ever had a complaint of racial bias against them. Village Police Chief Josh Tagliavento said that he has never heard a report of a hate crime, had an arrest of a hate crime or had a personal complaint “in regard to officer conduct of racial injustice or minority discrimination.”

“I know racism exists and has the ability to disservice a community,” he said. “I truly hope that’s not the case in the village. I trust my officers are using their discretion to the best of their ability.”

Village Board member Dan Wakeman added to Tagliavento’s comment, saying there hasn’t been a regard to race in his two terms on the Board.

“I really appreciate the great responses [the] village police has had,” Wakeman said. “They put in a lot of care to the community.”

Town resident Kathy Russell talked about when she grew up in the Midwest, she was taught to never talk about race “in a helpful manner” and “not OK to talk about it overall.”

“People these days need to be comfortable with that,” she said. “How are we going to know what’s true [from the survey] if we don’t ask people what their racial identity is?”

Russell said how she appreciates no reports of racial bias in the village but feels as though “Dryden has a reputation for being an unwelcome place for people of color.”

“Lack of complaints doesn’t exactly mean there’s a lack of problems,” she added.

Fisher, who said there are plans for another survey, said the question of race would be included.

“Every community has issues,” she said.

Converse said that the proposed plan is “not a one-and-done report,” adding another survey combined with community input will help policies “continue to grow.”

“Being a small village, we don’t have an awful lot of resources,” he said. “We’re trying our best, and so is our police department, [which] is providing good coverage.”

Dickinson mentioned an event called “Cops and Coffee” will take place at the Poets Landing Apartment Complex at a date to be determined. The event will be aimed to absorb community outreach on the topics addressed in the village’s police reform.

“These police officers don’t come in with tools that could hurt you. They come in with a lot of knowledge,” Dickinson said. “They’re constantly referring to useful resources in the community.”

Aside from tackling police brutality and racial injustice in communities, village resident Fred Stock wants to see the plan focus on other policing problems, including drug use, loitering, prostitution and people breaking into cars.

“Seems like the police departments’ hands are tied in these situations,” he said. “I don’t know what the solution is, but we need to look into this and fix the actual problems in this community.”

Village resident Angela Branneman added she has seen crimes of drug use and prostitution firsthand on and near the street where she lives, saying she has made more calls to the police in the past two years “than I can count.”

“It’s our job as community members to make the right decision,” she said. “Police are not getting the support they deserve. Things need to be handled better.”

Tagliavento provided a message of “if you see something, say something,” including that a community member’s voice is “part of the restructuring of community policing.”

“My door is always open,” he said. “I encourage anyone to stop by and give me your feedback.”

IN BRIEF:

‘Easter Bunny’ to ride fire truck in Freeville

The village of Freeville Fire Department is inviting community residents to meet the Easter Bunny on the fire truck April 2 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The fire truck will stop at three locations: Groton Avenue Park from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m., Freeville Elementary School from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. and the Freeville Fire Department from 4:15 to 5 p.m.

The Easter Bunny will give out gift bags to children at each location. The fire department asks that each participant wears a mask and practices social distancing.