Laura Curran accepts Republican changes to Nassau police reform plan
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran updated her police reform plan on Wednesday, incorporating new amendments by Republican lawmakers to require the county police department to provide regular reports to lawmakers on the progress of reform efforts.
The 19-member Nassau County Legislature, which Republicans control, is scheduled to vote on a final reform plan on Monday.
An executive order by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo requires municipalities with police departments to institute reforms that eliminate bias within their agencies or risk the loss of state funds. The governments must submit their plans to the state by April 1.
Cuomo signed the order last June after George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody.
In filing a new 424-page draft of her reform plan with the legislative clerk, Curran said she included the Republican amendments to make sure the submission was "technically proper."
In crafting plans for changes in police policies, local governments must consult with communities whose members frequently interact with the police, according to the state order.
Legislative Democrats also offered amendments, one of which would create a Civilian Complaint Review Board and an Office of Police Inspector General to investigate alleged misconduct by police officers.
Curran did not incorporate those proposals into her final draft.
Instead, her plan notes that the state Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Misconduct Office will gain authority next month to probe complaints about police use of excessive force, criminal activity and corruption.
Curran has accepted other Democratic proposals, including mental health initiatives.
She also agreed to a recommendation to comply with The Stat Act, which requires disclosure of demographic information about individuals charged with misdemeanors and violations.
Curran's reform plan details how the police department will implement its first-ever body camera program; collect ethnic data about motorists involved in traffic stops; broaden diversity in department hiring; and create a "tiered response" system for handling mental health calls to emergency 911 operators.
Three legislative committees approved an earlier version of Curran's plan on Monday, following seven hours of testimony from top police department officials.
Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport) and Legis. Siela Bynoe (D-Westbury) were the only members to oppose the plan during the committee votes.
In a letter to Curran, Abrahams said it was "encouraging" that the Nassau Police Department "has adopted a number of recommendations posed by the community at various meetings and forums."
But "additional proposals should be encouraged to implement the best and most up-to-date practices in leveraging technology and social media platforms," Abrahams wrote.
The GOP amendments that Curran accepted largely concern issuance of reports to the county legislature once the reform plan is approved.
The measures require the department to:
- Report to lawmakers about efforts to implement a body camera program and hire a more diverse police force.
- Study the effectiveness of Nassau's response to mental health calls.
- Conduct surveys of residents who are served by the police department, including crime victims.
- Review data indicating where criminal activity is most frequent and make recommendations for capital projects to improve safety in those communities.
- Evaluate staffing levels at its 911 call centers, change scripts for 911 call center operators to better help individuals in mental distress and hire more bilingual dispatchers.
Under the Democratic amendments, county officials also would have to provide the county Legislature with data, including for use of force incidents and traffic stops. .
In a letter, Abrahams also told Curran the police department additionally should hire an independent consultant to "gather, review, and audit the underlying data to certify its validity and generate the reports."
"It is simply common sense to have another set of eyes to assist the County in this task," Abrahams wrote.
The minority leader also told Curran that Democrats' proposed amendments were inspired "primarily by the 'People's Plan,' " a reform proposal issued by community activists last month.
Spokesman Mike Fricchione said "Curran thanks the Legislature for their feedback after Monday’s public hearing and will continue incorporating changes into this living document."
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'I had to keep my mouth shut' Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.