Riverhead OKs police reform plan, will explore funding options for body cameras

Riverhead officials indicated after a unanimous vote Tuesday approving a police reform plan that they would support adding body cameras for the town’s Police Department.

The town board voted 5-0 at a March 29 special meeting to pass the Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan for the department. Earlier this month, The Riverhead Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP) announced it had completed the preliminary draft of the plan.

Connie Lassandro, chairwoman of the town’s Anti-Bias Task Force, said the group supports the use of body cameras and will research funding for them.

"It not only protects our police officers, which we are proud of, but it protects everybody," said Lassandro, of Baiting Hollow.

The report — available for public review on the town’s website, townofriverheadny.gov — recommended several measures to improve policing, including investigating types of body-worn camera systems, and the best practices for use of body cameras. It also endorsed establishing an online Complaint Reporting System through the town’s website to make the complaint process more accessible to the public; expanding diversity and bias awareness training; and enhancing public access to the police department’s Use of Force data via its inclusion in the department’s Monthly Report, which is presented to the town board at the first work session of each month.

Denise McGraw, of Ridge, said via Zoom during the public comment portion of the meeting that she complained to police about an incident five years ago during which she said a young officer grabbed her and threw her to the ground in front of her children during an altercation in a parking lot.

The officer was exonerated after an investigation, Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said at the meeting.

"I love cops, don’t get me wrong; I’m a big supporter of cops, but I’ll never forget this incident, and neither will my kids," McGraw said. "I just want to say police cameras are absolutely necessary, especially in areas that are completely dark."

Hegermiller, who said he notified town officials on that matter, said that while the incident was "not exactly" how McGraw described it, "This is exactly why we want police cameras."

Councilwoman Catherine Kent said she supports equipping officers with body cameras despite potential budgetary constraints.

"I know this is a budget issue, but I think this is an area that we need to find money for," Kent said.

Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, who has a background in law enforcement with the NYPD, agreed.

"We should be moving forward in that direction," Aguiar said, adding that Hegermiller would work on a plan to apply for possible grant funding for body cameras.