Sheriff sets 2 public forums in February for discussion on police reform

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 January 2021 at 4:59 pm

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke announced there will be two public forums in February for residents to discuss community perceptions on policing, police oversight and police reforms.

These forums will be conducted to meet the requirements set by Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.1, requiring all police agencies in the state

Cuomo is requiring all 500 jurisdictions with law enforcement agencies to adopt a plan for reform by April 1 to be eligible for future state funding. The plan needs to have a chance for public comment. Some police agencies and communities may decide no reform is needed and the agency is meeting the expectations of their residents, Cuomo has said.

The Orleans County Legislature today approved the following appointments as Reform and Reinvention Community members of the Collaborative Committee on behalf of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

  • Chris Bourke, Orleans County Sheriff
  • Jack Welch, Chief Administrative Officer
  • Jeff Gifaldi, Orleans County Chief Deputy
  • Jimmy White, Orleans County Seasonal Marine Deputy
  • Margie Aldeco, Community Participant
  • Trellis Pore, Community Participant
  • Thaddeus Nauden, Community Participant
  • Eddie English, Community Participant

The sessions will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 4 and Feb. 8 at the Orleans County Office Building, Legislature Chambers on the second floor, 141016 Route 31 west, Albion, NY 14411. Capacity is limited to 50 people. The meetings will also be available through Zoom videoconferencing.

The Zoom meeting ID is 861 4221 7035 with the passcode: 412090. To join the meeting by phone, call +1 646 558 8656 US (New York).

The Sheriff’s Office intends to conduct these meetings with the public present to review current police force deployments, strategies, policies, procedures and practices to develop a plan to improve such deployments, strategies, policies, procedures, and practices, for the purposes of addressing the particular needs of the communities served by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and promote community engagement to foster trust, fairness, and legitimacy, and to address any racial bias and disproportionate policing of communities of color, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.