Suffolk Launches Precinct-Level Advisory Boards In Police Reform Plan

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone on Monday announced the launch of Precinct-Level Advisory Boards as part of the ongoing reform program at the police department, becoming the first county in New York to implement such a sweeping plan, according to reports.

Bellone called the launch "a major step forward" in the ongoing implementation of Suffolk’s 2021 Police Reform and Reinvention Plan, which aims to improve community trust with transparency and accountability.

The advisory boards will allow the county to address community concerns, foster new relationships with community leaders, expand the community engagement reach of each precinct, create community liaisons to field questions and concerns, and provide clear lines of communication between the department and the communities it serves, Bellone's office said.

The boards will have up to 12 members and meet quarterly to develop advice for the precincts' leadership and gather public input, as well as promote crime prevention, domestic violence intervention, Newsday reported.

Bellone said they are “an organized approach to cultivate long-lasting, problem-solving partnerships between Suffolk County police and the public," according to the outlet.
The 4th, 5th, and 7th precincts have openings, the outlet reported.

Other parts of the plan include, police body cameras, bias training, the publishing of data on traffic and pedestrian stops, background checks on police candidates, diversifying police ranks, and a behavioral mental health unit, CBSreported.

Rhonda Gooden, an advisory board member from Huntington, told CBS that the county is "moving forward."

"I feel like it's a positive change, but it also takes work," she said.