EASTHAMPTON — The city’s Mayor’s Pledge Work Group will invite public comment on its final report to reimagine policing, which was submitted to the City Council earlier this month, at a Public Safety Subcommittee meeting on Monday at 6 p.m.
The work group was set up to review the Easthampton Police Department’s use of force policies last June, and in late March, issued its final report. The 105-page report outlines six recommendations focused on investing in non-police alternatives for safety and health concerns, and increasing transparency and community collaboration.
Members of the work group submitted the report to City Council at its April 7 meeting, where councilors voted to send the report to the Public Safety Committee for public comment.
Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle signed the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Mayor Pledge’s in June, an Obama-era effort, after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May.
A reason for the additional public comment meetings held by the Public Safety Committee is the limited response that the work group received when compiling the original report, according to LaChapelle.
LaChapelle said the pandemic was partially responsible for this lower-than-anticipated response rate, but that “divisiveness in the city of issues around policing, different opinions,” and a lack of community trust surrounding these issues, also contributed to the limited response.
With this consideration in mind, “I don’t really feel I have enough feedback from the community to begin committing resources and time without a better sense of direction,” LaChapelle said, prompting the need for more public comment opportunities.
The Public Safety Subcommittee is chaired by City Councilor Homar Gomez, who is also a member of the Mayor’s Pledge Work Group. Gomez could not be reached for comment on Friday afternoon.
The meeting agenda includes public speak time and a beginning review of the report. Participants can join the meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. via Zoom at https://bit.ly/3dJm4fh. The subcommittee also expects to hold additional meetings for gathering public comment.
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.