Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Erie County unveils its task force for Erie County Police Reform and Reinvention.
The 13 members are charged with creating a plan to adopt and implement the recommendations resulting from their policy and procedural review as well as consultations with local law enforcement, community members and organizations, interested non-profit and faith-based community groups, and local elected officials, among others. Community input will be welcomed and public comments taken into consideration in development of the group's final plan, which must be adopted as a local law no later than April 1, 2021.
This is pursuant to the governor's executive order signed shortly after the death of George Floyd, says Poloncarz, which requires "a comprehensive review of current police force deployments, strategies, policies, procedures, and practices, and develop a plan to improve those practices, and promote community engagement to foster trust, fairness, and legitimacy, and to address any racial bias and disproportionate policing of communities of color." The Task Force will review the Erie County Sheriff's Office's Police Services division.
The 13 members are:
Joseph Agro, Esq.
Melodie Baker
Kevin Barnas·
Ysaias Feliz
Martin Scott Floss Ph.D
Jonathan Miles Gresham, Esq.
Town of Eden Supervisor Melissa Hartman
Holly L. Hubert
Springville Mayor William Krebs
Margaret Murphy, Esq.
Olivia Owens
Brittany Pemberthy, Esq.
Keith White
Poloncarz says, "The individuals who comprise the Task Force come from a variety of professional backgrounds and bring invaluable legal, law enforcement, community representation and governmental experience to the task. I thank them for collaborating as a team on this endeavor and helping to envision and create law enforcement policies and procedures that reduce racial disparities, meet the needs of the community, and promote trust, fairness, and accountability."
The Task Force is expected to meet for the first time later this month.
The group's final plan, which must be adopted as a local law no later than April 1, 2021.
