Alternative police services option proposed in Amherst
The Amherst Police Department GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST — An unarmed and civilian program whose workers would respond to many calls for service in place of town police officers is being proposed by the Community Safety Working Group. The group is also proposing a robust Civilian Oversight Board to monitor police.
At its meeting last week, the working group, created by the Town Council to address racial inequities in policing, finalized the idea of creating a Community Response for Equity, Safety and Service, or CRESS program, at a cost of $2.2 million. The seven-member panel approved the recommendations unanimously.