Shelter Island Police Department (Credit: Tara Smith)
The Police Reform Committee members spent Thursday morning reviewing questions to include in an online survey likely to be made public by the end of February.
The committee was set up in response to a state mandate for all departments within New York to determine ways to improve policing.
Committee member Don D’Amato, who has been researching platforms to offer a survey to the public, said Survey Monkey is the best platform for this particular effort.
The survey shouldn’t be confused with complaint forms filed by those who have issues with the handling of a particular case. Those issues should be filed either with the Shelter Island Police Department or with Supervisor Gerry Siller so they can be investigated and appropriately handled.
Police Reform Committee starts its work Police Chief Jim Read (Credit: Reporter file photo)
Five newly minted members of the Police Reform Committee will be exploring ways in which Shelter Island Police can improve what most acknowledge is already an effective department functioning well with the community.
Police Chief Jim Read admitted he was initially not pleased when Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all communities to set up such committees to determine ways to improve policing.
But on reflection, he had to admit that even a department that has had no major infractions and worked well with residents could still benefit from a look at how it functions.
Brett Surerus is the Reporter’s Person of the Year Credit: Peter Waldner)
Selecting a single Person of the Year for 2021 has been particularly challenging because so many Islanders reached beyond their own households to help others.
We salute all those who stepped up, day after day, and continue to do so, as we move toward an end to the pandemic in 2021 and a return to some semblance of normal life.
But one very unassuming person stood out, because of efforts made during the pandemic, and his previous contributions to the community that he has called home all his life.