Northampton City Council backs call for new community care department of unarmed emergency responders, urges mayor to follow suit
Updated May 12, 2021;
Eyeing ways to rethink public safety, the Northampton City Council voted last week to endorse a series of recommendations that, if implemented by the mayor’s office, would change the face of law enforcement in the years to come.
At its most recent meeting last Thursday, the legislative body passed a resolution offering support for a slew of recommendations made by the Northampton Policing Review Commission in its final report released in March. The document, titled, “Reimagining Safety,” laid out more than a dozen proposals that aim to shift certain emergency response responsibilities away from law enforcement.
Northampton council backs police alternative, pressures mayor to act
Northampton Police Station
Published: 5/7/2021 7:02:06 PM
NORTHAMPTON The City Council threw its support behind the recommendations of the city’s Policing Review Commission on Thursday, adopting a resolution that urges Mayor David Narkewicz to establish a Department of Community Care this fiscal year and take other steps recommended by the commission.
“The community deserves our feedback. We didn’t really get a chance to do that at the presentation,” said Ward 7 councilor Rachel Maiore, referring to the final report the commission presented to the council in late March. “I really feel like those who served so thoughtfully and tirelessly on the commission deserve no less as well.”
Northampton Police Station
Published: 5/4/2021 9:34:35 PM
A recent article in the Gazette, “Arts Council backs police cut,” (April 22), reported about a recent Northampton Arts Council discussion and the vote taken to support the three demands of Northampton Abolish Now (NAN). In the article, I was identified as the sole Arts Council member to cast a vote against supporting NAN’s demands. I’d like to take this opportunity to both explain my reasons for my vote and to urge the mayor and the Northampton City Council to ensure that the budget for fiscal 2022 includes funding to support meaningful steps for implementing the recommendation of the Policing Review Commission to establish a Department of Community Care or some comparable municipal structure.
BOSTON The corruption and fraud trial against Jasiel Correia II continued Tuesday, with a focus on allegations that the former Fall River mayor extorted hundreds of thousands of dollars from marjiuana companies. The day was capped by stunning testimony from Hildegar Camara, one of four alleged co-conspirators.
Camara, who said he considered Correia to be like a son, has pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion, two counts of extortion conspiracy, and two counts of making false statements to federal prosecutors twice, on June 17 and 24, in relation to helping Correia solicit bribes from marijuana companies seeking local approval to set up shop in Fall River.
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.