Essex Sheriff's Office hosts panel on racial sensitivity

ELIZABETHTOWN | The Essex County Sheriff's Department has begun collecting input on a state-ordered project to ensure that all members of the community are treated justly, regardless of race or minority status. Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police last summer, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order mandating that all local policing departments assess their practices and take steps to ensure that the communities they serve are not at risk of similar situations. At a virtual panel discussion Thursday (Feb. 11), Sheriff Dave Reynolds said his department runs on policies that demand equal treatment and emphasize service in the community. The issue of racial justice seldom comes up, however, because "being in the North Country we're not a very diverse area," Reynold said. But Nicky Hylton-Patterson, executive of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, said racial training and cultural preparedness are still necessary for those times that white officers encounter people of color so they "can respond in ways that are racially sensitive." Reynolds said that diversity training has not typically been available locally, but that "we would like working with the Diversity Initiative" and "any training you can give us we would be open to." But he added that the department has had no history of racial discord and that he takes pride in making sure his department is active in the community and follows written protocols. "Basically the buck stops with me," Reynolds said. In answer to panel questions, Reynolds said his department is not subject to a civilian review board, and while he is not opposed to one, it must be done carefully because citizens are not always aware of what it means to be a police officer. In his executive order in May, Cuomo stated that "urgent and immediate action is needed to eliminate racial inequities in policing, to modify and modernize policing strategies, policies, procedures, and practices, and to develop practices to better address the particular needs of communities of color to promote public safety, improve community engagement, and foster trust." Reynolds said Floyd's death offended the sensibilities of officers who take their duty to the community seriously. "There was not a single agency in the county that thought what happened was OK," Reynolds said. The department will continue to collect the thoughts of community stakeholders and submit a written plan in April.

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Essex Sheriff's Office hosts panel on racial sensitivity

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