Village Addresses Recommendations for Police Reform
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What measures can be taken to address race-based policing and the disproportionate harm inflicted upon communities of color by law enforcement agencies? In the wake of the death of a long list of unarmed people of color, killed in New York State and around the country, in June 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order #203 titled the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. This order is intended to address the race-based policing practices engrained in our law enforcement agencies. As part of the order, all local New York State governments were asked to review the needs of their community with respect to policing, examine current policing policies and practices, and develop recommendations based on current needs and best-practices.
The order cites eight New Yorkers and 12 individuals from out-of-state, all of whom were unarmed civilians of color who were killed during interactions with law enforcement. These New Yorkers including Anthony Baez, Amadou Diallo, Ousmane Zango, Sean Bell, Ramarley Graham, Patrick Dorismond, Akai Gurley, and Eric Garner, and the out-of-state individuals included Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Laquan McDonald, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Philando Castile, Antwon Rose Jr., Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.
To comply, the Village of Scarsdale created the Police Reform and Reinvention Committee, which is chaired by Scarsdale resident Robert Tucker. After reviewing the current state of the Scarsdale Police Department and speaking with participants, officers, key stakeholders, and community members, the committee created a report that can be found in full HERE.
The report was put together by Scarsdale Village Deputy Manager Robert Cole. On February 9, 2021, the Scarsdale Board of Trustees held a meeting via Zoom to review the key takeaways and highlights from the report.
The following are the recommendations in the report made by the committee. They were reviewed by Scarsdale Police Chief Andrew Matturro.
1. Routinely publish police data to increase transparency
a. Reinforce trust, and promote police personnel awareness of the need to support established goals and objectives intended to ensure policing that is fair, safe, and effective for all, the Police Reform and Reinvention Committee recommends increased sharing of information relative to police-citizen encounters, activities, public relation information, arrests and accompanying data, e.g., implementation of a web-based dashboard or similar approach to providing community access to the Department's performance.
2. Support training and advocate for county social services unit
a. To provide the specialized skills necessary to engage persons experiencing a mental health crisis, the Committee recommends that Scarsdale PD continue to receive appropriate in-service training, including necessary de-escalation methods. Of equal importance, the Committee suggests advocating for Westchester County to activate a specialized mental health intervention unit that can be called upon 24/7 for mental health emergencies. The unit should be adequately staffed to provide response times commensurate with the need to respond under emergency circumstances.
3. Seek governmental and public consensus regarding police in schools
a. As noted, the question of shifting to a more robust police presence in local public schools is a complex one and is beyond the scope of this Committee’s charge. There are significant budgetary and operational implications; the merits and drawbacks must be adequately understood and publicly vetted.
4. Validate community policing best management practices (BMPs) and educate the public
a. Community Policing principles are integrated into Scarsdale PD's policies, training, and protocols. However, there appears to be an opportunity for further progress in formalizing the Department's commitment, particularly in the area of educating the public about its efforts. Doing so could enhance an already outstanding reputation within the community for policing excellence.
5. Update training program to recognize and avoid racism and bias in policing
a. While the Scarsdale Police Department maintains rigorous standards and protocols to reduce the likelihood of racism and/or bias in policing, new police training opportunities have arisen in the wake of recurring incidents involving the death or murder of persons of color during interactions with police officers. Scarsdale PD should aggressively pursue training in topics such as Implicit Bias, Micro-Aggressions, Racial Profiling, and Procedural Justice.
b. On this point, Police Chief Matturro specifically mentioned groups such as the Westchester-Rockland Guardians Association and the Westchester Hispanic Law Enforcement Association as organizations that the police department would like to receive input from. The Westchester-Rockland Guardians Association is an organization that provides a base for minority officers to address their needs, the needs of the community, and have representation in all ranks of law enforcement. The Westchester Hispanic Law Enforcement Association is an organization dedicated to inspiring, instructing, and creating the future leaders of law enforcement throughout Westchester County.
6. Increase and broaden de-escalation training
a. Traditionally, police departments have focused on Use of Force and when to escalate to secure the safety of the officer and individual being engaged. Such training is necessary, of course, but in some ways minimizes the importance of de-escalation strategies in resolving problems without the use of force. To better balance the two approaches and highlight the inherent value of de-escalation as a pre-cursor to use of force, the Committee recommends increasing the quality and amount of De-Escalation training.
b. On this point, Police Chief Matturro highlighted that committee members expressed a strong desire for these trainings to receive the same emphasis and urgency as firearms training, and that the police department supports this notion.
7. Strengthen and expand faith-based community relationships
a. Consider strengthening and expanding relationships with the faith-based community, which can be instrumental in cultivating even higher levels of community trust, cooperation, and support.
b. When speaking to this recommendation, Police Chief Matturro noted that the department has already begun working with various community Rabbis and Reverends in the hopes of building a strong Hope Not Handcuffs program. This program targets people suffering from substance abuse and hopes to divert them from the criminal justice system and into treatment programs.
8. Consider creating an independent use of force review board
a. Consider creation of an independent review board that examines occurrences of Use of Force and or misconduct. If feasible, other officers should be involved in the process as a way to heighten awareness of the process and administrative implications of Use of Force. DCJS conducts such reviews and may be a resource for this need.
9. Purchase and deploy body cameras
a. It was noted that the Scarsdale Police Department is committed to continuous learning and adaptation to evolving regulatory requirements, policing best practices, and community needs. To that end, and as body-worn cameras have proven to be valuable tools supporting ethical, equitable law enforcement, the Committee recommended that the Scarsdale Police Department purchase and deploy body cameras. In follow-up, Scarsdale PD has already requested FY 2021-22 funding to equip all sworn officers with bodyworn cameras. To ensure their proper deployment and effective utilization, SPD is in the process of developing the appropriate G.O. and supporting program implementation and oversight
After Police Chief Matturro presented each of the committee’s recommendations, Board members had an opportunity to ask questions and make comments about the report. Trustee Lena Crandall followed up on Recommendation #2 and suggested that the Board of Trustees consider a resolution to support the creation of a mental health intervention unit. She also mentioned that the request to purchase and deploy body cameras was “favorably considered by the Village Board and will likely be included in the final budget.”
Trustee Jonathan Lewis asked Police Chief Matturro specifically about the resources that might exist within the village to support the idea of having a county social services unit. Chief Matturro responded that although Westchester used to have crisis response teams that deployed in various situations, funding for the program ran out several years ago. As a result, this responsibility fell on police officers, who are not trained mental health professionals. Chief Matturro mentioned that a similar system could be reinstated. Additionally, within the police department, he mentioned that officers should continue to receive up-to-date and intensive training. This training will ensure that officers understand a situation before going into it to minimize the possibility of an officer overreacting or taking a situation out of context.
Trustee Seth Ross pointed out an inconsistency in the report regarding the use of chokeholds. On page 11, the report states that chokeholds are prohibited except in situations of deadly force, while on page 28 it states that the use of chokeholds is strictly prohibited by law and officers have not been trained in their use. Ross asked if there would ever be a situation with the Scarsdale Police where this technique would be employed. Chief Matturro said the department is not trained in the use of the chokehold, and that in a situation where either an officer or a third-party civilian was about to be killed, any technique that would prevent this death would be permitted. He emphasized however, that the department is not trained in chokeholds, and that he believes that the training, equipment, and tactics available to the Scarsdale Police are sufficient to prevent officers from ever employing the chokehold technique.
Trustee Justin Arest worried about privacy concerns related to body cameras and asked Chief Matturro how these concerns would be addressed. Chief Matturro responded that he too struggled with this question and noted that for this to work effectively without invading privacy, proper procedures, follow-up responses, and disciplinary actions must be instated. Chief Matturro also noted that there are best practices available for police departments and that in certain situations, if you can document a valid legal reason why it was done, officers can turn off cameras to ensure the public’s privacy. He added that there are several departments in Westchester that are now turning to body cameras, and that the governor is mandating State police to wear them as well. Finally, Chief Matturro stated that these cameras are a good tool in terms of holding officers accountable and being transparent to the public.
Finally, Trustee Randall Whitestone asked Police Chief Matturro about where he will turn for de-escalation and anti-racism training. Chief Matturro stated that the department will primarily be looking to New York State for guidance, as well as for recommendations from CALEA (the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies), the Westchester Guardians, the Hispanic Law Enforcement Association, and other Westchester-based organizations that focus on de-escalation and anti-racism in law enforcement.
Chief Matturro closed his remarks saying he would like to see this conversation continue and that it cannot be a "one and done thing." He also said that "what is important is the time in between the pendulum swing – we don't want to let one event drive us, but rather work in the in-between moments… this committee was amazing, and I want to see an advisory council of this type looking at police encounters before they become a problem so we can avoid these issues.”
Latimer Calls the COVID Fight a "Footrace Between the Disease and the Vaccines."
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At a briefing on Monday February 8, County Executive called the county’s COVID-19 efforts a “footrace between the disease and the vaccines.” As of Tuesday February 9, the number of active cases in Westchester has fallen to 8014, down from 11,500 just two weeks ago and the positive rate for the county remains at 5.3%. In Scarsdale, the count is 63. The county is administering vaccines in multiple locations hoping to stem the tide of hospitalizations and deaths.
Sadly, Latimer reported that 59 people died from COVID in the past week, and 491 people were hospitalized. In total, the county expects to hit 100,000 positive cases in the next few weeks, which means that 10% of the county’s population will have been infected.
He reported the following number of vaccines administered by the county to date:
-6,344 at the Court Street Department of Health
-38,688 at the Westchester County Center
-560 at the newly opened Westchester County Center
Concerning the vaccine supply, Latimer said, “there is a dearth of vaccines.” The county expects to get 1,110 doses this week, along with a bonus of 20% more doses. He explained that the Governor has now further opened the list of those eligible to people who have co-morbidities and underlying conditions. However, these people, if they are under 65, will not be available to sign up until February 14, 2021. He also assured those who received a first shot that their second shot would be available.
Latimer discussed complaints about long lines for the vaccine at the County Center on Sunday morning February 7, 2021. As the County Center was closed on Monday and Tuesday due to snow, 2,400 people had to be rescheduled. And with more snow forecasted that day, some showed up early. He said, “it is not a first come, first serve situation.” He said people should go to their appointments at the scheduled time. On Sunday, the County Center did remain open until 7 pm and gave out all the scheduled doses. If the County Center has to close again due to snow, a message will be posted on the Westchester County Government Facebook Page here.
High School Sports
After the Governor gave the go ahead to allow high risk sports like basketball and hockey, the county gave permission to the school to work out their protocols. He said that these decisions are now in the hands of school administrators and coaches.
Schools
Similarly, Latimer said, “Our position is we would like to open schools for in school learning,” but the guidelines are established by the state. The county is helping by trying to get vaccines for teachers and school staff and also try to get COVID test kits. He said, “The decision to open is not up to the county.”
Governor Gives Go Ahead for HS Athletics to Resume, Tents Coming Down at the County Center and Vaccinations in Process
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Though the spread of COVID is on par with previous weeks, vaccinations are in process and will hopefully result in lower infection rates in the coming weeks – or months.
On Monday January 25, County Executive George Latimer offered the following statistics:
COVID-19 Counts
-Overall, 89,225 people have tested positive in Westchester County.
-There are currently 11,600 active cases. This number has been relatively flat for the last week or so.
-In terms of testing, we are seeing about the same number of positives this week as last and Latimer believes we are nearing the end of the Christmas and New Year’s peak.
-There have been 1,847 deaths to date.
-550 people are now hospitalized, about half of where we were at the peak.
Last, has the UK variant been tracked here? Latimers said yes, though it’s relatively rare here but it is more communicable. He said, “It is not resistant to the vaccines and it doesn’t cause more fatalities.”
As of January 25, 2021, the County COVID map shows 101 active cases in Scarsdale.
Vaccinations
Here is the status of vaccinations in Westchester County:
-Through January 24, 3,327 were given at the White Plains Health Clinic
-12,838 were vaccinated at the Westchester County Center.
A total of 16,165 vaccines have been administered.
Latimer reported that both operations are running smoothly and thanked everyone from the county for their efforts, saying they are currently authorized to vaccinates groups 1a and 1b, which includes people who are 65 and over, those with compromised immune systems, first responders, educators and other groups.
He said, “We are still struggling with the vaccine supply. We have a limited supply. If you are eligible take it, if you are not eligible, wait.”
High School Athletics
Latimer provided exciting news to high school athletes. On Friday January 22, 2021, Governor Cuomo gave approval for higher risk sports like cheerleading, basketball, ice hockey, wrestling, football, volleyball and lacrosse to resume on February 1. However the Governor is leaving it to local authorities at the County Departments of Health and the schools to work out the details. Latimer said he held a call with School Superintendents and they are compiling data on key areas for the safe and proper reopening of high school sports. There will have to be protocols to protect the athletes.
Since high school athletes compete in sections that involve athletes from other counties, Latimer said Westchester will need to act in harmony with neighboring counties like Rockland, Putnam and Duchess to agree on a set of regulations.
He plans to have an announcement by Friday.
Tents at the Westchester County Center
Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins reported that NYS is dismantling the big white tents outside the County Center that were constructed for emergency medical use. Jenkins called this “a relief” and said this is a good sign that the state does not believe these facilities will be needed.
High School Sports to Resume but School Distancing Rules Hang in the Balance
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County Executive George Latimer made clear that social distancing rules at school were currently under state jurisdiction and encouraged parents who wished to change these rules to write to the Governor. Though the county can’t relax the six-foot rule that school administrators say is preventing schools from fully opening, County Executive Latimer said he would do what he could to ensure that as many teachers as possible would be vaccinated.
On the other hand, at his weekly press conference on Monday February 1, he stated that the converse was true about rules surrounding high school sports, which have now been delegated to the county and school authorities. He said that high risk sports such as football and basketball would now be permitted to hold modified seasons and said that high school athletic directors are now working through the details. He added that COVID test kits would be made available to high school athletic teams to allow from frequent testing.
Reporting on the state of the vaccination effort in the county he reported that so far 23,351 vaccines have been administered at the Westchester County Center and at the Westchester County Health Clinic. However both of these facilities are closed Monday February 1 and Tuesday February 2 due to the storm. Appointments for those who missed them will be rescheduled.
COVID transmission and positive rates have flattened, though Latimer said, “the virus is still with us.”
Here are the numbers:
-As of January 31 there were 9,948 active cases in Westchester
-There were 629 new cases on Saturday January 30, 2021.
-The positive rate is 5.3%
-As of Wednesday January 27, 2021, 571 were hospitalized with COVID, which is a pretty consistent count with the last few weeks.
-In total, 1,906 Westchester residents have died from the virus, or 2% of those infected.
-In Scarsdale, the number of active cases fell to 77 from over 100 the prior week.
See the COVID tracking dashboard here:
Winter Storm Orlena
Reporting on winter storm Orlena, Latimer said that Westchester County Airport is open, though there are no incoming or outgoing flights scheduled.
-Metro North suspended service on Monday afternoon. The last train for Westchester left Grand Central at 3 pm.
-The Bee-Line bus is also suspended.
-A State of Emergency has been declared through Thursday February 4, 2021.
Latimer Reports 6,459 Vaccinated But Shortages Hamper Process
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Westchester County Center is the largest vaccine distribution center in the county.As Westchester County begins vaccinating its residents, many are finally seeing the light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel. On January 19, 2021, Westchester County Executive George Latimer held a live conference to brief the public on the state of the Covid-19 pandemic in Westchester. The first topic discussed was the status of vaccinations and the second was the number of positive Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the county.
The Vaccine
New York State is currently in the early stages of vaccine distribution. On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, the Westchester County Center opened as the largest vaccine distribution center in the county. The building was originally transformed from a sports venue into an antibody testing site, and it now serves as a major vaccine operation that has vaccinated 6,459 individuals in under a week. This site will operate seven days a week until every Westchester resident is vaccinated. Additionally, there are other smaller vaccination locations such as the White Plains County Health Clinic, which has vaccinated 1,980 people to date. The county is hoping to hit 10,000 total vaccinations by the end of this week.
New York is currently in stage 1A/1B of the vaccination process, meaning that all frontline workers, healthcare workers, first responders, individuals over 65, and individuals with a compromised immune system are eligible to sign up for a vaccine appointment. You can find out if you’re eligible HERE.
Shortage
While New York State was originally promised 300,000 vaccine doses per week from the federal government, this figure has dropped in recent days as the government does not have an adequate supply of the vaccine. As a result of this shortage, many residents are unable to make appointments despite being eligible for the vaccine. As more doses become available, appointment slots will open up for individuals hoping to be inoculated. Residents of New York State can contact the Covid-19 Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4892) for questions regarding the vaccine and how to sign up for an appointment.
Safety
Country Executive Latimer then addressed some of the concerns many residents have over the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Because the current demand for the vaccine is so high, the county has yet to officially address the population of people who are skeptical about getting the shot. During the conference, Mr. Latimer showed a video featuring Dr. Dial Hewlett, the Medical Director for the Division of Disease Control for the Westchester County Department of Health. Dr. Hewlett discussed his own experience receiving the vaccine, and the importance of mass inoculation to protect the most vulnerable in our society from this virus.
Next, Mr. Latimer addressed the concerns over the new U.K. variant of Covid-19. While the strain is a more communicable form of the virus, it has not been determined to be more dangerous or fatal than the original strains. He confirmed that a Northern Westchester resident tested positive for this Covid-19 variant and that thorough contact tracing is being done for this case to limit the spread of the virus. Mr. Latimer assured the public that although this mutation may seem alarming, Westchester County is prepared to manage this new challenge.
Assistance
Ken Jenkins, the Deputy County Executive, then specifically addressed the senior citizens in the community and the challenges they face with regards to getting the vaccine. Many senior citizens either do not have access to a computer or are unsure of how to sign up for a vaccine appointment online. Mr. Jenkins advised residents who require assistance to call the Department of Senior Services (914-813-6300) for help signing up for an appointment. While the department cannot make the appointment for a patient, they will help residents navigate the process.
Covid-19 By the Numbers
Positive Cases
To date, 84,420 Westchester residents, or 5.2% of the population, have tested positive for Covid-19.
Within the last two weeks, the county has seen 11,453 positive cases. These figures are quite high for the county and are approaching the figure of 12,000 positive cases that was seen at the peak of the pandemic in March 2020.
County officials expected a surge in cases in the weeks following Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Additionally, the new U.K stain of the virus may be contributing to this surge. It is now past the two-week mark since New Year’s Eve and officials are hoping to see a plateau and decline in active cases looking forward.
Hospitalizations
As of Sunday, January 17, 2021, 513 Westchester patients are hospitalized with the virus. This is below the peak figure of 545 hospitalizations seen during the peak of the pandemic. This figure is also below what the county experienced last week and the week before that. Hopefully, this is a signal that hospitalizations are trending downward, but officials will be unable to make that determination for several weeks.
Deaths
Sadly, 1,797 residents have died in total from Covid-19. Unfortunately, 61 of these deaths are just from this past week, and 114 people have died in the last two weeks. This is one of the most significant death ratios the county has seen since the peak of the pandemic in March 2020. Officials are hoping to amplify the number of residents being vaccinated to combat these figures. However, this vaccination process is entirely dependent on the number of doses that New York State receives from the federal government.
Press Questions
There have been many complaints about the inability to sign up for vaccination appointments. Recognizing that this holdup is the result of a lack of doses from the state and the federal government, are you offering advice to officials in Albany or to people having trouble making appointments?
Mr. Latimer emphasized that he is lobbying officials in Albany and that we have already seen policy changes made based on this advocacy. For example, the testing policies and quarantine guidelines for schools have both changed in part because of lobbying efforts by Westchester County. While the county is experiencing a high volume of complaints from eligible residents who are unable to secure Covid-19 vaccination appointments, Mr. Latimer stated that the volume of these complaints has dropped dramatically in the last 10 days as more people can successfully make appointments. He highlighted again that vaccinating as many people as possible is the primary goal of the local government, and that as more doses become available, more people will find available appointments.
Some people have complained that they are having issues securing an appointment for the second vaccine dose after they received the first dose. What is your message to providers who are having trouble distributing the second dose?
Mr. Latimer stated that the state must be informed of any provider that is not prepared to administer the second dose of the vaccine. He said that people should contact the Westchester County Executive’s office if they need help solving this specific issue and securing an appointment for their second inoculation.
Some people have reported that they were unable to receive the vaccine due to a previous cancer diagnosis. Have you heard anything about this?
Mr. Latimer stated that he has not heard anything about this particular issue and that he will seek to answer this question at a later press conference. He also said that while certain categories of illness may make a person illegible for the vaccine, this decision is up to the state and is not determined at the local level.
What are your thoughts on Westchester residents going to Florida to get vaccinated?
When answering this question, Mr. Latimer began by emphasizing that this is the type of issue that arises when you do not have a federal vaccination program. Part of the reason the management of the pandemic has been so chaotic is that state and local governments never had federally regulated testing, virus management, or vaccination programs. In this void, he stated, each state designed its own protocols, and some states have a more first-come-first-serve vaccination system than others. Mr. Latimer went on to discuss how this system can lead to more tech-savvy, or younger individuals being able to secure vaccine appointments before people in older, more at-risk populations. He then stated that although he does not begrudge people trying to get a vaccine, we need to focus on the most at-risk populations. He emphasized that he is fine with people trying to obtain a legal shot, but that he has a problem with people illegally skipping lines or skirting rules to get the vaccine.
Are you noticing that there are certain areas in the county with fewer vaccine registrations than other areas?
Mr. Latimer said that there is no data available to him that breaks down vaccine registrations in the county into specific demographic categories. The county only knows the age and the occupation of residents signing up for vaccines. However, he said that based on anecdotal evidence, communities of color are more skeptical of the vaccine. Mr. Latimer highlighted the need for credible spokespeople from these communities to speak to the efficacy and necessity of the vaccine. He also stated that officials must ensure that vaccination locations are available in all corners of the county. Inaccessibility should not be an issue when trying to make vaccine appointments, and residents cannot all be expected to travel to White Plains to receive their vaccines.
The Governor of New York State sent a letter to the CEO of Pfizer asking to buy doses directly for New York State. Do you plan on sending a letter like this one?
Mr. Latimer rejected this idea and stated that because Pfizer’s CEO denied Governor Cuomo’s request to bypass the federal government, that it is very unlikely the same request would be accepted from a County Executive. He then highlighted a point he made several times throughout the day’s briefing: the federal government failed to make a national vaccine distribution plan. Mr. Latimer said that energy that should have been spent on developing a robust national vaccine plan was redirected elsewhere and that he rejects any point of view that is the opposite of that statement. He emphasized that this void is how people end up skipping the line and flying to Florida for a vaccine and that “this is insanity and not how you operate.” Mr. Latimer said that within his domain of government, he seeks to find common ground with people of different backgrounds, points of view, and political affiliations. He said that the federal government must find a way to effectively buy, pay for, and distribute this life-saving product. Going forward, Mr. Latimer urged residents to demand more of the new federal administration that will be inaugurated on January 20, 2021. He concluded by stating that, "it didn't have to be this way, and hopefully it won't be this way as we go forward."
