Board praised Pierri for work on document
Town of Highlands Police Chief Frank Pierri had a pretty good day on Monday.
First, he spent a good part of the afternoon unexpectedly escorting singer Flo Rida from just outside of Manhattan to West Point, where he got to meet and take a photo with the artist prior to a concert for the cadets at the Military Academy.
Second — and if you ask him, more importantly — the town’s Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Plan was adopted unanimously by the Town Board. Pierri, who has worked on the document for the better part of a year, was on hand to thank the board for their support and watch as they adopted it.
The plan, mandated by New York State with a submission date of April 1, was created by the chief with input from his deputy chief, Frank Basile, members of the board, members of a committee made up of community stakeholders, and guided by requirements set by the state. It has been open for public comment for several weeks now, although Pierri said none was received.
The end result? Pierri said his department will continue to work to be more involved in the community, and continue partnerships with area agencies and organizations. As well, the THPD will continue to further training opportunities for its officers, particularly in the areas of mental health and dealing with the general public.
“We have officers very interested in community policing,” Pierri said, “and my hope is that as one does it, five more will want to get involved.”
This means, he continued, the community can expect to see a lot more of THPD officers, at special events in the town and village as well as in day-to-day life. And, even though the plan is complete, he wants to continue to get input from residents.
“We are here to meet the needs of the community,” he said.
Supervisor Bob Livsey thanked Pierri for his hard work.
“It was your job to do this,” the supervisor said, “but you did one hell of a job for the Town of Highlands and we thank you very much for that.”
Councilman Tyrone King echoed the supervisor, saying he is very proud to have worked on the committee. He made note of Pierri’s “dedication, commitment and leadership” to and in the town. King said he believes the town’s plan “could be used as a model throughout the state”.
The police reform document is available to view on the town’s website (www.highlands-ny.gov).
While the Highland Falls Police Department’s plan has not yet been adopted by the board, a draft of it is available to read on the village’s website (www.highlandfallsny.org).
