Highland Falls Mayor Joe D’Onofrio said this week that the HFPD’s state-mandated police reform plan is complete and is available for public view on the village’s website, www.highlandfallsny.org.
Written comments on the plan can be sent to Sgt. Jason Torpey at 301 Main St., Highland Falls, NY 10928 or emailed to JTorpey@highlandfallsny.org.
The plan is expected to be adopted by the Village Board this Saturday, April 17, before it is submitted to New York State on Monday, April 19. The deadline for the plan to be complete was April 1. D’Onofrio noted recently that due to the fact that HFPD Chief Ken Scott has been on leave much of the last six months, the village had not yet completed the document. At the Village Board’s last meeting, on April 5, a committee was announced to discuss the plan prior to its submission to the state. On that committee were the mayor, Trustee Brian Aylward, Torpey, Reverends Christopher Scott, and Lieta Singleton, village residents Ivan Marzan and Ann Molina, and a member of the O’Neill High School student council.
The document, which is 12 pages long, addresses the following: the history of Highland Falls; the department’s mission statement; the primary functions of the HFPD and its policies and procedures; how complaints against officers are handled; the way officers deal with substance abuse and homelessness; diversity in the ranks; community policing; portable recording devices; domestic violence; crowd control; partnerships with other agencies; use of force; and officer wellness.
