Committee: Pay attention to officers’ online activity

WOODSTOCK, N.Y. » A committee’s report on Woodstock police policies recommends, among other things, looking at the social media activity of officers, as well as people who apply to be officers, to determine whether any have been involved with racist groups or demonstrated unprofessional conduct.

The Woodstock Police Reform and Reinvention Committee’s 76page report was made public during a videoconference meeting of the Town Board on Tuesday. The report recommends an update of police department policies to include an “audit” of private activity.

“Prior to hiring, an officer’s background, with a particular focus on social media presence, should be thoroughly audited ... in order to have a full understanding of ... personal affiliations which may compromise their ability to remain neutral and just on the job,” the report states.

It also recommends annual background checks of all Woodstock Police Department personnel.

“Adopt a comprehensive code of conduct for officers, all staff and volunteers who work within the department, both on- and off-duty, that requires appropriate and professional conduct ...

and bans the membership in hate groups including, but not limited to, the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys,” the report recommends, citing two organizations tied to the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol building.

The Woodstock Police Department has about 30 employees: 10 full-time officers, 10 part-time officers, four full-time dispatchers, and between four and six part-time dispatchers.

The report recommends a policy under which officers would be encouraged to report “any misconduct or otherwise unprofessional or dangerous behaviors or associations within their precinct.”

The committee also said members of the police department should be banned from “participating in warrior-style — fear based — training, even when it’s self-funded and off-duty.”

Other recommendations in the report state:

• The police department “shall not use facialrecognition systems or associated technologies, nor should there be any plans to acquire such technology.”

• The police department should “refer to transgender individuals by the name, pronouns and gender they prefer,” and that officers should be barred “from searching transgender individuals solely for the purpose of determining their biological sex.”

The Woodstock Police Reform and Reinvention Committee, like others across the state, was formed in response to a June 2020 executive order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that all municipalities and counties in New York with law-enforcement departments review police practices and make recommendations for any necessary changes. The reports must be accepted by the governing bodies no later than April 1.

The Woodstock Town Board expects to meet the deadline.

Cuomo’s order, which was issued shortly after George Floyd died under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis, cited the deaths of unarmed, “predominately Black and African-American” civilians across the country.

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. » United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region will host its first “Talent United” contest and announce the winner at the agency’s virtual Celebration of Service Awards on June 8.

The winner will be determined by community votes.

For more information and to enter the contest, go to uwdor.org/applicationtalentunited. Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.

The contest is open to anyone who lives or works in Dutchess or Orange counties. To enter, contestants must fill out the online application at the site noted above and include a link to their talent video. The video must be no more than three minutes long and uploaded to YouTube as “unlisted.”

Applications and video links must be received by April 15.

All the talent videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and the top entries will be announced online May 6.

Voting on the entries will take place between May 6 and June 6.