Polishing The Badge

The towns and villages this month will wrap up the process of discussing police reform, as dictated by Governor Andrew Cuomo in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis last summer. The result, at least locally, was underwhelming.

That’s to take nothing away from the volunteers who participated in the review with each department, nor to suggest that there wasn’t some benefit to a review of the policies that can lead to discrimination. Shining a light on the practices in a formal, public way is always beneficial.

But perhaps it’s because of the way the process came about — a top-down review ordered by the governor — that, in so many cases, it became more of an opportunity for local departments to use it for public relations. It’s definitely laudable that South Fork police departments have so many programs in place designed to stay in touch with the citizens they serve, and it’s fine to highlight that. But a deeper look at areas in need of improvement was needed, even — especially — if they are harder to find.

Another reason the effort fell short was a lack of public participation. That’s not on the committees or the departments: Each made a concerted effort to seek input, and a few people stepped forward to tell their stories. Still, this was the chance for the public to engage directly with police on the topic, and few took advantage. It’s a missed opportunity — but also potentially can be interpreted as a sign that some citizens feel uncomfortable speaking up on the subject, for fear of repercussions. That can be a red flag in itself.

The conclusion, in each instance, appears to be that the region’s police departments are largely doing just fine. Whether that’s the perception in all parts of the community remains frustratingly elusive. The tangible outcomes, including departments exploring the use of body cameras, raise an immense tangle of issues, and expense, that seem difficult to justify if no shortcomings were identified.

In the end, it felt like a process of polishing the badge: The front now looks nice and shiny, but there was little sincere effort to look for tarnish underneath, where it can hide unseen, and steadily do damage.