Cuomo proposes new teacher rating system

JUSTICE

As part of his “Fairness for All” platform, Gov. Andrew Cuomo offered five specific proposals, including one designed to “restore trust between community and law enforcement.”

But local police chiefs say there isn’t much trust lacking that needs to be restored, although an effort to enhance police officers’ standing in the community is never a bad thing. Improved relations between law enforcement and the public would require several distinct but related initiatives, according to the governor.

Those include hiring more minorities in law enforcement, funding more bulletproof glass and vests, a broader use of body cameras and making data available regarding race and police actions.

Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said funding for body cameras has been an issue, but noted that they could be “good for everyone, because they document exactly what happened.”

He added that hiring more minorities within the department — in a town where 14 percent of the population is Hispanic — is something “I totally agree with.” However, he said, few Hispanics take the requisite test to join the force, making it difficult to hire them.

In Southold, Chief Martin Flatley praised efforts to provide more bulletproof vests for local departments, noting that his department recently used a state program to help cover the cost of bulletproof vests for eight new hires.

He isn’t sold on body cameras — at least not at this point — but said he’d “be watching closely the level of successes/failures that departments will be experiencing.”