Immigrant protection suggestions getting Town review
At the first meeting of the Public Safety Task Force Monday morning, members began to explore how neighboring communities are handling proposed actions from the Latino advocacy group OLA of Eastern Long Island.
Minerva Perez, executive director of OLA, has submitted a proposal to municipalities.
It provides a guide to how municipalities can handle Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities, including notifying people of the presence of ICE activities within its boundaries. It recommends communities set up a task force and identify ICE vehicles from registration plates that would be traceable should any actions result in activities that could be considered illegal.
The Town’s Task Force is not currently suggesting specific actions but is exploring how existing recommendations might be strengthened to protect those threatened by ICE agents.
To date, several area municipalities are evaluating the OLA language while adopting their own commitments not to participate in actions undertaken by ICE agents.
Shelter Island has adopted its own statement, noting its Police Department will play no role in aiding ICE operations. At this stage, only East Hampton Village has adopted a policy essentially capturing the nuts and bolts of the OLA statement.
East Hampton Town and Southold are both discussing the document, but have not yet acted.
Chief Jim Read told the Public Safety Task Force his officers will not assist ICE.
He explained how police policies are considered and adopted. Some must be reviewed by Town Board members in their role as Police Commissioners to decide what should or should not be adopted. But more routine operational policies are reviewed by Chief Read after he researches state laws; information from Lexipol, an organization that reviews policies throughout Suffolk County and those around the country; and actions taken or not taken by neighboring municipalities.
The purpose of the Task Force is to review the suggested OLA policies and offer advice to the Town Board about actions it should take to best protect all Island residents. In addition to Chief Read, the Task Force members include Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, Councilwoman Liz Hanley and representatives from the Health and Wellness Committee Gina Kraus and Vicki Shields.
“I’m here to listen and give feedback,” Chief Read said. “We don’t operate in a vacuum.” Ms. Shields said the emphasis is on safety and OLA is stressing the importance of making everyone in the community more safe.
Ms. Brach-Williams said the current statement of Town actions comes from conversations with OLA representatives and former state assemblyman Fred Thiele.
Ms. Hanley said her concerns are not with the current chief and department members. But if Chief Read left the department and a more aggressive chief were to take over leadership, she would want to ensure a steadiness in police policies.
Ms. Shields agreed, praising Chief Read and the department for its ongoing efforts. But she worries actions by a new chief might not uphold the same policies. Chief Read said it would be up to the Town Board to choose a leader in whom its members have confidence.
“I welcome direction,” Chief Read said about Police Commissioners oversight
The Task Force plans to meet again June 17 to review the OLA proposal line by line, Ms. Brach-Williams said.
