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Date: 3/2/2021
EASTHAMPTON – On Feb. 24, part two of the community listening sessions took place to discuss policing in Easthampton. The session was facilitated by the Mayor’s Pledge to Reimagine Policing Work Group and was hosted and livestreamed by Easthampton Media.
The members of the Mayor’s Pledge Work Group include Facilitator Nicole Hendricks, Rebecca Passa, Margaret Kierstein, Homar Gomez and Alice Wanamaker. The group is strictly volunteer.
While the previous listening session was centered around experiences, feelings and interactions, with public safety/police in Easthampton, this session was centered around visions for the future.
Hendricks explained, the purpose of this community listening session is to hear directly from community members, and learn more about the visions for public safety. This can be done in a more creative nature, she added.
“At the end of today’s session, we will have learned more about your experiences, your ideas, what you love, what you need to be safe in Easthampton, and maybe what you might want to change,” said Hendricks.
She reiterated the point, “This isn’t to say that this work and the work of the Mayor’s Pledge Work Group is going to solve all of the community concerns today. This information will be summarized and used to inform the efforts that are being undertaken by community leaders, local organizations, activistis, elected officials, and residents, to build systems and responses that recognize the humanity and dignity of everyone in the Easthampton community.”
The work group understands this is a narrow lens and a narrow focus, but they remain hopeful that their work is part of a larger set of activities and movements within the community.
In the last session, there was a distinction that came up, on the differences between police and policing as an institution.
“Policing as an institution has always regulated movement and access to resources and enforced some boundaries of belonging, whether that’s in a neighborhood, in a country or even in a category like being a woman. The legacy of this is something that the Mayor’s Pledge Work Group holds at the center of this work and so we ask these questions around this,” Hendricks stated.
While this served as a listening session, no one was under any obligation to speak if they didn’t choose to. Hendricks informed participants that if they chose to speak, everything will be public as it’s being streamed. However, everything in the final report submitted to the mayor would remain confidential and anonymous.
When the floor was given to the community, a few participants shared their opinions on what their ideal community might look like. For some, this vision was difficult to create, but they believe Easthampton could be considered ideal due to its safety and minimal crime.
Residents said police in Easthampton are known for helping members of the community in instances ranging from drug overdose, domestic disputes and mental health crises, among others.
While the police are responsible for most, if not all, emergencies within the city, suggestions have been made to create a community safety force of a variety of occupations, all working together. In this case, as new problems emerge, there will be people specialized in an area, working alongside the police to approach the situation in a more effective manner.
Participants shared that in general, there should be different types of people, both men and women, that could create a different kind of culture.
The community wishes to have a broader conversation once all of the data is in to receive a better understanding of what’s really going on in Easthampton.
Although the work group is not looking at any specific calls, they can request for public records.
After this session, Hendricks shared they will be accepting private testimony from the public. Those who wish to contribute may contact the mayor’s work group by email at mpwg@easthamptonma.gov. A link to a short survey is also available on the city’s website where you will find .
Groups or individuals who would like to schedule a private listening session are encouraged to do so and you can reach the work group at the same email address. Additional community meetings will take place once there is a final report.