Ithaca Black Town Hall Responds to Reimagining Public Safety Draft Report

Southside Community Center hosted a Black Town Hall to talk about the Reimagining Public Safety draft report. It was held on Thursday, March 4th, and titled, “The Future of Public Safety?”

Mayor Svante Myrick, and County administrator Jason Molino attended the meeting, presenting the recommendations of the report, and gathering input from members of the city’s black community.

Many of the points made to Myrick and Molino broadened the issue of public safety past crime response.

Community Member, Amos Malone, brought up the issue of gentrification and how it will factor into public safety.

Malone said, "There's no oversight board at the sheriff's department, which is troublesome. Very troublesome, since with the gentrification going on, you have black and brown people that are getting pushed to Groton, Enfield, Lansing, Newfield, Danby areas."

He continued, "Where the only police that are going to be in contact if something should happen would be the sheriff's department. And, certainly, there's no one in any of the patrol cars at the sheriff's department that are black and brown."