POTSDAM – The Village of Potsdam Police Advisory Committee is seeking feedback from a public survey to help inform the committee’s ongoing work to develop a police reform plan as required by the governor’s Executive Order 203.

The survey can be found online at https://forms.gle/X4sVBw8iDQZBJFuH7 .

The goal of this committee’s work is to review the department’s practices, processes, and engagement with the community, and to provide recommendations, said a press release on the village website.

These recommendations, according to the governor’s order, shall be “tailored to the specific needs of the community and general promotion of improved police agency and community relationships based on trust, fairness, accountability, and transparency, and which seek to reduce any racial disparities in policing.”

The committee is looking for feedback from a variety of individuals including, but not limited to, individuals who live or do not live in the region, work in the area, travel occasionally to the region, and study here.

Feedback will remain confidential, and results will be reviewed before making final recommendations to the Village of Potsdam Board of Trustees.

“One of the committee’s strong recommendations will be for the Village of Potsdam Police Department to provide mechanisms for the public to provide ongoing feedback. This survey is the first step in that process. We truly value and appreciate the feedback from our friends and neighbors,” Mayor Ron Tischler said.

The final plan will be available for public comment in March before officially submitting it to New York State no later than April 1.

More information on Governor Cuomo's Executive Order 203 can be found online at https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-203-new-york-state-police-reform-and-reinvention-collaborative .