Community Power Meets with Suffern Police

Wednesday, April 8, 2008, the Community Power meeting causually began with open discussion surrounding concern about the traffic stop, check point that was set up by Suffern and the DOT earlier that morning. In fact, the Community Power team was contacted that morning with concerns that landscape trucks and day laborers were being targeted, pulled over and heavily fined. Two of our team members were dispatched to the scene. Chief Osborn greated our team and provided clarity that these were legal stops and that several of the landscaper vehicles, as well as many other types of vehicles, were legitamently pulled over and fined for not being in compliance with transportation laws. The group at the meeting was instructed as to what really happened, and the meeting moved on to the highlight of the evening...


Since the Mayor and Chief Osborn reached out to create a better bridge between the Latino community and the Village, we all decided that a meeting with Chief Osborn and a Latino police officer (Sgt. Alvarez) would be a great first step to connecting to the police department and hopefully provide the opportunity to dispell any fears or concerns that the Latino community had/has with the Suffern police department.


When Sgt. Alvarez arrived, we collected all of the hand written questions that everyone created before his arrival. There had to be over fifty questions total when the stack was compiled. A hum of gigles filled the room as Alvarez raised his eyebrows in comedic fashion. As we began to ask the first question, a weird nervousness and exilaration filled the air as a group Suffern Latinos exercised their rights to connect to their civil servants for the first time.


As Alvarez answered our questions, people were wondering if Chief Osborn was going to make the meeting. Then, 15 minutes into the Q & A he showed up in his light blue Suffern LaCross sweatshirt, sweat pants and baseball hat. I can honestly say, I think this is the first time ANY of us have every seen him out of uniform. What we appreciated is that he came to our meeting from a long day on the job and a long evening of managing a local youth sports team. But most of all, having him in plain clothes, was key to removing an intimidating barrier in an otherwise positive setting.


The evening resulted in the following. Latinos meeting a spanish speaking cop holding the second highest command in our police department. The Chief of Police in his civilian clothes taking an additional hour to answer ALL of our questions. The Suffern community directing incredibly smart and direct questions or concerns to our civil servants. Solid answers and a comittment to continued dialog pertaining to our comments and concerns.


We feel that the evening was a great beginning. A connection was felt throughout the room as the evening ended in applause. Yes, we still do not approve of 287(g) and we still feel that it is a waste of time and resources, and ultimately shakes up the delicate balance of our community. But maybe the connection that was made this evening will be the very thing that ensures Suffern will NEVER be in the news as one of the many abusers of the civil rights. Time will tell as the dialog continues.


Everyone is watching Suffern. Let's be better together.


The whole evening is on tape, and we intend to get it up on the site once we can edit the footage.