Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced the formation of Police And Community Trust (PACT), a new Nassau County initiative aimed at building trust, transparency, and a working dialogue between community activists and Police. The new effort will bring together protest organizers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders to listen and engage in frank conversations about concerns raised by the community in recent weeks.
“Instead of letting this moment divide us, we will reach across racial and generational divides to constructively address the issues being raised in our communities as one Nassau. I have the utmost confidence in our residents, and believe we will emerge stronger and more united if we can listen, engage with good faith, and respect one another. Although recent protests have been part of a national movement, PACT will be Nassau County-centered, focusing on local issues and looking at ways for us to strengthen Nassau’s community policing model,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.
PACT meetings will consist of the following members:
- Nassau County Executive Laura Curran (Co-Chair)
- South Floral Park Mayor and Defense Attorney Geoffrey Prime (Co-Chair)
- Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder
- 3 members of Nassau PD Community Affairs
- President of Municipal Police Chiefs Association and Garden City Police Commissioner Kenneth Jackson
- Hofstra Law School Professor and former Prosecutor Fred Klein
- Student and Community Activist from Hempstead, Blair Baker
- Community Activist from Roosevelt, Tamica Cox
- Student and Community Activist from Baldwin, Alexis Holt
- Student and Community Activist from Hempstead, Travis Nelson
“I’ve asked Mayor Prime to co-chair PACT, which will help us move forward to build the trust we need between trust and the community,” added County Executive Curran.
“I’d like to thank County Executive Curran for this Police and Community Trust. I also commend these young organizers for highlighting many inequities that exist, not just in the criminal justice system, but throughout many aspects of our daily lives. This PACT is an important step, but let us remember that it is only a first step. It represents a continuation (not an end) of the efforts of these organizers. I look forward to working with members of law enforcement to help ensure that people from all marginalized communities can have confidence in a system that many of us take for granted,” PACT Co-Chair, Mayor Geoffrey Prime
“The Police And Community Trust initiative will increase our efforts and awareness so that we can continue to grow the partnership between our police officers and the communities they serve. The Nassau County Police Department has always had excellent community relationships and this brings us one step further to our goal of enhancing our engagement even more,” said Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
“As a young Black woman from this community I’m excited to have and push these conversations forward. This is not the time to be defensive but instead the time for an honest and open conversation in order to break the barriers between the police and the community,” said Student and Community Activist Blair Baker
PACT will also engage the Nassau County District Attorney, Office of Minority Affairs, faith-based groups, and Human Rights Commission to seek and gather ongoing input.
