As part of the Bethlehem Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative, the Town is forming an Advisory Committee to help ensure the Collaborative successfully improves trust, fairness, equity, and justice within our community and our police department and addresses any racial bias, discrimination, and disproportionate policing of communities of color.
The role of the committee will evolve as we move through the Collaborative process, but its core mission will be to advise on how we can most effectively engage the community and incorporate community input in the Collaborative process. This committee will not be the only or primary avenue for community input and participation.
The committee’s membership should be diverse and represent a broad range of views and perspectives about our town and our police department. The committee should include members with particular insights into experiences that people of color have had with the police department, and who can offer recommendations on how to improve these interactions.
The Advisory Committee will help shape its own role in the Collaborative process and determine how frequently it meets, but members should anticipate 1-3 virtual meetings each month from September 2020 through March 2021.
Interested Bethlehem residents who are looking to make a positive change in our community should submit a cover letter (resume is optional) explaining why they are interested in participating and what perspectives or specific expertise they would bring to the Advisory Committee. Please direct letters to Robin Nagengast at [email protected] by Monday, Sept. 14.
