Editor,
I am a supporter of Black Lives Matter and I respect and appreciate the very difficult job performed day in and day out by law enforcement in Orange County and throughout the country. Believe it or not, these two things are not mutually exclusive. Some of the rhetoric out there might make you think you have to choose sides.
This is not true. Saying that we need police reform and accountability is not saying that you are anti-cop. Saying that the police may need even more funding does not mean you are anti-BLM. This kind of emotional reaction on both sides is what fuels the problem instead of solving it.
Governor Cuomo’s executive order 203, Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative, is an invitation to sit down at the table and discuss the issues respectfully as individual communities, with an eye towards making the justice system more equitable for all Americans at the same time that we protect our law enforcement personnel. As we move forward in this very important discussion, keep a level head and think straight. We can do this.
LOUISE REAVIS
