County Executive Ryan to convene a commission focused on advancing criminal justice and police reform

The Commission will review existing County policies and develop a plan outlining needed criminal justice reforms

KINGSTON, N.Y. - Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan today announced the formation of a commission to reform policing practices and promote criminal justice in Ulster County. The Ulster County Justice and Reform Commission will convene by the end of June and will focus on critical issues to ensure justice for all residents of Ulster County, including ending mass incarceration, police oversight and accountability, addressing systemic racial bias, and healing divisions between law enforcement and the communities they serve. 

The mission of the group will be to lay out a specific set of policy and legislative changes in Ulster County that will ensure justice for every resident and drive needed reforms in the criminal justice system. The commission will meet regularly over the coming weeks and months, and include a series of public forums to ensure all voices are heard in a transparent fashion. The group will consist of relevant stakeholders including religious leaders, law enforcement, community activists, and others. 

“At every level of government we must commit to meaningful, systemic reform and ensure that we provide equal justice for all of our residents,” County Executive Pat Ryan said. “In the weeks and months to follow we will listen to our community and develop a plan to create meaningful change. The Ulster County Justice and Reform Commission will provide a voice for so many in our community who have marched, written letters, and demanded reforms.”

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