STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The NYPD is calling it a “police reform and reinvention listening session.” Wednesday’s meeting was the first of eight to be held across the city.

The two hour meeting had about 50 people in the audience in person. Online, there were as many as 800 people viewing the Facebook Livestream at one point. 

What You Need To Know

  • The NYPD held its first virtual reform meeting Wednesday night

  • Commissioner Dermot Shea and other police brass took questions submitted online on a number of topics

  • The goal of the meeting was to solicit necessary feedback from the community before formulating a police reform plan mandated by Governor Cuomo

  • The next meeting will be held in Queens Friday night. It will be live-streamed on Facebook

Representatives from a number or civil rights organizations are involved with the meetings, helping to moderate the questions and monitor the feedback on Facebook. 

The conversation covered a number of topics — police disciplinary procedures, gaining the trust of young people in the community and questions about the NYPD’s gang-database. 

Commissioner Dermot Shea said there have been recent internal conversations within the department about race that can be at times uncomfortable, but he said dialogue is an important step while formulating the police reform plan. 

“I certainly don’t know what it’s like to live in a certain block and be stopped five times by the police. But I think people might be surprised by how much we’re already trying to do. And how we can get to where we want to go with you,” said Shea. 

The listening tour is an extension of Governor Cuomo’s executive order back in June requiring departments across the state to provide a police reform plan. The mayor and the City Council will also work on the plan. It's expected to be released by next April. 

The next meeting is on Friday in Queens Patrol Borough North in Forest Hills. That meeting will also be live-streamed on the NYPD’s Facebook page. 

In addition, there is an NYPD survey soliciting community feedback here.