Last year, as protests and demonstrations were held around the country in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced local law enforcement agencies would be tasked with developing reform plans.
The carrot was local aid, which could be withheld if the plans aren't in place by April 1. The potential stick? The appointment of a monitor by the state attorney general's office to oversee the department.
The final budget agreement included the measures as hundreds of police and law enforcement agencies from around New York sent their plans to the state, something Cuomo had called a top priority for him in the spending plan.
The plans were meant to draw in local advocates, members of the public, law enforcement officials, and elected representatives by making police and law enforcement more responsive to the needs of individual communities.
And the plans were designed, in part, to be tailored made to each community, where policies surrounding community policing, body cameras worn by police, and other aspects of law enforcement can vary widely.