ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There is a new organization made up of police leaders from around the country hoping to create change at the federal level.
The organization is called Police Leaders for Community Safety. It brings together those who have led law enforcement teams to debate policy surrounding the issues of policing, crime and public safety.
“Improving and evolving the policing profession is one of the critical areas of focus for police leadership and community safety," said former Rochester Police Chief Cynthia Herriott.
She was selected as one of 50 nationally recognized police leaders that make up “Police Leaders for Community Safety.”
Some gathered during a Zoom news conference on Tuesday to discuss and announce plans. They are from all across the country.
“Arizona, California, New York, Wisconsin — we’re from all over," said Herriott, who explains why she's taking part. “When I looked into it and did my homework and knew that it was non-partisan, knew that it was about the issues, then I was happy to get involved in it.”
Herriott says the group is made of up of mostly retired law enforcement chiefs and sheriffs. She says the goal is to focus on issues that impact community safety. The folks on the team have been on the front lines and will call on their own expertise in their efforts to put forth change.
"Our goal is we want to impact policy at the federal level," said Herriott.
It’s the only group of its kind working to make policy change at the federal level.
“There are some things that we really need a consistent effort across the board," said Herriott who explains that right now the organization is focusing on gun control, improving and evolving the law enforcement profession to incudee training and leadership development. It is also focusing on public processes such as the accessibility of elections and assuring that elections are free from intimidation.
“Some of us are Republicans, Democrats [or] independents," Herriott said. "Some have no party affiliation, but we’re clear about that and that was important to me. It’s not about a party affiliation, but about the issues that we felt were critical that are facing our country today."
Law enforcement leaders say they have a responsibility to share their expertise and make their voices heard in Congress and in the executive branch, and to call it like they see it.
“It’s so important for us to state emphatically, this is not about the politics for us," Herriott said. "This is about issues. And we’re coming together for that purpose."
It's a long list of police leaders putting their heads together to create, tweak and analyze policy and then make suggestions for improvements at the federal level.
“As police leaders, we understand that improving the profession is vital for creating professional accountable policing and for upholding the principles of justice and fairness as we advance public safety," said Herriott.
While Police Leaders for Community Safety says it is non-partisan, the group says it will endorse federal candidates based not on party, but on their support of the policies the organization believes are needed to make us safer.