The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, January 27, 2014 at 5:30pm at the Brooks Memorial Library in the community room.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
CPCC Meeting
December 23, 2013
5:30 pm, Brooks Memorial Library, Main Street, Brattleboro
I. Call to Order & Quorum Check: Tristan Toleno called the meeting to order. Committee members James Banslaben and Ann Wright were present. Terry Carter, Police Chief Wrinn and Captain Fitzgerald were also in attendance.
II. Agenda Review: Nothing was added.
III. Approval of Previous Meeting Notes: The November minutes were approved.
IV. New Business:
a. There was no formal new business to discuss. There was a discussion about the challenges of getting the good works and successes of the police department out into the community.
b. It was confirmed that the complaint forms have business cards attached to them.
V. Unfinished Business: Review of the Use of Force policy continued and was wrapped up this week. This included the BPD’s Response to Aggression or Resistance form, how it’s used, and how it’s disseminated after it’s finalized. Use of force on a wild animal was also discussed.
VI. Public Participation:
a. There was no public participation.
The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
January 27, 2014 agenda
Call to order & Quorum check
Agenda review
Approve previous meeting’s minutes
New Business
• Review new complaints, if any
Unfinished business:
• Continued training in BPD policies/procedures
Public participation
Minimalist Minutes
No doubt these minutes meet statutory requirements — list of items and actions — but they have little value to anyone wanting to know what actually was accomplished at the meeting.
From reading these minutes, we know that use of force policy was discussed, including on “wild animals,” but we are told nothing about what that policy actually says, and nothing about what was actually discussed.
I believe that an informed public is essential for the well-being of our town. I would like town officials and committee members make much more of an effort to reach out to the people of Bratteboro, and to use meeting minutes as an opportunity to increase community involvement.
I agree
I am in charge of typing many sets of meeting minutes at the bank, and you can pick any of them up and get a pretty good idea of the details of conversations and topics. I model some of my minutes after Chris Grotke’s minutes from the SelectBoard Meetings. I find the “use of force policy” mention in these minutes a little creepy without a bit more clarification on the topic.
I agree with you both
Though appreciated for being reported at all, this is a non-report. Who said what? What in particular was discussed? Any thoughts from anyone or were topics announced and dismissed?