Long Beach Herald 03-11-2021

Page 1

________________ LONG BEACH _______________

at 2 a.m. on Sunday. Remember to change your smoke detector batteries.

HERALD Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach

Infections as of March 10

Suspect charged in Agurkis death

3,457

CoMMuNIty uPDAtE

Infections as of March 3 3,339

$1.00

GLOBISH Juices • Smoothies • Supp18/21 itc FG lements All Organic • No Plastic

Demi Condensed

278 West Park Aven ue

Page 23

Page xx

@Fit ByGlobish

MARCH 11 - 17, 2021

Fit By Globish

1119352

SPRING FORWARD

y Fit B

Vol. 32 No. 11

Two-family homes proposed for East Pine St. By JAMES BERNStEIN jbernstein@liherald.com

Courtesy Long Beach School District

Vaccines for educators The Long Beach Public Schools and three neighboring districts have collaborated with Mount Sinai South Nassau and Nassau County to open a Covid-19 vaccination pod in Rockville Centre. Long Beach High School Vice Principal Elizabeth Walsh-Bulger, above right, was among those who were inoculated on March 5, when the initiative kicked off with a news conference. Story, Page 10.

East Pine Street, in Long Beach’s North Park section, has long been a reminder that there are residents in the City by the Sea who struggle, but life on East Pine might soon be changing for the better. A Long Beach developer has partnered with Habitat for Humanity in the hope of converting six homes on East Pine, in largely Black North Park, into two-family homes that would be rented at federally approved affordable rates. Through this program, officials said, more

homes for families in need would be created, complete with outdoor decks, central air conditioning and backyards. Darren Gallo, of Long Beach Living LLC, appeared at a virtual meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 25 to ask for variances to convert homes at 24, 26, 82, 88, 114 and 118 East Pine into two-family dwellings. Under the plan Gallo outlined for the ZBA, the homes would be rented for 10 years, and the renters would be given the first opportunity to purchase them. Rents would be about $2,650 a month for the houses, which Continued on page 3

Long Beach P.D. releases police reform plan By DARwIN yANES dyanes@liherald.com

Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order last June, the Long Beach Police Department this week released a draft of its police reform plan, which aims to strengthen ties between the community and the department. Cuomo’s New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Executive Order 203 was enacted shortly after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, last May. To maintain the city’s eli-

gibility for future state funding, the City Council must approve the plan before April 1. The 141-page document, which is expected to be approved this week, touches on topics such as use-of-force policies, procedural justice, systemic racial bias and racial justice in policing. “This plan will enable the Long Beach Police Department to continue its robust community-oriented policing strategies while working towards further reducing racial disparities in policing,” the report states. “The City of Long Beach is also in the process of overhauling the Depart-

ment’s webpage to increase overall transparency and enhance the public’s ability to know and understand the actions and efforts of the police department in an up to date fashion.” In the document, the LBPD acknowledges the importance of working with community stakeholders to bring new ideas to the community. Officials begin the reform plan by discussing recruiting practices and training. Before joining the LBPD, recruits attend the Nassau County Police Academy, where, according to the report, they receive extensive training in hate crimes,

implicit bias and de-escalation, among other subjects. The Nassau County Police Department is the main source of training for LBPD members, who are taught to remain calm and stay in control of situations. LBPD officials have said they are ahead of the curve in de-escalation practices, and will continue to enhance the department’s training. The NCPD released its own police refor m last month. According to Long Beach’s plan, the county Police Academy last June added an additional eight hours of training that focus-

es on anti-bias, morality, ethical awareness and cultural diversity. LBPD officials said they were making it a priority to enhance their recruitment efforts and expand recruiting in schools, houses of worship and other public institutions. The LBPD will also use the TrainCaster platform, an online training system, to keep officers up to date on police reforms. Last year, the department conducted a comprehensive review of its use-of-force policies and procedures, and subsequently issued a new Continued on page 12


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Long Beach Herald 03-11-2021 by Richner Communications, Inc - Issuu