The petitioners of the Plymouth Community Trust Bylaw are grateful for your coverage of the Select Board hearing and [its] vote to support this initiative.
However, we wish to clarify a point: stating that the petitioners are “unsatisfied with a decision to leave the town’s immigration enforcement policy solely in the hands of police,” mischaracterizes our motivations. We fully support our police department’s policies and procedures regarding ICE and commend their focus on public safety.
This bylaw does not compete with Select Board policies or police procedures; it is complementary. By codifying existing practices, it ensures a foundation of legislative civilian rule. Community trust is most effectively built when the Town acts in unity – the Select Board, the police department, and Town Meeting speaking with one voice. This three-way partnership is vital; when public trust is solidified, our police can more effectively protect the entire community.
– Art Desloges and Peter Matlon
Desloges and Matlon are petitioners of the Plymouth Community Trust Bylaw.