PATERSON — Officer in Charge Isa M. Abbassi and the Paterson Police Department today announced a new phase of community engagement following the conclusion of the first round of in-person listening sessions held by OIC Abbassi in each of the city’s six wards. Community engagement will continue in the form of a citywide virtual meeting and smaller community roundtable discussions. All of these events provide residents with an opportunity to learn about changes being made to the Paterson Police Department and engage in meaningful discussions about public safety in Paterson.
“This is only the beginning of our effort to engage the community. The initial listening events gave us the opportunity to hear from residents as we started our mission to bring our next generation philosophy to the Paterson Police Department,” said OIC Abbassi. “It is essential that conversations continue and these meetings are designed to help us increase trust between the community and the department while showing us where we must improve our customer service. There is a need to reimagine public safety as a whole in this city, and we can only do that in partnership with those we protect and serve.”
The first phase of community listening sessions began with a city-wide session hosted by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin held soon after his office assumed operation of the department. Once assuming command of the PPD, OIC Abbassi led multiple listening sessions allowing him to meet hundreds of city residents as they expressed their concerns and offered suggestions on how to create a safer Paterson. During the sessions, OIC Abbassi was able to describe his NEXTGen vision to attendees, and participants had the opportunity to speak freely about the department and specific issues they wanted to address. That feedback is being used to improve services and identify problem areas that can be better served by the PPD.
Open forums between the police department and the community will continue with a citywide virtual meeting to be held over Zoom on Wednesday, July 19 at 6 p.m. This will allow city residents who were not able to attend the in-person listening sessions a chance to express their opinions and thoughts about the Police Department and public safety in the City of Paterson. A link to register can be found on the department’s website, patersonpd.com, and more information is available on the department’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages which can all be found at the handle @PatersonPD.
The department also plans to host community roundtable discussions throughout the city. These meetings will allow small groups of residents to speak with PPD officers in smaller settings that can foster conversations and dialogues about public safety and policing in Paterson. The exact date and times of these meetings will be announced on the department’s website and social media platforms by the end of July.
