East Hampton board advances draft public safety and accountability law, bans 287(g) agreements and creates oversight task force

The East Hampton Town Board discussed a draft local law on public safety and accountability at its April 7 work session, centering on protections for residents during federal immigration enforcement actions and new local oversight structures. Assemblyman Fred Thiele, author of earlier legislation and a member of OLA, told the board OLA supports the town’s tailored draft.

Jake Turner, who walked the board through the draft, said the measure reaffirms home‑rule and the separation of powers while focusing on the town’s police responsibilities. The draft explicitly prohibits the town police department from entering into 287(g) deputization agreements with federal immigration authorities and establishes a task force to advise the board on public safety and accountability matters.

Turner described the task force as a cross‑section of the community with 12 voting members — including a school district representative, clergy, two medical representatives, a nonprofit representative, a local pantry representative, an immigration‑law attorney, social services staff, a Latino youth advocate and a Latino business owner — and several ex‑officio seats for PD, the supervisor’s office, the town attorney and human services. The draft would require the town board to respond to task force recommendations within 30 days and directs the police to notify the supervisor and task force when federal immigration enforcement is present.

Fred Thiele said OLA applauds the town’s work and credited local staff for tailoring the draft for East Hampton’s community needs. Town board members spoke in favor of formalizing current departmental practices and emphasized that the law is not intended to change routine policing but to memorialize expectations. One board member suggested documenting a 24‑hour notification timeline; town staff said the board expects near‑real‑time notification.

The draft includes a sunset clause: the OLA template used in development sunsets on July 1, 2029, and the town’s version retains a limited duration. Board members proposed additional community review: staff suggested routing the draft to the Latino Advisory Committee for comment and noticed a potential public‑hearing schedule (notice April 16; hearing May 7).

The board did not take a final vote on the local law at the session; next steps are a public hearing and further drafting based on public comment. "OLA supports this legislation with great enthusiasm," Fred Thiele said. "We've gotten great input and the draft has improved as it was tailored to local needs."