BY JIMMY LAWTON

North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG -- Ogdensburg City Manager Stephen Jellie said he expects to have an update on the state mandated police reforms at the Jan. 25 meeting.

Other communities are much further along in the process. St. Lawrence County, for instance, has already completed the process for the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Mayor John Rishe sought an update Jan. 11 as state mandated deadlines are quickly approaching.

The steering committee includes the city manager, police chief, school superintendent, and a representative from the district attorney’s office. He said two other members have been reached out to and are expected to join.

Jellie said he doesn’t expect the process to be a difficult one in Ogdensburg where the police and the public have strong ties.

He said that under former Chief Andrew Kennedy a lot of effort was put into building a trusting relationship between the city and the community.

He said Kennedy also did a good job of grooming leaders like Police Chief Robert Wescott and lieutenants Corey Maxner and Mark Kearns.

‘Our police enjoy a pretty good relationship with the community. I think it is in a pretty positive place,” he said.

A timeline regarding the police reform process will be presented at the next council meeting.

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