The Columbia County Police Reform Panel was established this month to conform with a June state executive order requiring local governments to conduct a comprehensive review of its police force's deployment strategies, policies, procedures and practices, and to develop an improvement plan addressing community needs. Thirty-one Columbia County residents were chosen to participate and the panel held the first of three public meetings to give panel members the opportunity to comment publicly and make suggestions for reform. In the session held Mon., Oct. 20, speakers included (in order): Jessica Coutsanikas, Reggie Crowley, Dan Jablanski, Moriah Sears, Bill Hughes, the Rev. Kim Singletary, Patricia Fecher, Richard Tracy, Trevor Slowinski and Joe Mormondo. Topics covered: police overtime and budget considerations, training and mentors for new officers, over-policing, school resource officers and more. The next panel meeting is scheduled to take place Thu., Nov. 5. Ed note: Singletary is a WGXC volunteer on-air programmer.

If playing on-air: note two five-minute breaks in the discussion at 29:38 and at 1:11:05.