CSSJC Questions Delay in Reviewing Resident Oversight Board Bylaw 

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Community Safety and Social Justice Committee, April 8, 2026 

By Bella Astrofsky

The meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.  

Present
Debora Ferreira (Co-Chair), Allegra Clark (Co-Chair), Everald Henry, Erica Piedade, Lissette Paredes. Anna Derby. One vacancy. 

Staff: Assistant DEI Director Philip Avila and CRESS Director Camille Theriaque 

At their April 8 meeting, members of the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC) addressed Governance, Organization, and Legislation Committee (GOL) delays in reviewing the Resident Oversight Board (ROB) bylaw, governing resident complaints about the Amherst Police Department. 

GOL was to have recommended either the review of the investigatory model of the ROB bylaw to the town council by April 1. 

CSSJC Co-chair Allegra Clark said that she has sent a letter to GOL in support of the investigatory model on behalf of the committee, but has yet to receive a response. The Community Safety Working Group (CSWG) recommended in 2021 that the ROB independently monitor and investigate complaints against the Amherst Police Department and Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Security (CRESS). The CSSJSC is the successor group to the CSWG which was created in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder in 2020.

“Even though the investigatory model is not as strong as what CSWG had recommended previously…[it] is the better model, way better…than the review model, which we feel is just a weak model that’s not going to get anything accomplished. And it would just be rubber stamping, for the most part, whatever is happening over at the [Amherst Police Department] APD,” co-chair Debora Ferreira said. 

Clark added that she believed GOL was going to “parse out” the bylaw in chunks, meaning that their review and recommendation to the council could take longer. Ferreira referred to this delay as “a tactic that this town has been using in regards to the [ROB] since CSWG recommended it back in 2021.”

“We need to do something now to really send a message to them…that they are past the deadline, they have not made any decision…that this is impacting our community. We know that the police are against putting the [ROB] in place, or if we do get one, they definitely don’t want the investigatory one. And so, you know, I think, again, it’s delay, delay, delay… So we need to decide what it is that we’re going to do, given that they have gone over their own deadline,” Ferreira said. 

The reason for the delay is unclear. Ferreira suggested that the committee reach out to members of GOL for an explanation. Clark added that the GOL has been reviewing a bylaw from the Human Rights Commission for “over a year.” 

“I don’t have an answer for why they [GOL] are doing it. They seem to delay a lot of things that change the status quo or disrupt things,” Clark added. 

Regarding the delay, GOL chair Ana Devlin Gauthier told the Indy, “GOL is currently working on the Human Rights Commission bylaw as our “big” action item and we will take up the ROB referral after that is complete so that we are not splitting focus, as each of these require significant in-depth work by the committee. Both referrals also will require us to bring in external individuals to contribute (e.g. the consultants who wrote the ROB report) and we want to ensure we are able to give them the time and attention needed at a full meeting. 

“The short answer is that I am hoping we will finish the HRC bylaw on the 14^th [of April}] , allowing us to begin work on the ROB on the 28th, and we are absolutely not intentionally delaying anything that we have on our docket…goodness knows we have plenty to deal with and I would like to see us move more things back to the Council to ease that to do list! “

“I have shared this information with the CSSJC liaison and other councilors, as well as stated it in GOL meetings, as we review upcoming agenda items every meeting. I am unaware of and surprised by claims that GOL would intentionally delay anything, let alone the ROB proposal. To be abundantly clear, we are not intentionally delaying anything that has been referred to us, and as Chair, I am doing my best to have the committee take up referrals in a way which allows us to give each item the attention it deserves. I would encourage any members of CSSJC to reach out at any point with concerns.”

The committee decided that Erica Piedade and Clark would make public comments at the next town council meeting on April 27 regarding the delay. Clark and Ferreira also agreed they would draft statements regarding the delay for their town council liaison, Heather Hala Lord, to share in her report to the town council.

Public Comment 
Martha Hanner, Chair of the Amherst League of Women Voters’ (LWV) racial justice committee and a District 5 resident, referred to comments made by a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and traffic stops during a League event, the March 26 Judy Brooks Conversation on immigration rights. 

“ICE considers traffic warrants or traffic tickets and so on to be a crime and therefore justification for deportation. And as we know well, our police tend to, you know, focus on BIPOC folks for stopping cars…consent searches, for everything else. And I see this as a real problem and something that needs to be addressed,” Hanner said. 

“I know that for the 2026 Town Manager goals, there is a statement of needing to review the APD, have a top-level review, and it mentions specifically questioning the consent searches and the…pretext stops and so on. So my recommendation is indeed to bear that in mind and try to follow up. And I recommend if you do have a conversation, a formal conversation, with the police, that you invite the supervisors who are the next rank below Chief [Gabriel] Ting as well as Chief Ting to come, because they apparently carry a lot of weight.”

Bridget Arino, a three-year resident of Amherst, also made a public comment and expressed interest in joining the committee. 

New Committee Member 
The CSSJC recently added its sixth member, Anna Derby, filling one of their two vacancies. Derby moved to the town with her children three years ago and resides in South Amherst. She is a UMass alumna and is currently working toward a graduate degree in the economics of education, with a focus on policies related to school privatization. 

Ferreira said that the town has conducted other interviews and the committee may soon be adding another member.

Community Responders for Safety, Equity and Service (CRESS) Update
CRESS Director Camille Theriaque marked two years with the department. 

“I just really want to thank the folks of Amherst and the CSSJC and the community for helping me understand what the most important things were and are that Amherst needs and is looking for,” Theriaque said. 

CRESS has added a new responder, Rigo Antonio Flores Noriega. Originally from Chelsea, Massachusetts, Flores Noriega has a background in the automotive industry and community volunteer work, according to CRESS’ monthly newsletter. 

Clark asked Theriaque  how many responders are bilingual and she confirmed that several responders have some Spanish language skills but that Flores Noriega and Project Manager Dan Garcia are bilingual.

Theriaque responded to questions from committee members regarding the data on CRESS responses provided in the dashboard portion of the newsletter. 

“If you look at the dashboard, most of our calls start out as…an assist neighbor or a wellness check or a neighbor transport. But if you look in the bottom part of it, that is just what is the original call. Most of these calls have multiple parts. They’re multifaceted. So, a lot of times it’s crisis intervention, de-escalation, referral and social assistance, mental health support, neighborhood support and resource distribution.”

Theriaque mentioned how CRESS’ transportation services have been utilized to get residents to court, avoiding potential bench warrants. Theriaque said  “those are the type of things that are not shown necessarily in our dispatch…and in the logs.”

Ferreira suggested breaking down the category of transportation to reflect the nature of the assistance provided, “to kind of really showcase that it is transportation connected to a mental health crisis or court proceeding or this or that.”

Theriaque added that “transportation is usually due to mental health support for elders or else for court.” Within this service, CRESS works with the senior center to ensure that seniors make their appointments and follows up with them the next day, if necessary, reducing the need for police-conducted wellbeing checks. 

Ferreira asked about the number of calls CRESS is receiving from the town’s Public Safety Dispatch Communication Center. Theriaque responded that calls are increasing “slowly.” 

“From February 1 until today, there were only six calls that were dispatched via the radio to CRESS. I will say this, there was a very big gap in March where we were working out some kinks. However, this week alone…We’ve had three calls. So we’ve had one each day that has been dispatched from the Emergency Communication Center, the ECC, to us.”

Ferreira emphasized the importance of extending CRESS operating hours and offering weekend services. Currently, CRESS is limited to the operating hours of the Bangs Community Center of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m on weekdays. 

“With six people, we cannot extend our hours. We need a minimum of I0. When we had eight, it was hard, but we were able to do some hours on Saturday… There’s no way we can do it with six as it stands now.”

The FY2026 budget froze two responder positions, limiting the department to six responders, who are dispatched in pairs. According to Theriaque, when they had eight responders the department was able to do some hours on Saturday, but struggled to build teams if someone called out or was on vacation.

Ferreira also asked about potential budget cuts to the department as Town Manager Paul Bockelman works toward the May 1 deadline to present the budget to the Town Council. 

“There’s always talks about, you know, streamlining the budget and what would happen if a certain percentage needed to be cut. And those types of things are all worked into our budget, in case, but realistically we cannot afford to lose anyone,” Theriaque said. 

Piedade mentioned that Garcia’s position is only funded through the end of June and asked whether the town would cover the cost of retaining him or whether additional grant funding has been located. 

Theriaque said that grant funding from the Department of Health (DPH) comes from the state and is not always distributed on time. “The problem [is] that…when the governor puts the money into the budget, it then takes a while to come through.”  She noted that in her time with CRESS, grants have been allocated and not received until after the original date given for disbursement, making planning difficult. 

Derby added that she has reached out to someone she knows at the Department of Public Health who is willing to meet with CRESS to discuss potential grants to retain Garcia. 

“It would be a huge loss to CRESS if we’re not able to find funding for him,” Ferreira said. Lisette Paredes added that she was “quite impressed with how knowledgeable [he is] and all the steps that he has taken to try to get on board and be an asset to CRESS.”

“We’re here to advocate however you need it because we really think that CRESS is imperative to our town, especially during these difficult times. You all really… bring some hope to our residents…That’s why we want to make sure that you’re strong and you continue forward and [grow] more and more.” Ferreira said. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Update 
Assistant DEI Director Philip Avila said that all DEI trainings are on track to be completed before the end of the fiscal year and noted an uptick in attendance. 

As part of the department’s youth programming, youth entrepreneurs sold their wares at the Amherst Global Village on Saturday, April 11, after spending several weeks developing their business and making products. 

Avila also mentioned that he will be accepting nominees for the Human Rights Commission Youth Heroism Award from April 15 through May 15. 

He further stated that the department is in the process of securing a $10,000 grant for the Community Heart and Soul Project, which will include funding for a part-time staff member to manage the grant. If the grant is secured, it will be matched, bringing in $20,000 in funding for community directed projects. 

“It’s going to be a community-led initiative. So if the community wants something, please show up and come to those meetings. . . It’s by no means going to be. . .like the town decided what we should do with it. We are going to listen to what the group is saying and then move those initiatives forward,” Avila said. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Updates: 
Clark said that Town Council Vice President Ellisha Walker and Councilor Amber Cano-Martin have been in contact with the ACLU to review Amherst’s sanctuary city bylaw, the council resolution calling for ICE accountability and both Governor Maura Healy’s and the town manager’s executive orders.

“So making sure that the language is consistent with the bylaw and that if it needs to be strengthened, it can be done so in a way that reflects the changes that have happened state-wide and locally,” Clark said.

Ferreira said she has been in contact with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Chair Rani Parker to set up a joint meeting with CSSJC to discuss ICE. They also plan to invite APD Chief Gabriel Ting or a designee “to have a good conversation in regards to…ICE engagement in our town and how they’re engaging with ICE in our town.” 

“ I think it’s very important. This is something that’s on our residents’ minds. People are very afraid, very intimidated by what’s happening and they really want to know what’s the role of the police when ICE is in town? As well as…, how are they [town government] engaging with ICE? So I think it’ll be good for us to do the joint meeting, especially since the [HRC], they’re right in line with us in terms of their mission, and they’re also very concerned,” Ferreira said. 

Youth Empowerment Center (YEC) 
Ferreira read aloud parts of an email from Bockelman regarding questions she asked about the development of a youth empowerment center (YEC). 

Ferreira asked that any American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding originally designated for youth empowerment be earmarked for that purpose rather than having it remain in “free cash” where it can be repurposed. 

Bockelman said that the money was put into free cash “to ensure we secured the money from any federal rescissions which we feared would happen under the federal administration and actually did.” He added that the final decision regarding this money will be up to the Town Council as the body responsible for appropriating the funds. 

Ferreira added that the committee is trying to get on the town council agenda for June 1 and want to highlight the appropriation of these funds in their discussion. 

She also asked that space be reserved at the soon-to-close Wildwood Elementary School for a youth center and BIPOC cultural center. Bockelman said the School Committee will likely retain possession of the property through the summer and will only return it to the town when the committee votes to do so. 

“However, I certainly anticipate that they will vote. So we are organizing discussions around the future use of the site, with and without the building, short and long term. It’s definitely worth keeping track of this, as there are a lot of groups with varying ideas that will have to be sorted through over the coming months. There will be a real process with a lot of public participation.” Bockelman wrote in his response. 

Ferreira suggested that he consider appointing Piedade as a representative of CSSJC to a future committee tasked with determining the use of the space. 

“We’re not sure what they want to do, if they (the School Committee) are going to even keep it beyond the summer…But if they do end up keeping it… they’ll house programs and activities that are connected to education, which…we think that Youth Empowerment Center and the BIPOC Cultural Center is a natural extension and focuses on…building upon education, right? Because you’re connecting with the young people, you’re connecting with the families and those that are their guardians and are supporting them in their lives…But we’re not exactly sure how long the school committee is going to have it in their possession or not,” Ferreira said. 

Derby mentioned a conversation she had with a member of the school committee who said that the committee may want compensation from the town for the property. 

“She had mentioned that there was a strong feeling of like, not letting that space go without compensation for it. . .[T]hey really are looking at that as an asset. So I don’t know how that would affect whether they want to actually hold onto it versus just making sure that it’s not sort of handed over without some compensation,” Derby said. 

Committee Retreat 
The CSSJC held a committee retreat on Saturday, April 4, at the Bangs Community Center. Notes from the retreat will be posted for the public following review by the committee. 

“Just having…those hours, because we know that when we meet…on these Wednesdays, even though it’s critically important…we’re trying to obviously deal with some of the…priority issues that we deal with on a monthly basis. So the retreat really afforded us that opportunity to talk about all those other issues and concerns that we want to address within our community, really strategize around how best to attain them.” Ferreira said. 

During the retreat, the committee discussed ways to work more effectively with the Town Council, including getting on their agenda at least twice per year. According to Piedade, CSSJC Town Council Liaison Hala Lord said she would help facilitate this, as the committee has previously struggled to get on the agenda. 

“We’re hoping that, June 1, [Lord] will confirm…that we actually get on the agenda at the beginning because it has been the experience and I’ve only experienced it once, but Allegra and Deborah have experienced in the past, where we’re put at the end,” Piedade said. She added that by the time the CSSJC speaks, “all of our supporters, all of our people in the community who want to support us…they’re exhausted and they have other things to do. And we’re exhausted too.”

Piedade, the retreat’s primary organizer, also referenced action steps the committee devised at their retreat regarding the budget process. 

“The money is where the rubber hits the road. People can talk all they want about being supportive of the youth empowerment center or the multicultural center, but if there’s no funding, then it’s not going to move forward.” 

The CSSJC also plans to do research into other towns that have youth empowerment centers to get more concrete information regarding budgetary needs so they can make “specific recommendations.”

Clark added that on April 9 she would have  a meeting with a member of the Social Justice Outreach Committee of the UMass Student Government Association (SGA) to discuss having CSSJC make a presentation. She is also in discussion with the SGA’s External Affairs, which acts as a liaison between the student body and the town government,  about having the SGA write a letter in support of Wildwood being used for youth empowerment. 

Ferreira added that she would like to resume hosting CSSJC public forums to provide a platform for residents to share concerns. “I know we haven’t done that in a while. Given everything that’s going on in our town and in the country…it might be important for us to hold some town meetings again and really kind of get a sense from the community, give the community a space to come forward and share some things.”

She added that it would be important for residents to be able to make comments anonymously, either at the meeting or through a written form. 

Piedade said they are planning for their next retreat to be held September 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Public Comment
Hanner made another comment at the end of the meeting regarding the town’s perception of CRESS. 

“I really think that Town Council members do not understand CRESS. They do not understand what its role ought to be versus what it is right now.

She advocated for CRESS to make a presentation before the council or the Finance Committee before the May budget hearings as an opportunity to outline the department’s work and help the council better understand categories like transportation services. 

Hanner reflected on last year’s budget hearing and said she had “no words for it.” 

“I was sick. You know, 45 minutes of the police, not Chief Ting, but his supervisors, describing how the police can do everything and there’s no need for CRESS… And then only a short time for [Theriaque], who had no backup of people to help provide data or anything. And the town councilors didn’t know enough to be able to ask…important questions because they knew nothing about CRESS other than what the police department said, right?” 

In regard to the ROB, Hanner asked the CSSJC to consider if the delay could be beneficial to their goals. 

“Take seriously [Everald Henry’s] question…is it better to postpone the decision or to have the council acquiesce and go along with just the limited advisory role? I know if it were (asked of me), I’d much rather have them postpone the decision than…cave into that. That’s up to you folks to think about. But I suggest that you do think about it before you frame your advocacy.”

Pat Ononibaku, president of the Black Business Association of Amherst Area, also made a comment regarding the ROB, suggesting that the CSSJC reject any recommendations that are not the investigatory model.  

“If the town council or the town manager chooses a different [ROB] that doesn’t have much power, I think you guys should reject it completely…Because I’ve been hearing from some community members, even though they know that I’m not a member of CSSJC, but…as a former CSWG [member], if the town is not going to accept what CSWG recommended, I think it should be rejected flatly. Let’s not waste time. That should not be done. And it sounds surprising coming from me, but if that board is not going to have any power of investigation, for example, don’t do it…we should push back.” 

Ferreira restated the importance of contacting GOL to address the delay. 

“That’s why we need to go back to the source and ask them, What are you doing? Your deadline is over….So we can’t be afraid for them to do their work and think that the only reason why they’re not doing their work is because they’re really looking into the investigatory model… I’m not convinced about that. I want to know why they have not met their deadline.”

Items Not Anticipated
Members echoed the importance of ensuring that the council is educated on what CRESS actually does for the community as an alternative to policing and how their process differs from when a clinician from Clinical Support Options (CSO) responds to a call with an officer. 

“With CSO, what happens is that…the police are in charge of the scene. So if it is a co-response with the CSO clinician, the police go in first, they’re in charge, and…they clear the scene before the clinician talks to someone…Unless it’s someone the clinician knows, but they are in charge of the scene,” Theriaque said. “So the first person [who] that person having a mental health issue, etc. would see is a police officer and not a clinician. So that’s the difference. When we [CRESS] go in…it’s consent-based…they don’t see a police officer. They see one of us.” 

The group also discussed their future plans as Clark, Henry, and Paredes’ terms are all set to expire this year. Clark and Henry have not made formal decisions about whether or not they will stay on for another full term while Paredes confirmed she will seek to continue with the committee. 

Ferreira added that it may be beneficial for Henry and Clark to stay on for another year so they can recruit members to fill their seats before leaving. 

Next Meeting  

The next meeting of the CSSJC will be held on May 13 at 6:30 p.m.