CEPAB
IN PUTNAM COUNTY

Dear All,

It’s difficult to write this update as we look out at the bright blue sky this afternoon, but I am writing to inform you that, due to poor weather forecast for both Saturday and Sunday, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Putnam Culture Fest scheduled for September 23, 2023.

Considering the evolving situation and our commitment to providing an exceptional experience for attendees, we believe it is in the best interest of all parties involved to cancel the event. The new date for the Putnam Culture Fest 2024 will be announced at a later time.

We truly appreciate your participation and the valuable contributions you were planning to make to the festival. Your dedication and support are integral to the success of this multicultural celebration, and we are grateful for your continued partnership.

We understand that this change may cause some inconvenience, and we apologize for any disruption it may cause to your schedule or preparations. We assure you that we have taken this decision after careful consideration and to ensure a more favorable environment for the festival.

All ticket holders will be issued a refund.

Vendors who have signed up and paid, your payment will be honored for next year. For any vendor who wants to request a refund, please make a request via Zelle.

Thank you for your understanding, flexibility, and ongoing support. We value your involvement in the Putnam Culture Fest, and we look forward to working with you to make next year’s event a resounding success. Should you have any immediate questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team at info@cepabputnamny.org.

We want to express our gratitude and appreciation to all the volunteers, donors and supporters who have worked countless hours on festival planning.  Thank you!

Warm regards,

CEPAB

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HISTORY

In accordance with Resolution #104, introduced by Legislator Ginny Nacerino of Putnam County on behalf of the Protective Services Committee, CEPAB was established as a public advisory board in a Regular Meeting held on June 1, 2021. Its purpose; To share concerns of the public, ensure transparency through the free flow of information and promote community engagement to foster trust, fairness, and legitimacy. As this advisory board, CEPAB cooperates with the Legislative Committees of the Putnam County Legislature. It is a community based, 501(c)3 organization located in Patterson, NY that addresses any racial bias and disproportionate policing of communities of color and offers recommendations to the Sheriff regarding police policies and procedures.

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WHO
WE ARE

CEPAB serves all of Putnam County as a team of grassroots driven organizers and volunteers who share a common goal: To identify and develop effective solutions to local police and community related issues. We engage the police and our community through events that encourage bridge building and cooperation between current and future generations of Putnam County residents and law enforcement.

THE CEPAB VISION

We envision a Putnam County where ALL residents feel included, protected, and fairly treated by law enforcement policies. As this is an on-going and evolving process, we believe this vision is best enacted through open dialogue and cooperation. Reflecting on some of the most recent national press, CEPAB recognizes that we are living in a very critical but courageous moment in history. We see an opportunity in Putnam to build a network of options for law enforcement policy changes by using an open dialogue to uncover our community’s needs and ultimately help co-create new strategies that can become policy change.

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THE CEPAB MISSION

  • To promote equity and safety to all Putnam County residents
  • To identify growth opportunities within the community between residents and police
  • To act as a liaison between the police, local government, and Putnam County residents
  • To advocate for police policy changes by working with local town boards and the County Legislature to ensure key issues are addressed

PURPOSE

Guided by NYS Executive Order 203, CEPAB acts as a public accountability group whose primary responsibilities are:

Continued research and fact-finding on police policy changes with respect to EO203

To submit recommendations to the appropriate body of the Putnam County government

To provide feedback from Putnam County residents’ perspectives on the implementation of policy changes

CEPAB COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

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Youth
Engagement

Many young people experience incidents of harassment through racism, gender bias as well as income bias, within their community. With little recourse to address their concerns, CEPAB is creating several channels for the youth in the area to be heard and given direct resources of assistance for their issues. Not only are we listening, but we are guiding these youth by developing workshops on alternatives to actions based on anger, frustration and mistrust of local law enforcement.

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Law Enforcement Understanding

CEPAB realizes that the law enforcement in Putnam has a primary goal of maintaining order, reducing crime, and protecting the life and property of its residents. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department is vital to the safety of our community, and their wellbeing and safety should be valued the same as residents. Our organization intends to offer law enforcement the same channels for an open dialogue that we do to the community. Because police officers are our fellow residents and neighbors, they have the same safety concerns as residents. To understand their needs as it relates to the community, it is important that we offer an opportunity to learn and understand the expectations and detailed duties of their position.
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Connection

BIPOC communities often feel disconnected with law enforcement and government groups and services. CEPAB will help bridge the enormous gap between underserved communities and law enforcement by inviting residents from all backgrounds to engage and share their experiences, needs, hopes and vision for a safe and thriving Putnam County. We need to know what is happening in the lives of these communities to prevent issues from developing into tragic events. As such, one of CEPAB’s prime initiatives is to clearly identify key areas to create prevention strategies. As law enforcement and local government learns more about the most pressing needs and concerns from residents, it can then fine tune its services to ensure that well-being and safety issues are not only heard- but addressed.

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Giving Back

CEPAB not only works with law enforcement to bridge the gap between local police and residents, we also have created a healthy initiative of giving. In 2021, CEPAB donated close to $2000 to Second Chance Foods, a Brewster, NY non-profit organization whose food rescue program works with grocery stores and local farms to bring more fresh, healthy, and nourishing foods to those in need. We intend to continue our initiative of giving back to our community by sponsoring children at local summer camps and identifying ways CEPAB can help with local cancer centers, group homes and programs for the disabled.

Reach Out

Please fill out the form and we will contact you soon.

Contact info:

info@cepabputnamny.org