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Cuomo signs police reform bills into law, repeals 50-A and bans chokeholds

Poll: Cuomo favorability rating among New Yorkers highest since February 2011
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NEW YORK (WKBW) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Friday he is signing into law criminal justice and police reform bills.

The bills include legislation that repeals 50-A, the law that shields police records, and legislation that bans chokeholds.

The governor also announced the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention collaborative.

Under the collaborative, the governor is issuing an executive order that will require local governments and police agencies in NYS to develop a plan that reinvents and modernizes police strategies and programs in their communities.

Cuomo says each local government and police agency must formulate a plan addressing: use of force by police officers, crowd management, community policing, implicit bias awareness training, de-escalation training and practices, restorative justice practices, community-based outreach, a transparent citizen complaint disposition procedure and other issues.

The governor says there must be community participation and the goal is to restore trust.

The plan must be enacted by local law by April 1, 2021 for the local governments to be eligible for state funding.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced a series of police reforms in the City of Buffalo Wednesday.