Opinion 20-183

November 16, 2020

Dear :

         This responds to your inquiry (20-183) asking whether you, a town justice, may serve on your town’s “Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative,” which was formed in response to the Governor’s Executive Order 203. You note the town’s committee will include representatives of the District Attorney’s office and the Public Defender’s office, in addition to other officials and citizens.

         In Opinion 20-112, we advised that judges may not participate in committees formed in response to Executive Order 203, which will recommend changes to current police force deployments, strategies, policies, procedures and practices.

         Enclosed, for your convenience, is Opinion 20-112 which addresses this issue.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       Margaret Walsh

                                       Supreme Court Justice

                                       Committee Co-Chair

                                       Lillian Wan

                                       Acting Supreme Court Justice

                                       Committee Co-Chair

Enc.