EASTHAMPTON, Mass. - The city of Easthampton and its police department are working together on reforms, including making access to a better data system a priority.

“1996 is when this system was implemented,” Easthampton police chief Robert Alberti said. “So one of the things that was glaring us in the face is we have to come up with a better system for data collection and data reporting.”

Chief Alberti said proper data reporting is one of the most important things police can do to ensure transparency about what officers are doing in their community.

Police departments around the state updated their guidelines after the state’s police reform legislation became law in 2020, and Chief Alberti and Mayor Nicole LaChapelle have continued to work together on police reform policies.

“For community trust… the public safety IT and software systems have to come out of the police department and be civilianized,” LaChapelle said. “And so now there is an IT department that oversees that.”

LaChapelle said having a civilian IT department will allow officers to concentrate their resources on police work.

Chief Alberti said down the road, they’ll work with the IT department to create a portal to allow the public better access to police records and keep building trust with people.

“The main objective and the goal through all of this is to make Easthampton continuously a safer community from the police department’s perspective and police service,” Alberti said.