Office of Community Liaison

The New Castle POLICE REFORM AND REINVENTION COLLABORATIVE COMMITTEE (PRRCC) recommended the Town of New Castle create an independent Office of the Community Advocate/Liaison.  This Advocate/Liaison provides a more effective avenue to lodge an anonymous complaint.

The New Castle PRRCC acknowledges that the current system for reporting anonymous complaints is problematic as it allows a complainant to maintain anonymity when lodging a complaint, but fails to provide an avenue to allow the complainant follow-up and closure.   They determined that the current system is problematic for the police as well, in that it does not allow for follow-up by the police in order to conduct an effective and thorough investigation (i.e., key material information is missing, so the investigation stalls).

Therefore, the Office of the Community Advocate/Liaison will:

  • Assist a complainant with filling out a complaint.
  • File the complaint on behalf of the complainant.
  • Maintain the anonymity of the complainant if desired.
  • Act as an intermediary with the police for the purpose of conducting a complete and thorough investigation.
  • Allow the complainant to be fully informed about the investigation while ongoing and when completed.
  • After the investigation is complete, the results will be conveyed to the complainant through the Community Advocate.
  • Allows the complainant closure.

Community Advocates/Liaisons are volunteers from the greater community, which should include members of the LGBTQ community, the interfaith council, and the BIPOC community.

If you are interested in becoming an Advocate/Liaison, please print, fill out the Town of New Castle Community Liaison Volunteer Application and submit it to the Town Administrator, Jill Shapiro, at JShapiro@mynewcastle.org.

If you are selected to be an Advocate/Liaison, you will be required to complete the Town of New Castle Community Liaison Agreement.

Anyone using the Town’s Advocate/Liaison will be required to complete the Town of New Castle Community Liaison Complainant Waiver and Release of Liability.

Contact a Volunteer Community Liaison

Available Liaison Information Here