Ithaca, N.Y. — Tompkins County lawmakers will seek an outside review of a controversial standoff in Danby that left a man dead and a home destroyed.
David Cady died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after an approximately 60-hour stand-off last New Year’s Eve that drew hundreds of law enforcement officers to the area.
The outside review could “provide an outside perspective on factors including appropriateness and proportionality of the response and which would focus not only on the incident itself, but also at the context of actions related to Mr. Cady that led up to the standoff,” stated a news release from the county about Monday’s meeting of the county’s Public Safety Committee.
“It was stressed that the action should not imply improper action by law enforcement, but focus on lessons to be learned to provide guidance in the future.”
Nate Shinagawa, chair of the county’s public safety committee, told WHCU radio that the outside review may be conducted by someone in academia.
“I believe that we need to have somebody that has an understanding of police protocol, but at the same time, is independent enough to really give this a thorough review that the community will find appropriate,” Shinagawa told the radio station.
See related: Sheriff says Danby man’s ‘fatal funnel’ justified 61-hour response to stand-off
See related: ‘I think the police did what they were supposed to,’ cop expert says of Danby standoff
4 other things we noticed from the news release about Monday’s meeting:
1 — Lawmaker’s praise for sheriff
Shinagawa credited the Sheriff and Undersheriff with providing an “excellent and thorough analysis” in the report. Sheriff Ken Lansing had provided a report about the standoff.
2 — DOJ involvement?
Lawmakers suggested there could be technical assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance for the outside review.
3 — Dissenting vote from outside analysis
“Committee member Jim Dennis dissented in the vote to pursue an outside review, expressing the belief that such further review is not needed and, in the case of seeking an outside expert, could involve unnecessary cost.”
4 — Formal acceptance of report
“Through today’s formal acceptance, the committee acknowledged receipt of the report and that the Sheriff’s Office had provided the summary it had requested.”
5 — Sheriff welcomes review
Sheriff Lansing said he would welcome any independent and outside review of the standoff, according to the county.
Full Ithaca Voice coverage of Danby stand-off
Sheriff says cops showed exceptional restraint in Tompkins standoff – “Our people could have taken this and used deadly physical force,” Sheriff Lansing said. Ithaca Voice
Pastor: Tompkins family faces homelessness after fatal standoff– Efforts have begun to help the family of a Tompkins County man who died Friday after an armed standoff with law enforcement that lasted over 60 hours. Ithaca Voice
Opinion: Danby official calls for state investigation of police actions in standoff – Written by Edward C. Kokkelenberg, a Danby fire commissioner. Ithaca Voice
‘I think the police did what they were supposed to,’ cop expert says of Danby standoff – “Once they were there, the police department does not have the option of saying ‘Okay never mind.’” Ithaca Voice
Update: Tompkins man in standoff has died, was wanted on DWI charge – Danby man David Cady, 36, died after a standoff with law enforcement in Tompkins County that lasted more than two straight days.Ithaca Voice
Cops say Danby man in fatal barricade had several long guns, ammo from Pa. – A man who died in a barricade in Danby last week had weapons stored throughout the house for a standoff with law enforcement that lasted over 60 hours, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday.Ithaca Voice
Video shows Danby home in aftermath of standoff – A video circulating on social media shows the inside of a home in Danby after a standoff with law enforcement that lasted over 60 hours. Ithaca Voice
Wife in Tompkins barricade wonders if there was better way –Melissa Cady wants this to be clear: She does not blame law enforcement for the death of her husband. Ithaca Voice
Pain, anger at Tompkins meeting as police defend handling of standoff – An emotional meeting in the Tompkins County Legislative Chambers Monday afternoon stretched over two hours. Ithaca Voice