HomeMy WebLinkAboutLWV-Q&AOPENING MEETING 2020 PANEL PRESENTATION
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM: A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE
SEPTEMBER 12, 10:10 am—10:40 am via ZOOM
Introduction: Cindy Marie Absey, Co-President, LWV SLOCO
Moderator: Ed Cabrera, League Member and Educator
Participants: Deanna Cantrell
Police Chief, City of San Luis Obispo
Jill Bolster-White
Executive Director, Transitions Mental Health
Stephen Vines
President, NAACP, SLO County Chapter
Questions for Panelists:
1) What is your vision of a just and equitable criminal justice
system in SLO County? a. Guess I would ask what your definition of “just” andequitableare – b. Synonyms are - Fair – fair minded – reasonable – evenhanded – impartial – unbiased – objectivec. The police serve the community – and should police in awaythatismeaningfultothecommunity - and what isconsideredmeaningfulvariesgreatlyalongwiththemanyopinionsofthemanypeoplethatmakeupacommunity. d. For instance – is it fair, is it just, is it impartial, is it unbiasedwhena – let’s say theft is committed that the person thatcommitteditbeaccountable – but then what doesaccountabilitymean? Is that different based on socio-economic status, race, gender, mental status etc. AND whoshoulddecidewhoisaccountableandwhoisnotandtowhatdegreetheyareaccountable? - the law as written, thepolice, the DA’s, the courts? If it is now the police – how dowedecidewhogetsarrestedandwhodoesn’t? is it morefairforustotreatthelawinanimpartial, unbiased, objective manner and let the DA and courts look at socio-economic factors? e. I am not sure how the police get into that business
f. What we do is follow the law as written, treat all peoplewithdignityandrespect, work with marginalizedcommunitiesthatmaybemoreeffectedbylawsto changeourpolicies, procedures and training, hold ourselvesaccountable, and share our data on arrests, traffic violationsetc. with the community. g. My vision for policing is to advance policing, public safetyandtrustthroughalensofreducingharm – h. Inclusion of people of color and in the process – makementalhealthmoreaccessible, all police departmentsengageincommunitypolicing
2) Do you believe “systemic racism” exists in SLO County and if
so, why? a. Systemic racisms has been defined as: b. "Systems and structures that have procedures or processesthatdisadvantagesAfricanAmericans.” c. “The complex interaction of culture, policy and institutionsthatholdsinplacetheoutcomesweseeinourlives." GlennHarris, president of Race Forward and publisher ofColorlinesd. In my opinion, “Systemic refers to systems andstructures. The criminal justice system has a long history ofracism, as have many other systems (banking, education, housing etc.) – this does not – in my opinion mean everyoneinpolicingorthecriminaljusticesystem (or banking, education, housing etc) is now, or has been racist, but thesystemwasbuiltonracismandthereforehasfactionsofracismstillinit – from outright hate crimes tomicroaggressions.
3) Regarding calls to “defund the police”---would it be effective
to divert funds from law enforcement to social and mental
health services for some types of incidents? Why/why not? a. We can imagine it would be effective but we won’t knowuntilitistried…
4) What would need to change with local law enforcement for
people of color to believe their concerns and complaints
have been heard and answered?
a. I am a person of color – being Choctaw and a member of theLGBTQcommunityandwhenyouaskmeIwilltellyouatleastinSLOIbelieveconcernsfrompeopleofcolorareheardandanswered. When you ask other people of colorthatquestionsomewillagreeandsaytheyareheard, somemaygiveyouchangestheywouldlikeandforothersthereisnotenoughchangeintheworld. b. What I can promise, is that I listen, I am willing to sit at thetablewithanyonethatwouldliketoworkonpolicingthecommunity – I will always come from a position of listeningandlearningfirstsothatwecanGROWtogether. c. In the last 4.5 years SLO has done the work, been the change -
i. Principled policingii. Exploring racismiii. Data from traffic stops, arrests, in custodiesiv. 100% of staff trained in CITv. PACTvi. PEACEvii. Spoken with immigrant communitiesviii. Invited the community to teach us on culturalcompetenciesix. Worked on policies togetherx. Changed hate crime reporting structurexi. Reduced use of force by 50% xii. Reduced citizen complaintsxiii. Reduced crime to lowest in 5 years
5) How should law enforcement respond to acts of civil
disobedience that break the law? a. We are responsible for public safety – life and propertyb. We absolutely should and do uphold the constitutionalrightsofallpeopleascloselyaswepossiblycan. c. We understand the purpose of BLM and try to allowprotestorssomeleewayandnotstrictlyenforceevery lawi. Walking in roadway, no permits, no gas masks etcii. People upset on both sides
6) What #1 message do you want this audience to take away? a. Policing a community is incredibly complexb. There are 18,000 LEA’s in the US and nearly 800k policeofficersthatengageinmillionsofcontactsandover10,000
arrests every year. We are human beings whooverwhelminglyenteredtheprofessionforand continue initforprincipledreasons. c. We live in a country with the most guns in the world and wepoliceinasocietythatexpectsperfectionfromus. d. We have done and will continue to do tremendous work toreformpolicing, improve use of force, training andequipment, and build trust with our marginalizedcommunities - but communities need to also engage in thatworkandtheworkofincreasingtheirownsafetyincommunitiesbecausefromwhereIsit, we will not be in acountrythatabolishespolicing – at least not in my lifetime. So - communities that try to “reform policing” withoutworkingtogethertore-imagine policing in a way that is justandfairandequitablewillendupwithasystemthatdoesnotworkforallpeople. e. In San Luis Obispo, we partner with the community toaddresscurrentchallengesandcreateamorepositiveenvironmentforthoseweserveandforourstaff. We havesomeinourcommunitythatarewillingtodotheworktogether. SLOPD has worked to learn about our communitymembersandtheirneeds, build sustainable relationshipsthroughopenandhonestdialogue, changed perceptionsandnegativeopinions, and moved toward makingmeaningfulchanges. If our community wants change, theyhavetobewillingtoworkatit, and change themselves aswell. f. We fully understand that the negative actions or inaction inothercommunities, erodes the trust we have built in ourownand, therefore, we see the community engagement notasanend, but as a continuing necessity to ensure the safetyofourcommunity.
Audience Q & A
Restorative justice – wrap around for those leaving the CJ system,
homelessness, mental health, housing, drug and alcohol, job
training,