Social Justice in Los Altos
Black lives matter.
People of color and all members of our community are entitled to equal justice regardless of ethnic background, income, religion, sexual orientation, or citizenship status.
While we as a society have much work to do, I do not support defunding the police.
I have never been questioned by a member of the LAPD or had a negative encounter with a member of law enforcement, but I realize my experience may not be the same as others. I believe our police department is honorable and does an excellent job protecting the public, but societal standards change and law enforcement must adjust its methods and training to meet changing expectations.
All of us have a responsibility to listen to each other with empathy and respect. Institutional racism is not always easy to identify. Recently, the Council hosted a Police Town Hall. About fifty members of our community shared their thoughts and experiences with the police. You can listen to the town hall here.
Supporting documents are here.
I believe we can have a police department that protects public safety and property rights. And we can have social justice. The two are not mutually exclusive.
As a member of council, I support the following:
- An analysis of the role of the School Resource Office (SRO) including possible alternative ways to providing the SRO’s services.
- Exploring whether our residents could receive better non-emergency services from sources other than the police department.
- Encouraging and supporting funding so the Police Department can collect and report data on traffic stops as soon as possible (not just in 2023 when they are required to do so by law).
- Establishing a procedure independent of the police department for complaints to be lodged and reviewed.
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