Nov 15, 2021, San Jose, Calif. —American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley’s Chief Facilitation Officer and ALF Insights Lead Faculty Jenny Niklaus, with the support of Faculty Member Jason Reynolds, have successfully facilitated the City of Watsonville’s Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Social Equity, resulting in a recommendations for a policing and social equity model.
Comprised of a diverse group of community members, City Council, and staff, the Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) developed a total of nine recommendations at the conclusion of an 11-month process. The recommendations are outlined in the September 2021 FINAL REPORT (PDF) issued by the AHC.
“ALF Insights is proud of how effectively we were able to pair ALF values around dialogue and relationships to this challenging and sometimes contentious process. No other city in Santa Cruz County has a comprehensive set of recommendations to address policing and social equity, and the City of Watsonville is a leader in being willing to engage in a process such as this, where other jurisdictions have failed,” said Jenny Niklaus.
The five recommendations for immediate consideration are as follows:
RECOMMENDATION 1: Mental Health and Police Involvement
Watsonville Police Department should support a culture and practice of policing that reflects the values of protection and promotion of the dignity of all, especially those who are emotionally distressed or experiencing a mental health crisis.
RECOMMENDATION 2: Police Oversight and Transparency
The Watsonville Police Department and the City of Watsonville should engage intentionally in a process that supports oversight of policing and social equity in the City of Watsonville in order to ensure accountability and transparency.
RECOMMENDATION 3: Develop and Increase Programs for Youth and Families
Prevention and early intervention programs are critical in creating better pathways for youth. Increasing the inventory of prevention and youth development programs will provide a greater range of support and opportunities for Watsonville youth and families in the Watsonville community.
RECOMMENDATION 4: Ensure City and Police Budget Aligns with Community Needs
The AHC discussed several approaches (defund, reallocate, maintain and or increase) to ensure equitable investment and distribution of the City of Watsonville’s resources into programs that support the greatest needs of the community. In that spirit, there was general consensus amongst the committee that a professional assessment of the Police Department’s budget and operations should be conducted to ensure they are reflective of the community’s needs and priorities.
RECOMMENDATION 5: Training and Hiring of Police Officers
Watsonville Police Department has the opportunity to implement the recommendations of the AHC and develop new strategies that support the hiring, training, and retention of a diverse police workforce that brings a culture of responsiveness, openness, and leadership while working with the community.
Recommendations on traffic stops/traffic safety (#6), and collaboration opportunities (#7) were determined to require additional research and presented in the report for future consideration. Recommendations #8 and #9 are designed to inform the next phase of work as the City staff develops a work plan to implement the recommendations.
Background
In 2020, following the murders of George Floyd and Breanna Taylor, the Watsonville City Council and City Manager established an Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Social Equity (AHC). This came through the desire of the Chief of Police and City leaders to assess their practices as a city and law enforcement entity in regards to bias and social equity.
Following the formation of the AHC, the City of Watsonville retained the services of American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, ALF Insights (ALFI), to provide facilitation for the group and for support of the overall process. ALFI is committed to bringing groups of people together in spaces of productive tension in order to build deeper relationships that lead to the creation of powerful community impact.
View the full Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Social Equity FINAL REPORT (PDF). Learn more about ALF Insights at alfinsights.org.
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