1. Employ Diversity

Alameda County employs over 9,000 people, many who serve critical roles in public safety.  Improving diversity should start with the hiring process.  Recruiting and retaining qualified public safety, especially law enforcement officers, who reflect the race, ethnicity and socioeconomic makeup of communities they serve needs to be a top priority.  Since 1969 the U.S. government has set goals and timetables to promote diversity within its government contractors and federal departments, and it is time the State of California and Alameda County set goals and meet those goals, utilizing its annual Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) as an input tool.

2. Use Data

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the Data-Driven Justice Initiative, aimed at disrupting the cycle of incarceration. Many counties across the nation have joined the initiative, but Alameda County is not yet one of them.  Alameda County should become a leader in using data to reduce racial bias in our criminal justice system and consider joining the Data-Driven Justice Initiative.

3.  Better Training

Implicit bias training should be required annually for all Alameda County employees who interface with the public, including County Supervisors.  Subject matter experts with a proven track record of positive results should be employed in content design to ensure the training is culturally competent, substantive, meaningful, and impactful, not just another box to check.

4. Chief Equity Officer

It is time for Alameda County to create the position of Chief Equity Officer, and to search for the right person to lead the effort locally to help us monitor our progress. The Chief Equity Officer should work with existing local nonprofits already engaged in the work of equity.

5. Return to Community-Based Policing

Community-based policing, if done right, can improve relations between law enforcement and community stakeholders, and reduce crime.  Not all interactions between police officers and community members should be when responding to a crime in progress.  Community-based policing, rather than traditional law enforcement strategies, should be deployed whenever feasible.

6. Reduce Inequality in Housing

There is a history of housing discrimination in our country, and persons of color are more likely to be in need of housing.  For example, African Americans represent 13% of the people, but 40% of the homeless population.  I support fully funding the enforcement of Fair Housing Laws, through HCDD or District Attorney, so all county residents are protected from discriminatory rental and home ownership practices.  In addition, the Homeless Prevention Program, currently only serving the City of Livermore, needs to be expanded countywide. I also support expanding programs such as the Rapid Rehousing Program by ABODE Services and the CityServe program for crisis stabilization.

7. Expand Alameda County Justice Restoration Project

This program is a pilot within the Alameda County District Attorney’s office and offers a new way of supervising and engaging individuals with prior felony crimes who have committed a new crime.  Using certified Peer Support Specialists is one unique component that is different from traditional Probation.  I support adopting and incorporating the tenets of the ADA’s ACJRP that have resulted in reducing recidivism, while maintaining personal accountability for the people who benefit from these programs.   

8. Court Diversion Programs

Court diversion, including pre-filing diversion and alternative sentencing programs can create better outcomes for justice-involved persons while reducing court congestion and making our neighborhoods safer. 

Alameda County currently has 10 alternatives to incarceration including a juvenile based Restorative Justice Program that is more than 12 years in operation. Recidivism rates of these programs is as low as 10%. I support leveraging our existing social services by making them available for all eligible justice involved youth and adults, while maintaining personal accountability for the people who benefit from these programs.

9. Court Responsibility

State law exempts the court system from the Public Records Act, making it extremely difficult to get meaningful data about arrests, charges, bail, convictions and sentencing.  State law should require the release of data so the public can see if there are disparities along racial lines.

10. Independent Prosecutor

I support a process for our District Attorney to utilize another prosecuting agency, preferably the California Attorney General’s Office, for the investigation and evaluation of criminal charges when there is a death as the result of a use of force by any law enforcement officer.  I support the proposed Assembly Bill Assembly Bill 1506 would allow local law enforcement agencies and district attorneys to more regularly request the attorney general to launch a formal review of situations where an officer used force that resulted in death or harm. Until such time as this process is feasible I support creating a stand-alone unit, walled off from other units, responsible for investigating and prosecuting where legally appropriate.

I support ALL of the #8CANTWAIT criminal justice reforms designed to reduce use of force by police agencies across America.  One study suggests these reforms could reduce police-involved killings by 67%.  Specifically, the reforms I support include the following:

11. Ban Chokeholds

Using neck holds and restraints that cut off breathing, sometimes called a sleeper hold or carotid restraint, is dangerous. I supporting ending its use as a restraint technique across the country. 

12. Require De-Escalation Before Force

I support policies and training that require officers to use de-escalation techniques prior to resorting to force.  De-escalation is not possible to achieve in every instance, but it should be policy to attempt to de-escalate to reduce the need for force. 

13. Require Warning Before Discharging Firearm

Everyone knows that use of deadly force must be limited to the rarest of occasions.  Requiring verbal warning (along with de-escalation training) could significantly reduce officer-involved shootings and make interactions safer for the public and officers.

14. Require Officers Exhaust Alternatives Before Shooting

Use of deadly force should be the last resort and only used after de-escalation and less-than-lethal force options are exhausted. It will not always be possible to use other alternatives, but department policies should mandate this when it is possible. 

15. Duty to Intervene and Report

When one officer witnesses another officer violating the department’s use of force policies, it should be mandatory that the officer intervene and report the incident to a superior officer. There will be times when the only witness to an officer’s misconduct is another officer so this rule is fundamental and critical to ensure use of force policies are being followed. 

16. Ban Shooting at Moving Vehicles

Discharging a firearm at a moving car is rarely effective, and often puts passengers and other people at risk. Obviously, when a car is being used as a weapon an officer may need to discharge his firearm, but in virtual all other instances it should be banned.

17. Use of Force Continuum

A use of force continuum is a series of steps used, starting with de-escalation, all the way to using force and, eventually, deadly force, if the contact becomes violent.  While some departments already require a use of course continuum, it should be mandatory.  Additionally, we need more scenario-based training to ensure officers are ready for any encounter. 

18. Comprehensive Reporting

Criminal justice data, including data released by law enforcement agencies, is often insufficient for policy makers to use when making decisions. There needs to be comprehensive reporting for all law enforcement agencies across the state and nation so departments can measure results and reduce instances where force is used.