SAN DIEGO — Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, standing with trusted leaders from the Black community, announced Friday three bold policies to create more transparency and start to change the systemic and structural racism that has caused pain and harm to generations of Black people. The Supervisor also launched a petition drive to support this effort.
The Racial Justice and Law Enforcement Realignment Policy Package was developed in partnership with the community to:
At the beginning of the media briefing Supervisor Nathan Fletcher acknowledged the significance of June 19, or Juneteenth, the day symbolically associated with the commemoration of the end of slavery.
Supervisor Fletcher thanked the community for their input and said he knows the community has been crying out for change for decades and decades, but said now there's an increase in awareness.
“As white people we need to lift up and empower people of color. We need to listen, we need to stand alongside – often we need to stand behind -- but we need to understand that every single person has an obligation and a role to be a part of tackling injustice, inequity and confronting and calling for the systemic change that we need,” Supervisor Fletcher said.
Ellen Nash, Chair of the Board for Black American Political Association of California, said this initiative hits home for her as she spoke about her brother's battle with mental illness.
"My brother would have a breakdown and "PERT," [Psychiatric Emergency Response Team] would put him in jail for a few days -- it was always, call PERT, call PERT. We need other options for mentally challenged relatives, we feel helpless and traumatized," Nash said.
Khalid Alexander, President and Founder for Pillars of the Community said the proposal from Supervisor Fletcher "is not revolutionary."
"Some may look at mental health experts as radical -- they are not. Some may think these steps are groundbreaking -- they are not, but they are important steps in the right direction about real conversations where real change can begin to happen," Alexander said.
Breakdown of the Racial Justice and Law Enforcement Realignment Policy Package
Strengthen the Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board Authority and Independence
- Increase independence from the County Sheriff
- Authority to investigate use of weapon incidents
- Authority to investigate use of force causing injury
- Authority to investigate use of force at protests
- Community input in the selection of members
- More transparent member selection process
- Increase funding to support investigative powers
- Presentation to Board of Supervisors annually
Start an Office of Equity and Racial Justice for the County of San Diego
- Establish and staff an Office of Equity and Racial Justice
- Involve communities of color in setting policy and budget priorities
- Secure and administer restorative justice programs
- Dismantle systemic barriers that present obstacles based on race
Launch Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT) without Law Enforcement
- Establish and staff countywide Mobile Crisis Response Teams with clinicians
- Create help line for community to request a MCRT
- Launch outreach campaign to educate community about MCRT
- Dedicate $10 million annually in the HHSA budget for countywide MCRT
Call to Action
The Supervisor has also launched a petition drive to urge broad community support for this policy package. It is scheduled for a vote at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 23 meeting at 9:00 a.m.