Prospects for Police Reform in Bay Area Cities

Monday, January 24, 2022, 10:30 AM

New Perspectives from the Cities of Richmond, Oakland and Berkeley
An Ashby Village Elder Action Event Co-Sponsored by Berkeley Friends Meeting

Zoom Webina rhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89641296817

Calling 911 is the usual way people fearing threats to their safety reach out, and currently the 911 response is to send the police. However, there are times when this response is not appropriate.   The call may not concern a crime requiring police. A person may be going through a serious mental health crisis. It can involve long-term issues between domestic partners, problems with alienated youth, or a person undergoing trauma, such as homelessness or job loss. In some instances, a person may distrust police and be unwilling to call 911 or be unwilling to cooperate with an officer. On these occasions, the presence of a mental health professional rather than a police officer could defuse tension.  A number of East Bay cities have creative projects and new ideas for responding to these crises. On Monday, January 24th at 10:30 AM, Ashby Village will hear from a panel of those working on police reform in Richmond, Oakland and Berkeley. Please RSVP below to join us! The panelists include:

  • Kitty Calavita, Berkeley Police Accountability Board 
  • Amy Coulter, Family Member and Mental Health Advocate 
  • Andrew Greenwood, Retired Berkeley Police Chief
  • Claudia Jimenez, Member, Richmond City Council
  • Rebecca Kaplan, Vice Mayor, Oakland 
  • Zach Norris, Outgoing Executive Director, Ella Baker Center

The panel will be moderated by Judy Appel of the Ashby Village Board of Directors.
The Ashby Village Elder Action Committee and the Berkeley Friends Meeting are pleased to co-sponsor this panel at this time when police reform is a community topic of concern.

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