In 2020, Mid-City CAN's Youth Council, Women Occupy San Diego, Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, and San Diegans for Justice passed Measure B: a charter amendment to establish an independent, community-led commission on police practices in the City of San Diego. Andrea St. Julian, writer of the charter amendment and Co-chair of San Diegans for Justice, ensured that this independent commission would reimagine public safety for our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. 

Our Youth Council believes young people should be included in the new commission on police practices because this how young people can create and contribute to change. 

The type of commission San Diegans voted for in November 2020:

• Independent from the influence of the Mayor or SDPD—the current CRB members and director are selected by the Mayor.
  
• Independent legal counsel—the current CRB receives legal counsel from the City Attorney, who also defends the city in lawsuits. This is a conflict of interest.
• Power to investigate and subpoena officers, witnesses, and documents—the current CRB does not have subpoena power.
• Independent investigators—the current CRB relies on SDPD's own internal affairs investigations. The police should not investigate itself.

2 WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THE YOUTH VOICES ON THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON POLICE PRACTICES

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 

Join the City Council meeting live stream bit.ly/SDLivestream 

The link to join the Special Meeting Webinar by computer, tablet, or Smartphone is: https://sandiego.zoomgov.com/j/1607802331

Meeting starts at 9 A.M. please monitor the meeting to call in for Item 2, follow us on Twitter @midcitycan for live updates

1) Call-in phone testimony:

• When Item 2 is announced, call into the meeting: Dial 1-669-254 5252 |  When prompted, input Webinar ID: 160 780 2331#
• When it's your turn, say your name, and tell the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee to move forward with the ordinance process with the community's recommendations and full transparency.
• You will have a 1-minute to speak, Spanish interpretation is available upon request

2) Submit written e-comment:

• At https://www.sandiego.gov/council-committees/public-safety-and-livable-neighborhoods-committee-public-comment-form
• Comments should be submitted before 8:45 A.M. on February 10 
• Comment Type: Agenda Comment
• Agenda Item Number: 2
  
  

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR YOUR PHONE TESTIMONY OR E-COMMENT

My name is __________ and I speaking on agenda item 2 in solidarity with the Mid-City CAN Youth Council and San Diegans for Justice. 

• We are asking you to respect the needs and input of community when it comes to the formation of the ordinance. Please uphold the community's recommendations throughout the ordinance process, including the 2 Youth Seats for ages 18-24.

• Black and Latinx youth in San Diego are disproportionately arrested by police. Black youth are arrested at a rate 8 times white youth’s arrest rate. Latinx youth are arrested at a rate 3 times the arrest rate of white youth. This shows that young people are deeply impacted by policing, which has lifelong impacts on their development. Young people should have a voice on this commission.

• In November 2020, 75% of San Diegans voted in favor of an independent Commission on Police Practices. It is now the responsibility of the City Council to deliver results on the voters' decision by ensuring the commission reflects communities impacted by policing, which include our young people.

• The Commission must include commissioners from those communities that experience the most intrusive police interactions, such as warrantless stops, searches, and arrests.

• No law enforcement or their immediate family will serve on the Commission.

• The Commission will have whistleblower protections for officers who choose to come forward.

• Each decision made during the complaint, review, investigation, recommendation, and discipline process must be made available to the public at the time the decision is made. Community members must be given the ability to voice their concerns about each decision during the process.

Please vote to move the ordinance forward, and please instruct the City Attorney to include 2 youth seats ages 18-24 for the commission in the ordinance. Thank you.