‘Being heard’ not enough for police reform

Thanks, editor, for pointing out that citizens must be heard by the mayor’s committee on police reform. However, citizens really must be active participants. If not, what is the point? To make the existing groups feel good about themselves? The creators of existing problems need active input from the outside to be able to evolve.

Now is the time that city council, city staff, Chico PD must humble themselves and listen (without challenging) to citizens of color; and all minority citizens. How can groups of majority white, male, straight, able-bodied people, think they can understand the abuses suffered by minorities in Chico when they have not lived those abuses themselves? Why would anyone expect a different future for the Chico PD if we continue to promote from within?

The city has failed to hire more diverse staff in all departments because when you work in a monoculture, it is difficult to imagine a different existence. Chico is full of profound biases. If you can’t see this, you are probably part of a privileged group. When we hire and train people to do difficult jobs like policing, they come with biases. That isn’t a criticism, it’s a fact.

A few hours of training don’t remove those biases. The people need to be willing to change first. This should be a requirement of the job — willingness to find, challenge and change existing biases. City council: don’t blow your historic opportunity here. Include people of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, homeless people in this committee.