LA MESA COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD NEEDS YOU

Currently, if you have a complaint about an experience with the La Mesa Police Department, your only option is to file that complaint with the department itself. After years of work by citizens of La Mesa, that is about to change. You will soon be able to file that complaint with an independent third party, namely, the Community Police Oversight Board.

I and the other members of La Mesa’s Citizen Public Safety Oversight Task Force, have volunteered countless hours researching, consulting and crafting a plan for police oversight because we believe it will make La Mesa a stronger, safer, more welcoming place for everyone who lives in and visits our beautiful city.

Why oversight?

In 2016, a grand jury recommended the establishment of community oversight of police in cities across San Diego County. Recent events have highlighted the urgency of the need to address policing. Comments in support of the creation of an oversight board have f looded our task force meetings. And data from the La Mesa Police Department shows that Black people account for 21 percent of arrests (per public information from LMPD) but make up less than 8 percent of the population of both La Mesa and San Diego County.

Behind these numbers are painful stories. Task force member Patricia Dillard described watching three police officers simultaneously descend over her fence and come running down her backyard embankment into a group of terrified young teenagers enjoying her child’s 13th birthday party.

It was broad daylight, right here in La Mesa — no knock on the door or warning of any kind. It shocked her and her husband. It traumatized the children. All for a neighbor’s complaint about noise. And it’s not an isolated incident.

Clearly, we have work to do. We support the La Mesa police and the many incredible officers who serve our community. But we cannot continue to assume perfection in the conduct of every officer. If we are going to keep our community and our officers safe, we cannot allow a law enforcement culture that looks the other way when unprofessional and unethical conduct occurs.

What will the community police oversight board do?

The oversight board will be a group of diverse, volunteer citizens from across La Mesa. They will review the policies and practices of the La Mesa Police and make recommendations to the police chief that will move La Mesa toward a safer, more welcoming community for all people. When complaints are made against officers — either to the police department or the board itself — the board will review those complaints. If necessary, the board will work with a professional auditor to audit the La Mesa police’s investigations of those complaints and then recommend further action when needed.

The board will serve as a liaison between the La Mesa police and the people of La Mesa and will increase the transparency of the La Mesa police’s policies, investigations and practices. This increase in transparency will benefit all. Furthermore, the board will review and make recommendations to the police chief on training, including training related to race relations, sensitivity and de-escalation. In short, the board will be a place where our community and our officers can turn for an independent eye on justice in our city.

It’s critical to understand that the oversight board will be of benefit to everyone who lives, visits and works in La Mesa — and that includes police officers. People are angry. We’ve seen unprecedented numbers of people marching in our streets. We have serious concerns about what another incident with police could spark in our community, and we want to keep our officers and our community safe.

Now is the time for action.

Right now, we stand at the precipice of a real opportunity. This is our community’s chance to make La Mesa a shining light on the hill — an example for other cities in our state and country to follow on the path towards justice for all. The success of this endeavor depends upon the people of La Mesa.

The city of La Mesa is currently accepting applications for volunteer positions on the oversight board, from people from all walks of life. The deadline to submit one is today.

Please visit cityof lamesa.us/1644/Community-Police-Oversight-Board

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