MLK CommUNITY Initiative, KCSO form partnership to create advisory council
Following collaborative efforts between the MLK CommUNITY Initiative and local law enforcement, the initiative announced a partnership Tuesday with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office to form an advisory council composed of county citizens to “bridge the gap” between the KCSO and various sectors of the community.
Arleana Waller, founder of the MLK commUNITY Initiative, said the partnership is a “great start” to better community relations with the Sheriff’s Office. The partnership was formed following a two-hour meeting last Wednesday between Waller, Sheriff Donny Youngblood, Undersheriff Doug Jauch and community organizer Isaiah Crompton.
“It was time that we worked together and close the trust gap,” Waller said.
Their meeting came after a June 11 Zoom meeting Waller organized where local African American leaders and pastors discussed relationships between the KCSO and the black community in light of recent events both locally and nationwide that sparked social unrest. During the meeting, panelists debated their views with Youngblood, ultimately deciding a partnership was beneficial.
Waller and Youngblood both said previously they might not always agree, but having dialogue is necessary.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, we’ve had some real conversations and maybe both of us didn’t like what we had to say, but
it was honest,” Waller said.
Youngblood said the advisory council will work with the Sheriff’s Office, which will explain the KCSO’s policies and procedures while council members can provide feedback from the local community.
During their Zoom meeting in June, it was suggested that Youngblood have an advisory council of African American community members. The sheriff wasn’t in favor of excluding segments and sectors of the county, however.
Waller said she’s since changed her mind and is committed to having a council with a diverse community population.
“I think while taking the lead and setting up the Zoom meetings, I was very much in my emotions with the death of George Floyd,” Waller explained. “After taking a step back, and seeing 6,000 people viewing it live, we have to be inclusive and we have to have representation from areas throughout the county.”
Youngblood said he’s committed to getting people involved as far away as Ridgecrest.
“We’re going to try and get members of our entire Kern County community to be involved in order to educate and enlighten them on the things (the Sheriff’s Office does),” Youngblood said. “We represent Kern County, not just Bakersfield.”
The council will consist of 20 to 25 community members, Waller said. She added there’s already a number of “impressive” community leaders expressing interest in being a part of the council.
“We will have a true community voice with this council. Great leaders have already said, ‘Yes,’” Waller said.
The council will begin meeting next week and will release its agenda for the community to see. Once the council’s been formed, Waller said all meetings will be open to the public and names of council members will be released.
“This is a major historic moment and a positive move in the right direction,” Crompton said in a news release.
Waller said in the short term, council members will meet with the sheriff, tour KCSO facilities and take a course offered by the Sheriff’s Office. In the long term, the council hopes to create a “seamless partnership” when looking at KCSO policy and examine any incidents that may arise.
“Right now we’re focusing on collaborating with the sheriff’s department because the sheriff understands what’s critically important to the community right now,” Waller said.