Californians want safe neighborhoods, schools, parks, playgrounds, roads and public gathering places. Californians deserve a comprehensive approach to achieving these goals that addresses the systemic issues that contribute to crime in neighborhoods and strives to ensure each interaction between public safety officers and the communities they serve be grounded in mutual respect.
All Californians must work collaboratively to create safer neighborhoods by preventing crime. School staff, mental health professionals, community-based organizations, clergy, neighborhood leaders, elected officials, and other stakeholders must provide programs and initiatives focused on healthier neighborhoods. Public safety officers must work collaboratively to prevent crime and to enforce the law in a safe and fair manner.
Protect California believes the best way to accomplish these goals is to enact a comprehensive neighborhood safety plan that:
Creates economic and education opportunity to grow our middle-class
Adequately funds the delivery of treatment, medication and support services for individuals diagnosed with mental illness
Equips public safety officers with the necessary tools and training to safely respond to and manage individuals with mental health issues
Establishes a minimum standard for use-of-force policies and reporting procedures and provides the necessary State resources to train every public safety officer on these standards; and
Holds all stakeholders accountable to match their rhetoric with resources