SANTA MONICA — The City of Santa Monica announced on Friday, June 10 the members of the new Public Safety Reform Advisory Committee.

Interim City Manager Lane Dilg confirmed the selection of fifteen members for the group. All individuals named are residents of the city, or have an extensive knowledge of its workings, according to the City’s release.

They will facilitate in community input processes, vet reform proposals and make necessary recommendations on public safety reform. The committee is an additional approach in addressing issues of racial justice, equity and inclusion within the City and taking credible actions to prevent future disputes. According to santamonica.gov,  the committee members and their affiliation include:

  • Angela Scott: Committee for Racial Injustice
  • Darrell Goode: President, NAACP Santa Monica/Venice Branch
  • Darnell Crumpler: Santa Monica Police Department
  • Erika Akulfi: Santa Monica Poice Department
  • George Brown: Co-author, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ New Era of Public Safety Report
  • Liz Cruz: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
  • Marc Morganstern: Library Board Member, Ocean Park Association President
  • Michael Shotton: Resident
  • Nathaniel Trives: Former Mayor
  • Ralinda Harvey Smith: Resident
  • Rasika Flores: Case Manager, Youth Resource Center, St. Joseph’s
  • Rebecca Lantry: Vice President, NAACP Santa Monica/Venice Branch
  • Robbie Jones: Coalition for Police Reform, Committee for Racial Justice
  • Shuli Latan: Mental Health Counseling Coordinator, SMMUSD
  • Wally Marks: Poast Chair, Santa Monica Bayside District Corporation

These reforms will mainly regard two points. The first target of reform is the Santa Monica Police Department’s use of force guidelines. The second focuses on the City’s budget and “invest/divest strategies”. This means that they will give advice on where more money and less money should be allocated.

Regarding the committee, Interim City Manager Dilg stated the following:

“Each of the appointees is committed to ensuring that the City follows best practices for creating a community in which all feel and are safe. Together, they bring relevant knowledge and expertise as advocates for racial justice, residents, business owners, law enforcement officers with a commitment to public safety reform, mental health providers, and social services providers.”

A detailed list of the appointees can be found on the City’s website.

Written by Sofia and Tasnia