City leaders in El Cajon opened up the discussion on police practices in the city Wednesday after the one-year mark of the shooting death of Alfred Olango, who was unarmed at the time.
Civil rights and faith leaders said they had a sense of hope after meeting with El Cajon's mayor.
Many topics were discussed--such as police training on de-escalation and the future of policing for the city.
"Family, fathers, mothers, do not wish their loved ones to be afraid to go out in the community and be injured or killed by police officers who are not trained or trained properly," said Russell Bowman, Senior Pastor of the Righteous Living Ministries Church of El Cajon.
The group hoped to start a citizens review board for police practices but El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells was against the idea.
"Usually it's activists who are pushing to get in these groups, and once activists get involved, you really lose a sense of community," Wells said.
The discussion stemmed from the shooting death of Alfred Olango, killed one year ago at a taco shop in El Cajon.
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Officers had ordered Olango to take his hands out of his pockets. When he did, Olango pointed an e-cigarette at the officers. He was shot and killed.
San Diego’s District Attorney found the officer's actions were justified.
Olango's brother is now spearheading his own effort, starting the Alfred Olango Foundation to try and spread a message for action.
"We are moving. We're not only walking and demonstrating on streets and yelling chants. We're not only taking knees. We are also sitting down in the offices of these gentlemen and discussing and negotiating methods and routes and means of moving forward and ahead," said Olango’s brother, Apollo.
Apollo Olango was not allowed to be in the meeting with the Mayor because of an ongoing lawsuit between the Olango family and the City of El Cajon.
