San Diego Committee on Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods

Working together to make our neighborhoods safe for both residents and police officers.

That's one of the many goals announced for the new year by one of San Diego's newest councilmembers. 

Councilmember Monica Montgomery is chair of the city's Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee.

This year, she's bringing new ideas to the table and also addressing continuing challenges that our city has faced.

San Diego's Committee on Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods monitors everything from firefighter and police officer recruitment and retainment to graffiti abatement and senior services to libraries. 

On Wednesday, the committee met to identify the goals for 2019 and the list is packed.

How San Diego police use force and how they perform traffic stops are two of the eight issues considered a priority when it comes to the San Diego Police Department.  The committee will review current policies regarding use of force including the use of a carotid restraint but also will work to improve diversity within its police department. 

One of the suggestions is to look into providing incentive programs like low-cost housing loans and down payment assistance to encourage officers to live in the communities they serve.

“We also want to make systemic changes to ensure that every single person is treated the same way and treated fairly by our officers. And it doesn’t mean that officers don’t do good things, right? It doesn’t mean that officers don’t have a hard job, but we do have issues,” Montgomery said.

Among the goals of the committee are to rebuild trust between underserved communities and the police. That may include supporting the expansion of the department's staffing to deal with people experiencing mental health crises.

Officers who speak the languages of the residents in a community will help bridge any divide that exists. 

Other goals of the committee include reviewing marijuana regulations, access to fresh and healthy foods in all communities, restorative justice efforts and the city's treatment of the homeless.