Steve asks Lucinda Jackson, Kati Moulton, Dot Jager-Wentworth, Tamar Shirley…

2 ^

Your position on Eureka’s Police Department.

Will you support them or work to restrict and modify their role?  What are your thoughts on how city government can protect citizens, property, and businesses?   

— Steve

Responses

Lucinda Jackson

Below is my position on law and order in Eureka.

 

LAW & ORDER

Issues

·        The City of Eureka does not enforce laws, but instead implements a catch and release program. This is largely caused by Proposition 47 and Proposition 57 passed by voters in 2014 and 2016 respectively, which decriminalized property theft, sexual crimes, and other heinous crimes to misdemeanors.

·        Eureka citizens and many law enforcement members have forgotten that the purpose of law enforcement is to protect and serve. Many citizens don’t want to be held accountable for poor decisions. Many law enforcement members poorly example how citizens should conduct themselves (e.g. following traffic laws, courtesy and civility).

 

Solutions

·        The City of Eureka and Sheriff’s Office working together with the State of California to establish laws that hold people accountable for their actions. Proposition 20 is a first step toward this goal. Proposition 20 will come before voters on the November 3, 2020 ballot and seeks to reform the parole system to hold violent felons accountable for their actions and protect Californians from violent and sexual crimes.

·        The City of Eureka and Sheriff’s Office working together to hold accountable people who violate the law.  

·        Law enforcement consistently demonstrating how citizens should conduct themselves (e.g. following traffic laws, courtesy and civility) without hypocrisy.

 

For more information about root issues Eureka is facing, please visit my website at https://lucindajacksonekacitycouncil.squarespace.com/rootissues.

Kati Moulton

I don’t think that supporting the EPD and modifying their role are two different things.  There are situations which call for a peace officer, and situations where someone else might have more appropriate tools.  Asking someone to do a job which they are not trained or equipped for is not supporting them.  Getting them the help, tools, or training they need is supporting them. Here in Eureka, we already have some great examples of agencies outside the PD, and specialized teams inside the PD which are called on to meet certain situations. 

 

The CSET team is working in partnership with trusted and effective agencies who work directly with the homeless and other at risk populations.  I understand there is new funding coming through soon for a mental health crisis intervention position as well. Sometimes “keeping the peace” means using force to keep a dangerous person from hurting anyone.  Sometimes it means calling in an expert to keep a situation from becoming dangerous.

 

I believe that the coordinating work being done by the EPD and the City will serve to help people who are desperate, hopeless, or suffering from addiction.  In the long run, this is what it will take to reduce crime in Eureka.  Nothing is more dangerous than someone with nothing to lose.

 

In the short run, I believe that the most effective (and cost effective) thing the EPD can be doing is to continue and expand its outreach and coordination efforts.  In addition to working with service agencies, we can prevent crime and destruction by engaging and encouraging neighborhood watch groups and business associations like Main Street, and the Henderson Center Merchants.